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Minnesota Football: Kickoff times announced for South Dakota State, Georgia Southern, and Illinois

Expect a late night if you are attending the season opener

NCAA Football: Minnesota at Wisconsin Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Kickoff times for three of the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ football games were announced this morning, including the Homecoming matchup with Illinois.

I can’t say I’m thrilled about an 8 p.m. kickoff for the Thursday night season opener against South Dakota State. The most optimistic perspective would be that it allows more time for people to get off work, go home, and get to the game, but an 8 p.m. kickoff also means accepting that you probably won’t be back home until after midnight on a weekday.

Not sure what the specific reasoning is, if a valid one exists beyond the whims of FS1, but I wouldn’t be surprised if attendance is sparse as a result, considering the fact that the Gophers already don’t have the luxury of a Power 5 opponent to draw a crowd.