Michigan Wolverines vs. Minnesota Lands in Perfect Time, TV Slot in Week 5 Action

We now know when the Wolverines are going to play the Gophers.

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Michigan football begins Big Ten play this weekend when the Wolverines welcome Iowa into the Big House. It will mark four games in a row that Michigan plays in the Big House. But that won't be the case in Week 5.

For the first time in the 2026 season, the Wolverines will hit the road and they will take on Minnesota.

Game time, TV slot

On Monday, the Big Ten announced when each game will be played and the channel. For the Wolverines, they will kickoff at Noon ET and it will presumably FOX's Big Noon Kickoff game, since the game will be aired on FOX.

It will be Joel Klatt and Gus Johnson on the call.

Minnesota is currently 2-1 after beating both Eastern Illinois and Akron, while losing to Mississippi State in Week 2.

Official: Week 5️⃣ kick times and networks are set 🏈 pic.twitter.com/PZKC80wOv0

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 21, 2026

A perfect slot for Michigan against Minnesota

There were rumblings that Minnesota would get the Wolverines for the night game, but it's possible a big loss to Mississippi State in Week 2 hindered getting Michigan for a night cap. And that's perfect for the Wolverines.

It's usually not easy to beat Minnesota on the road and if the game was played at night, Huntington Bank Stadium would've been rocking. The atmosphere is what makes college football so special and the anticipation would've been building to play Michigan under the lights.

Instead, it will be an 11 a.m. CT kickoff for the home team and Michigan has been used to day games this season. Week 1 was a night game against Western Michigan, but since, the Wolverines will have two Noon kicks and two 3:30 p.m. ET kicks once the Gophers game is played.

History between the Wolverines and Gophers

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The Wolverines began playing Minnesota back in 1920. Michigan holds a whopping 72-22-2 all-time series lead over Minnesota and the Wolverines have won nine out of the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

Michigan currently has a five-game winning streak over Minnesota, and the two teams last met back in the 2024 season, where the Wolverines won a close 27-24 game over the Gophers.

The last time Michigan traveled to Minnesota for a game was in the 2023 season. In that year, the year Michigan won the national title, it was a beatdown. The Wolverines pulled off a 52-10 win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

You have to go back to 2014 to see the last time Minnesota beat Michigan. The game was played in Ann Arbor and the Gophers won 30-14.

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