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Minnesota hosts Eastern Illinois for Thursday night college football kickoff

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 2, 2026, 4:45 PM

Last updated Sep 2, 2026

Minnesota hosts Eastern Illinois for Thursday night college football kickoff

Summary

The Minnesota Golden Gophers open their season at home against the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Thursday, September 3, at 7 p.m. CT. The game at Huntington Bank Stadium features an Eastern Illinois team coming off an opening victory against Murray State. The Panthers are led by fourth-year quarterback Cole LaCrue, who threw for 101 yards and one touchdown in their first contest. Defensively, Eastern Illinois faces a transition year with only three returning starters, though they held Murray State to 14 points in their previous outing. Minnesota enters the matchup seeking to establish offensive consistency against a youthful Panthers squad. The game serves as the first regular-season appearance for the Golden Gophers.

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Status Watch

•Minnesota plays Eastern Illinois at Huntington Bank Stadium on September 3 at 7 p.m. CT.
•Eastern Illinois quarterback Cole LaCrue recorded 101 passing yards and one touchdown in the team's opener.
•The Eastern Illinois defense limited Murray State to 14 points in its first game of the season.
•The Panthers return only three starters on the defensive side of the ball this year.
•Minnesota enters the contest with an 0-0 record while Eastern Illinois is 1-0.

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