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Gophers players react after beating New Mexico in Rate Bowl, 20-17
Gophers players Drake Lindsey, Anthony Smith, Jalen Smith and Maverick Baranowski spoke with FOX 9's Pierre Noujaim after a 20-17 win over New Mexico in overtime at the Rate Bowl on Friday in Phoenix, Arizona. Minnesota finishes the season 8-5.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team announced its 2026 regular season schedule on Tuesday.
The Gophers will face the defending College Football Playoff national champions, and have four trophy games next season. Minnesota will enter Year 10 under P.J. Fleck and are coming off an 8-5 season in 2025. It ended with a 20-17 win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl.
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P.J. Fleck reacts after Gophers beat New Mexico in Rate Bowl, 20-17
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck spoke with FOX 9's Pierre Noujaim after a 20-17 overtime win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl on Friday in Phoenix, Ariz. The Gophers finish the season 8-5, and are 7-0 in bowl games under Fleck.
Gophers 2026 regular season schedule
What we know:
Here’s a look at Minnesota’s 2026 regular season schedule. All seven home games will be at Huntington Bank Stadium:
- September 3 – Eastern Illinois (Thursday night opener)
- September 12 – Mississippi State
- September 19 – Akron
- September 26 – at Washington
- October 3 – Michigan
- October 10 – at Purdue
- October 17 – BYE
- October 24 – Iowa
- October 31 – at Indiana
- November 7 – UCLA
- November 14 – at Penn State
- November 21 – Northwestern
- November 28 – at Wisconsin
Gophers’ schedule takeaways
Why you should care:
The Gophers have three straight home games, and play four of their first five on campus. Their biggest non-conference test will be Sept. 12 against Mississippi out of the SEC.
Minnesota opens Big Ten play at Washington on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Gophers have four rivalry trophy games in 2026. They’ll host Michigan on Oct. 3 for the Little Brown Jug. They host Iowa on Oct. 24 in the annual battle for Floyd of Rosedale. They travel to Penn State on Nov. 14 for the Liberty Bell Trophy, and end the regular season at Wisconsin in the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.
Also on the schedule – a Halloween clash at Indiana, which just completed a perfect season to win the national championship.
Game times for all 12 kickoffs will be announced at later dates.
Fleck with Gophers
What's next:
The 2026 season will mark Fleck’s 10th at Minnesota. He is 66-44 overall, and 39-40 in nine seasons. The Gophers are also 7-0 in bowl games under Fleck.