The blossoming success of the Golden Gopher football team is reaping rewards in the form of being placed in the national spotlight.
According to the Star Tribune, the Gophers, who finished one victory shy (8-5, 5 Big Ten wins in 2014) of playing in the Big Ten championship game last season, will play four prime-time games in 2015.
With an official announcement possible Thursday, Minnesota is expected to play three games on ESPN or ABC and one game in prime time on Big Ten Network.
They are:
- Sept. 3 home opener against TCU
- Oct. 31 home game against Michigan
- Nov. 7 road game against Ohio State
- Nov. 14 road game against Iowa
The game against Iowa is already a certainty to be played in prime time, Big Ten Network announced last week. The Hawkeyes have won six of 10 in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale, but Minnesota currently possesses the pig after last year’s 51-14 win at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Gophers gave the defending national champion Buckeyes all they could handle in a snowy game at TCF Bank Stadium last season, and they would have met in the Big Ten title game had the Gophers beaten Wisconsin in the regular-season finale.
TCU blasted the Gophers in Texas early last season and finished the season ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25.
Minnesota played in just one prime-time game in 2014.
