MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota football team announced changes to upcoming schedules Tuesday. Among the biggest change is the fact the Gophers canceled their two-game, home-and-home series with the University of North Carolina.
Minnesota paid the Tar Heels $800,000 to opt out of the series, according to a release put out by UNC. The two schools were set to play in North Carolina next season, followed by a game at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in 2014.
"When you look at this, I can understand why it can look kind of goofy," Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague said Tuesday. "But when you get down below it and start thinking about it, you start talking to Coach (Jerry) Kill and you start thinking of our future and our vision of where we want to go, you’ve got to make these. And I know it doesn’t always sit all right with our fans, but it’s what’s got to happen now."
Without UNC on the schedule, Minnesota’s 2013 non-conference schedule currently consists of home games against UNLV, Western Illinois and San Jose State. The 2014 non-conference slate includes home games against Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State and San Jose State.
"I think it developed from when I first came here, what we needed to do to move our program forward," said Kill, in his second year at the helm at Minnesota. "That’s something that (was) a philosophy when I took the job in what we needed to do to get our program going and playing at home. I think I've shared that with everybody."
In addition to the cancelation of the North Carolina series, the Gophers also announced that they added Kent State to the schedule for a game on Sept. 19, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium, as well as a home game against South Dakota State on Aug. 29, 2019.
The university also reached an agreement with the Minnesota State Fair that will allow the Gophers to open the 2013-16 seasons with Thursday night games at TCF Bank Stadium. Minnesota's openers in each of those four seasons against UNLV (2013), Eastern Illinois (2014), South Dakota State (2015) and New Mexico State (2016) were all originally scheduled for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.
Those games will now all be played on Thursdays. The State Fair uses parking spaces on the university campus, which has been a hang-up for scheduling since TCF Bank Stadium opened on campus in 2009.
While Kill didn’t sound too concerned about upcoming non-conference schedules, neither did his players.
"That’s up for Coach Kill and administration to decide. We just come ready to play," said wide receiver A.J. Barker. "To me, I’m excited for Saturdays, regardless of who you’re facing. You just do your best."
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