Minnesota will play Illinois in its Homecoming game Oct. 21 at 2:30 or 3 p.m., the team announced Wednesday.
Head coach P.J. Fleck — entering his first season with the team — will be coaching in his first Homecoming game at Minnesota. It is the school’s 97th Homecoming game.
The matchup against Illinois will be Minnesota’s seventh game of the season and fourth conference matchup.
This will be Minnesota’s 11th game against Illinois on Homecoming. The Gophers are 5-4-1 with the last matchup coming in 2007, a 44-17 loss for Minnesota.
In last year’s Homecoming game, Minnesota edged Rutgers 34-32 on a game-winning field goal by Emmit Carpenter.
The Gophers defeated the Fighting Illini 40-17 last season in Illinois’ Homecoming game.
The time of the Gophers’ first road game of the year was also announced Wednesday. Minnesota will play Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore. on Sep. 9 at 9 p.m. The Gophers defeated the Beavers 30-23 in Minnesota’s 2016 home opener.
