Gophers release 2020 football schedule, season opener Sept. 5 at Michigan State

Tommy Wiita
In this Oct. 26, 2019, file photo, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck leads him team on the field prior to an NCAA college football game against Maryland, in Minneapolis. Penn State (8-0) plays against Minnesota (8-0) on Saturday, Nov. 9.[AP Photo/Stacy Bengs, File]

The University of Minnesota football team released its 2020 schedule on Wednesday.

The Gophers will only play Big Ten games, as the conference announced that move last month due to COVID-19 precautions.

Conference-only schedules declared for Big Ten if fall sports resume

Minnesota will open its season on the road against Michigan State on Sept. 5, following that up with their first home game Sept. 12 against Michigan.

Remaining games include Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Northwestern and Maryland.

In 2019, the Gophers, led by head coach P.J. Fleck, finished 11-2 overall, with a 7-2 conference record and a No. 10 overall ranking in the final NCAA Football Associated Press poll. The team defeated Auburn in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day.

The Gophers will be without their two leading wide receivers from 2019, as Tyler Johnson was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft and Rashod Bateman announced Tuesday he would be opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns and will be eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Gophers wide receiver Rashod Bateman opts out of 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns