Minnesota Football: Gophers set for 6:30 p.m. kickoff against Michigan

The No. 24-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers will kickoff at 6:30 pm. on Saturday, October 24, in their 2020 season opener against the No. 19-ranked Michigan Wolverines at TCF Bank Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.

This will be the first meeting between the two rival programs since November 4, 2017, when P.J. Fleck was in his first year as head coach at Minnesota. The Wolverines drubbed the Gophers, 33-10, in a rain-soaked game at the Big House to retain the Little Brown Jug.

This will also be the Gophers’ first season opener against a ranked opponent since hosting No. 2-ranked TCU to start the 2015 season. If Minnesota can hold its place in either poll for another week, this will be the first time the Gophers have opened a season ranked since 2004, and the first time the program has opened the season with a Top 25 matchup since 1968 (No. 16-ranked Minnesota hosted No. 2-ranked USC). The last time both Minnesota and Michigan met as ranked teams was in 2004, when the Gophers were ranked No. 13 and the Wolverines were No. 14.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is in his sixth year at the helm, leading the Wolverines to a 9-4 record last season, finishing third in the Big Ten East. Michigan must replace six offensive starters and five defensive starters from a season ago, in addition to losing wide receiver Nico Collins and cornerback Ambry Thomas as opt-outs.