Gophers schedule rumblings: Missouri in November? Chicago State at home?

Minnesota's 2025-26 schedule is slowly coming together.

Nov 16, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates calls a play against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers have 13 players signed to their 2025-26 roster, which means Niko Medved's next step before his first season as head coach is building a schedule. Some teams across the country have announced their non-conference slate, but Minnesota is still putting its together. With new rumors and rumblings every day, let's look at where things currently stand.

November meeting against Mizzou in Columbia?

Minnesota signed up for a home-and-home series with the Tigers before the 2023-24 season, which began with a meeting at Williams Arena in November 2023. Mizzou opted to push back its return game, which could finally take place this season in Columbia. The game has not yet been confirmed for this season, but as of Wednesday, May 28, Calum McAndrew from the Columbia Daily Tribune did report that Missouri will fulfill the return game this November.

Home game against Chicago State?

As part of Minnesota's place in the Acrisure Invitational, it will play a home game against a Quad 4 opponent, and that's expected to be Chicago State. The Gophers last played the Cougars in 2022, and there hasn't yet been a reported date for this year's meeting, but it will likely take place the week before the Acrisure Invitational on Thanksgiving weekend.

Chicago State schedule nuggets:

Guarantee games:
-DePaul on Monday November 3rd ($100,000)
-Loyola Chicago on Sunday December 14th ($82,500)
-Indiana on Saturday December 20th ($105,000)

CSU will also be a visiting team in the Acrisure Series, playing at Iowa and Minnesota.

— Alex Rosinski (@WiscyBusiness) June 3, 2025

Unconfirmed non-conference schedule so far

• Nov. 8: Alcorn State
• Nov. 15: Wisconsin-Green Bay
• Nov. ?: Missouri
• Nov. ?: Chicago State
• Nov. 25-26: vs. Acrisure Series
• Nov. 25-26: vs. Acrisure Series
• Dec. 29: Fairleigh Dickinson

The Missouri game would give the Gophers seven nonconference games so far on their 2025-26 schedule. They typically play 11 nonconference games, so that would leave four more opponents to be added.

A true road game at Missouri has a great chance of being a Quad 1 opportunity, and there are currently a lot of different opponents they could have in the Acrisure Series, but it will likely provide a resume-building opportunity.

A marquee home game is the biggest thing lacking on this schedule. A meeting with St. Thomas might be a pipe dream in year one of the Medved era, but a home game against a power conference opponent is not too much to ask for.

There will likely be another Quad 4 opponent in December before Big Ten play officially begins, so there are really three open slots for them to add a significant game.