According to Sid Hartman's latest column, the Gophers will be playing a home and home with New Mexico State in 2013 and 2014.
New Mexico Athletic Director McKinley Boston confirmed that New Mexico State and the Gophers agreed to a home-and-home series, with the first game at New Mexico State in 2013 and at Minnesota in 2014. Boston confirmed the news that appeared in my Sunday column, along with the fact that the Gophers had scheduled future home games with South Dakota University and Fresno State. Under an arrangement made months ago, New Mexico State and the Gophers will exchange $200,000 checks as a part of the payment with neither school getting an edge. Meanwhile North Carolina, who the Gophers paid $800,000 to get out of the home-and-home series with them, has scheduled Old Dominion to replace the Gophers in their home game next year.
I think we all know that Sid's command of the facts is often lacking. But since his column attributes McKinley Boston by name (and since I'm sure he's a close personal friend from his time at Minnesota) we should find out for sure pretty quickly.
I think you all know by now that I was understanding of the decision (even though I'd have preferred that UNC stay on the schedule). But this? This would annoy me a great deal and on multiple levels. I'll wait until it's confirmed by a source I trust more, but my annoyance with the move is rising somewhat (though I still don't feel its a huge problem for the Gophers or the program).