Gophers Will Kickoff Football Season Against Michigan at TCF Bank Stadium

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Sep 19, 2020
Photo: Associated Press

It’s been a wild Minnesota Gophers football offseason. I think that’s the understatement of our lifetimes… but now our lives are STARTING to get back to normal. We took a big step toward “normal” earlier this week when the Big Ten backpedaled on a postponed/canceled football season, instead reinstating it to start on the weekend of October 23-24. And now, the Big Ten schedule is releasing as I type this. We know our week one opponent… it’s the Michigan Wolverines at TCF Bank Stadium.

I can’t wait for Harbaugh and all of his 5-stars to stroll into TCF Bank Stadium on week one, just to lose to a bunch of 3-4 stars. Michigan’s first loss of the season comes on the road in week one and you can book that shit.

In weeks 2 and 3, the Gophers go on the road to play against Maryland and Illinois. Both games should be wins. Week 4, we come back home and get our first chance at 2019 revenge, as the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town!

The first thing that sticks out, now that we are through four weeks; the most difficult games to this point, are at home. Will that matter without fans? I guess we’ll find out.

Week 5

Week 5 brings the Purdue Boilermakers to TCF. Unless Jeff Brohm remembered how to coach all of a sudden, this should be a W. I have the Gophers undefeated, to this point.

Shit gets real in week 6, when the Gophers hit the road for Camp Randall Stadium in Madison Wisconsin. After enjoying two-straight games at home this game against the Badgers could very well decide the Big Ten West. After what happened last season, this one is personal.

In week 7 (Dec. 5), the Gophers will go back to TCF Bank Stadium, hopefully riding the high after beating the Badgers in Madison, and they will meet the Northwestern Wildcats. PJ Fleck might respect the hell out of Pat Fitzgerald… but he’d better not lose to him.

Week 8 – Nebraska

With only one team left to play in the Big Ten West, the Gophers will end their regular season in Lincoln against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska has been a pretender in the Big Ten, since their arrival 10 years ago. I expect this season to be no different. Gophers win this one big, especially without fans in the Nebraska stands.

Without much time to comprehend this new schedule, I have to give the Gophers finishing with a 7-1 record, especially if Rashod Bateman is allowed to play. The season-changer will be at Wisconsin. If the Gophers can win it, the West is theirs (hopefully). That would line them up for a December 19 meeting with Ohio State (likely) for the Big Ten Championship.

No matter what happens over these 8-9 games, every B1G team and their fanbase will be thankful. We almost didn’t get football at all. I trust PJ Fleck to have the Minnesota Gophers ready to play a month from now and that should give us a leg up.

I can’t wait. Let’s row.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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