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Gophers football players talk Big Ten expansion
Several Gophers' football players reacted after practice on Tuesday to having USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington join the Big Ten in 2024.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota has announced its special events and game themes for the 2026 Gophers football season.
Gopher football home schedule, special themes
What we know:
The Gophers open their 143rd season on Thursday, Sept. 3, against Eastern Illinois at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Minnesota has a strong record in openers, going 99-37-6 all-time, and 6-3 under head coach P.J. Fleck.
The Gophers are also 103-32-7 in home openers, and will be starting the season at home for the 14th consecutive year.
Gophers 2026 game themes
Dig deeper:
Each home game will carry a unique theme, giving fans new ways to be involved on game day.
The 2026 season themes include:
- Sept. 3 vs. Eastern Illinois – Home Opener
- Sept. 12 vs. Mississippi State – Gold Out & Champions Day
- Sept. 19 vs. Akron – High School Band, Cheer and Dance Day
- Oct. 5 vs. Michigan – Stripe Out & Family Weekend
- Oct. 24 vs. Iowa – Maroon Out & Homecoming
- Nov. 7 vs. UCLA – Salute to Service
- Nov. 21 vs. Northwestern – Senior Day
Why you should care:
Fans are encouraged to wear specific colors for Gold Out, Stripe Out and Maroon Out games, and to take part in the Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities.
Meanwhile, high school bands, cheer and dance squads will be invited to join the pregame and halftime shows for the Akron game.
The Gophers will also honor champions from the 2025-26 school year during the Mississippi State game, celebrate service members at the UCLA game and recognize the senior class before the Northwestern game.
What's next:
Season tickets are on sale now, with single game tickets to be released later.
The Source: Information provided by Golden Gopher Athletics.