Tickets
The Gophers will have a capacity or near-capacity crowd for Thursday’s season opener, and tickets are available at gophersports.com. Every fan will receive a gold rally towel upon entering the stadium.
Wardrobe note
The Gophers will wear gold helmets, gold jerseys and gold pants for the “Gold Out” game. Fans are encouraged to wear gold.
Traffic/parking advisory
Because of the large crowd expected, fans are encouraged to purchase parking in advance on the Gophers’ ticketing website.
Lot S108 in St. Paul will not be available because of the State Fair. Fans arriving without a parking pass are encouraged to park in the Church Street, Washington Avenue or East River Road parking facilities. All single-game parking is credit card only and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fans will notice construction nearing completion on University Avenue between Oak Street and Interstate 35W as part of a Hennepin County roadway improvement project. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and allocate more time if traveling on University Avenue.
Updated food selections
Gopher Hospitality is the university athletic venues’ food and beverage partner, and it is offering new menu items at concession stands this season. Some of the highlights:
- Short Rib Roll from Sizzle (Section 135): Braised beef short rib with house-made slaw, golden barbecue sauce and crispy onion tanglers on toasted milk bread.
- Bee’s Knees from Goldy’s Grill (Section 131): Hot-honey-infused Italian sausage with onion, peppers and spicy beer cheese on a baguette.
- Pizza Mac N Cheese from Cheese & Thank You (Section 109): Macaroni and cheese with ribbon pepperoni, hot-honey-infused Italian sausage and marinara sauce.
For those in premium seating, check out the Buffalo Tortellini in Club Cambria and the MN Snicker Salad in the suites.
Schedule of events
- 2 p.m. Tailgate lots open.
- 4 p.m. The Huntington Bank Stadium ticket office opens, and Gopher Garden, featuring music, drinks and giveaways, opens outside of 3M Arena at Mariucci on Oak Street.
- 4:15 p.m. The Gophers’ Ski-U-March begins to welcome the football team into the stadium near Gate C.
- 5 p.m. The university’s alumni association hosts its kickoff party at the McNamara Alumni Center, and premium ticket holders can enter the stadium and access Club Cambria.
- 5:30 p.m. Gates open to the stadium, with lower prices for food and drinks during Gopher Hour (until 6:30) on the West Plaza.
- 5:40 p.m. The Gopher Spirit Rally takes place in front of 3M Arena.
- 6:40 p.m. The Minnesota marching band takes the field for a performance.
- 7 p.m. Kickoff
Broadcast info
FS1 will have the television coverage with Tim Brando, Devin Gardner and Josh Sims on the call. KFAN (100.3 FM) will have the radio call featuring Mike Grimm, Darrell Thompson and Justin Gaard.
