Start Times, TV Assignments Revealed for Five Gophers Football Games

We're officially under 100 days away from Minnesota kicking off its 2026 regular-season campaign against Eastern Illinois on September 3. Start times and TV assignments were announced for the first three games of the season, and info on two more. Let's break it down.

Start times and some TV assignments have been revealed for five Gophers football games

Week 1: vs. E Illinois @ 7 pm (Peacock)
Week 2: vs. Mississippi St @ 230 pm (CBS)
Week 3: vs. Akron @ 11am (BTN)
Week 8: vs. Iowa @ 230 or 7 pm (TBA)
Week 13: at Wisconsin @ 630 pm (NBC)
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) May 27, 2026

Week 1: vs. Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. on Peacock

Minnesota will have another Thursday night game at Huntington Bank Stadium to kick off the 2026 season, and it will begin at 7 p.m. CT. The matchup against FCS Eastern Illinois will be broadcast on Peacock. Rutgers got the Big Ten Network slot for Thursday night with a matchup against UMass. It appears that FS1 will not broadcast a game that day.

Aug 28, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers players take the field before the game against the Buffalo Bulls at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Week 2: vs. Mississippi State at 2:30 p.m. on CBS

The Gophers will have the marquee 2:30 p.m. CT window on CBS for their lone nonconference game against a power conference opponent in 2026. Mississippi State is coming off a 5-8 season with a loss in the Duke's Mayo Bowl to Wake Forest. Bulldogs QB Kamario Taylor is a potential breakout star this season as a redshirt freshman.

The SEC vs. Big Ten rivalry has continued to grow since Minnesota's last game against an opponent from the conference in 2019, which resulted in an Outback Bowl win over Auburn. The 2:30 timeslot on CBS will give the Gophers an opportunity to make a national statement early in the season.

Week 3: vs. Akron at 11 a.m. on Big Ten Network

Anyone who follows start times and TV assignments closely would know that Minnesota's Week 3 home game against Akron was a prime candidate for an 11 a.m. kickoff on BTN. The Zips have improved under Joe Moorhead, but they're still a struggling program from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Week 8: vs. Iowa at afternoon or night on (TBA)

Arguably, the biggest home game on Minnesota's schedule will be during Homecoming week against Iowa. The battle for Floyd of Rosedale will happen in the afternoon or at night, according to the Gophers' release, which likely means 2:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. CT. The TV assignment has not been revealed for that game.

Week 13: @ Wisconsin at 6:30 p.m. on NBC

Minnesota's final game of the regular season will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT against Wisconsin on NBC. It will be a big stage for one of the best rivalries in college football. It will return to Black Friday instead of its traditional Saturday slot.

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