The Minnesota Golden Gophers have announced several changes to their future football schedules, including the cancellation of a home-and-home series with North Carolina.
Minnesota and North Carolina were set to meet on Sept. 7, 2013 in Chapel Hill and Sept. 13, 2014 in Minneapolis. No reason was specified for the cancellation of these two games.
The Golden Gophers have also reached an agreement with the Minnesota State Fair that enables them to open the 2013 through 2016 seasons on Thursday night rather than Saturday.
Opponents for those season-openers haven’t changed, just the dates. Minnesota will now face UNLV on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2012, Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, South Dakota State on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, and New Mexico State on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.
The school also announced two other additions to their future football schedules. Minnesota will host Kent State on Sept. 19, 2015 and South Dakota State on Aug. 29, 2019.
Due to the cancellation of the North Carolina series, the Gophers need one non-conference game in 2013 and 2014. Their 2015 and 2016 slates are now complete.
Future Minnesota Non-Conference Opponents (full schedules)
2013 – UNLV, Western Illinois, San Jose State
2014 – Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, San Jose State
2015 – South Dakota State, at Colorado State, Kent State, Ohio
2016 – New Mexico State, Indiana State, at Miami (OH), Colorado State
2017 – Oregon State, Middle Tennessee
2018 – at Oregon State
2019 – South Dakota State
2021 – at Colorado
2022 – Colorado
Disappointing that their series w/ UNC got cancelled AND that the policy is clearly to schedule down in the years ahead. While this may get them bowl-eligible, it’s certainly not the way draw big crowds to TCF…
College football is still a terrific sporting event. The U of Minnesota took a giant step backwards in cancelling the UNC series. Gopher fans support road trips to the premier schools in the country. The UNC trip would have been a nise reward to loyal Gopher fans.
Truly I’m embarrassed about this change in scheduling. I have been a UofM season ticket holder since 1994 and to have dropped this series against UNC is outlandish to say the least. With four non-conference games on each year’s slate the Gophers should have; 2 cupcakes (if that’s possible with this program), one road game, and one test from a BCS Conference. Games should serve multiply proposes including; Wins,. Recruiting, and Fan appreciation. I’m saddened by this change.