Big Ten Announces Kick-Off Time For Sept. 1 Gopher Football Opener

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Big Ten announced Monday its schedule for the first three weeks of the 2016 football season. The University of Minnesota is opening with another night game.

The Gophers, coming off a 6-7 season in 2015, will host Oregon State at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at TCF Bank Stadium. It will mark the fifth straight season the Gophers have opened the regular season with a Thursday night game.

Last year, the Minnesota lost its opener to No. 2-ranked TCU 23-17.

Despite only winning five regular season games last year, the Gophers were selected for the Quick Lane Bowl. They beat Central Michigan 21-14.

It was a rollercoaster season where coach Jerry Kill had to step down from coaching because of health complications with epilepsy. Tracy Claeys was named interim head coach and went 2-4. He was named the team's permanent head coach and signed a three-year contract last November before the Gophers traveled to Iowa.

Minnesota will also face Indiana State and Colorado State at TCF Bank Stadium before traveling to Penn State on Oct. 1 to open the Big 10 season.