Minnesota Gophers Uniform Schedule 2026: Every Jersey and When the Gophers Wear It

Minnesota plays its colors straight: maroon, gold and white, mixed and matched across helmet, jersey and pants. This is the full Minnesota Gophers 2026 uniform schedule: the maroon home set, the gold jersey that came out for the Gold Out, the white road set, the chrome gold helmet that is back for 2026, and a week-by-week outlook for all twelve games in P.J. Fleck's tenth season. Two games in, the Gophers have worn maroon over gold pants and gold over maroon pants. We update this page as each combination is confirmed.

The Minnesota Gophers 2026 Uniform Sets

The current Nike set arrived in 2024, the first full relaunch since 2018. It added shoulder stripes to the jerseys and stripes down the sides of the pants, moved the maroon jersey to gold numerals, put the outline of the state of Minnesota on the outside of the collar and stitched Ski-U-Mah inside it. The big 2026 news is on the helmet. In August the program posted a hype video with the message "Chrome is back," bringing back the chromed metallic gold helmet with a maroon and white M and stripe that the Gophers wore from 2018 through 2023. Minnesota has not said when it will wear it. The other change is a first: starting September 12, the Visible logo sits on the back bumper of every Minnesota helmet. Big Ten home teams wear color and visitors wear white, so the road half of the schedule is predictable. The home dates come with themes, and those themes tell us a lot.

The Full Minnesota Gophers 2026 Uniform Schedule, Week by Week

September 3 vs. Eastern Illinois. ★ Confirmed from the broadcast and team photos: maroon helmet, maroon jersey, gold pants, the classic Minnesota home look for a Thursday night opener at Huntington Bank Stadium. Minnesota won 59-7, its 14th straight season opening at home. One calendar note: ESPN files this game under September 4 because its feed runs on UTC and a 7 p.m. Central kickoff lands past midnight in London. The correct date is Thursday, September 3.

September 12 vs. Mississippi State. ★ Confirmed from the broadcast and team photos: maroon helmet, gold jersey, maroon pants. The athletic department called this game the Gold Out, and the Gophers matched the stands with the gold jersey for the first SEC team to visit Minneapolis since Vanderbilt in 1959. It was also the debut of the Visible sponsor logo on the helmet bumper. Mississippi State wore white helmets and white jerseys and won 38-13; the Bulldogs side is on the Mississippi State 2026 uniform schedule.

September 19 vs. Akron. Maroon expected. An 11 a.m. Central kickoff for High School Band, Cheer, and Dance Day, with Akron in white. This is the kind of low-stakes home date where a program sometimes debuts a new helmet, so we are watching for the chrome gold shell.

September 26 at Washington. White expected. The Big Ten opener in Seattle is a 10 p.m. Central kickoff, and Washington has billed it as its blackout night, so Minnesota in white against the Huskies in black is the likely matchup. The Washington 2026 uniform schedule has the details. ESPN lists this game under September 27 because of UTC; it is a Saturday night game.

October 3 vs. Michigan. Maroon expected. The Little Brown Jug is on the line, and the theme is a Stripe Out, with each section of the stadium assigned maroon or gold. Michigan is in white on the Michigan 2026 uniform schedule. It is also Parent and Family Weekend. Kickoff time to be announced.

October 10 at Purdue. White expected. A road trip to Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette.

October 17. Bye.

October 24 vs. Iowa. Maroon expected. Homecoming, a Maroon Out, and Floyd of Rosedale. With the crowd told to wear maroon, maroon is the call, with Iowa in white on the Iowa 2026 uniform schedule. Minnesota wore throwbacks for its 2024 homecoming, so this is a date to watch for a surprise. Kickoff is set for between 2 and 7 p.m. Central.

October 31 at Indiana. White expected. Halloween in Bloomington.

November 7 vs. UCLA. Maroon expected. Minnesota's Salute to Service game, which makes it a candidate for a patch or helmet decal. UCLA is in white on the UCLA 2026 uniform schedule.

November 14 at Penn State. White expected. The Governor's Victory Bell game at Beaver Stadium, against a Penn State team in navy, as shown on the Penn State 2026 uniform schedule.

November 21 vs. Northwestern. Maroon expected. Senior Day and the final home game of the season.

November 27 at Wisconsin. White expected. Paul Bunyan's Axe on Black Friday night at Camp Randall, a 6:30 p.m. Central kickoff, with Wisconsin in red on the Wisconsin 2026 uniform schedule. ESPN files this game under November 28 because of UTC. It is a Friday game.

The Bottom Line

Two games in, Minnesota has already given us both of its color jerseys, and both times the helmet stayed maroon. The rest of the Gophers uniform schedule is easy to read on the road: white in Seattle, West Lafayette, Bloomington, State College and Madison. At home, maroon is the default, the Maroon Out homecoming against Iowa is locked in, and the only real mystery is when the chrome gold helmet comes out of the box. The grid above has every date, and we add the stars as each uniform is confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What jersey is Minnesota wearing this week?

Minnesota hosts Akron on September 19, and we expect the maroon home jersey with Akron in white. Last week against Mississippi State, the Gophers wore the gold jersey with a maroon helmet and maroon pants for the Gold Out. The week-by-week grid above lists every game with the expected set.

What are the Minnesota Gophers football uniforms for 2026?

A maroon home jersey with gold numerals, a gold jersey and a white road jersey, all from Nike and all with the striped shoulders introduced in 2024. The helmets are maroon, gold and white shells with the Block M, plus the returning chrome gold helmet. The pants come in maroon, gold and white.

When will Minnesota wear the chrome helmet in 2026?

Minnesota has not announced a date. The program confirmed the chrome gold helmet is back with a "Chrome is back" video in August, but it has not appeared in the first two games. We will star the game here as soon as it does.

What did Minnesota wear against Mississippi State?

A maroon helmet, gold jersey and maroon pants. The game was the Gold Out, and it was the first game with the Visible logo on the back of the Gophers helmets. Mississippi State won 38-13.

Why does ESPN list the Washington and Wisconsin games on different dates?

ESPN's schedule feed runs on UTC. The Washington game kicks off at 10 p.m. Central on Saturday, September 26, and the Wisconsin game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Central on Friday, November 27, so both show the next day's date there. The opener against Eastern Illinois shows the same shift.

How many games does Minnesota play in 2026?

Twelve regular season games: six at Huntington Bank Stadium and six on the road, with a bye on October 17. The full schedule with expected uniforms is in the grid above.