Gophers Start Season Against Eastern Illinois | Minnesota Golden Gophers Football News

Minnesota’s 2026 football season kicks off tonight as the Golden Gophers host Eastern Illinois at Huntington Bank Stadium — head coach P.J. Fleck’s tenth year begins with quarterback Drake Lindsey back under center, aiming for another strong campaign after throwing for over 2K yards last season. Eastern Illinois, already 1-0 following a dominant win over Murray State thanks to running back Charles Kellom’s 171-yard, 3-touchdown performance, seeks their first two-win start in over a decade. Minnesota faces setbacks with key injuries sidelining center Brett Carroll and defensive lineman Enoch Atewogbola, while Eastern Illinois enters full strength. With kickoff at 8 PM ET on Peacock, this matchup promises an early-season thriller — can the underdog pull off the upset against a Big Ten powerhouse? Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/1814764f73db91e1