A Thursday night opener against Eastern Illinois. A road trip to Washington in late September. And Michigan visiting Minneapolis right behind it. The Minnesota Football Schedule 2026 hands the Golden Gophers a demanding four-week stretch before October even settles in.
Minnesota Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 3 | Eastern Illinois Panthers | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 8:00 PM | Peacock |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Mississippi State Bulldogs | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 3:30 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Akron Zips | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 12:00 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at Washington Huskies | Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Michigan Wolverines | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | at Purdue Boilermakers | Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Iowa Hawkeyes (Homecoming) | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 3:00–8:00 PM | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | at Indiana Hoosiers | Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | UCLA Bruins | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at Penn State Nittany Lions | Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Northwestern Wildcats | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Nov 27 | at Wisconsin Badgers | Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI | 7:30 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Big Ten Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
A Thursday Night Opener, Then Mississippi State Visits
Minnesota Golden Gophers Football Schedule 2026 opens on a Thursday night against Eastern Illinois before Mississippi State visits Minneapolis in a rare SEC-Big Ten non-conference matchup. Akron gives the Gophers a home date to close out a manageable opening month before the schedule turns demanding fast.
Washington, Then Michigan Back to Back
A road trip to Washington opens the toughest stretch of the season, followed immediately by Michigan visiting Huntington Bank Stadium on October 3 — two ranked opponents inside a single week’s turnaround. A road trip to Purdue and a bye week on October 17 offer a chance to recover.
Iowa for Homecoming, Then a Trip to Indiana
Iowa visits for Homecoming on October 24 before the Minnesota Big Ten schedule 2026 sends the Gophers on the road to Indiana on Halloween — the toughest true road test remaining on the schedule.
UCLA at Home, Then Penn State and a Friday Night Rivalry
UCLA visits Minneapolis before a road trip to No. 15 Penn State. Northwestern returns Minnesota home before the regular season closes with a Friday night rivalry trip to Wisconsin, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET. If Minnesota is still playing December 5, it’s in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game.
FAQ
Q: When does Minnesota play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: Minnesota Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, September 3, at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Q: When is Minnesota vs Michigan 2026?
A: Minnesota vs Michigan 2026 is set for Saturday, October 3, at home at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, with Michigan visiting.
Q: How many home games does Minnesota play in 2026?
A: Minnesota has eight Minnesota football home games in 2026 at Huntington Bank Stadium: Eastern Illinois, Mississippi State, Akron, Michigan, Iowa, UCLA, and Northwestern.
Q: What is Minnesota’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Washington (road) through Michigan (home) — September 26 and October 3 — is the toughest short stretch on the Minnesota Big Ten schedule 2026, with Indiana and Penn State adding difficulty later in the season.
