Gophers to allow some family, friends of players to attend football games

The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team will have some people in the stands cheering on the team this season.

The university said it will limit attendance to family and guests of student-athletes from both teams to start the season. The Gophers’ upcoming season begins in primetime on Oct. 24 when the team will host Michigan.

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According to the athletic department, state guidelines allow the university to have up to 1,500 fans separated in six pods of 250 people. The university didn’t rule out allowing fans in later in the season. However, when the season begins later this month, no season ticketholders (students or otherwise) will be at TCF Bank Stadium.

The Gophers are currently ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press Poll, and Michigan is ranked No. 19. If both remain ranked, the season opener would be the first time a Minnesota team ranked by the AP Poll began a season against another ranked team.