Ski-U-Mah vs Roll Tide: Gophers football adds Alabama to 2032, 2033 schedules
Justin Walley #5 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates an interception with teammates against the Purdue Boilermakers in the third quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Purdue defeated Minne
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team will host the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2032, and will play at Alabama in 2033.
The Gophers announced the addition to the upcoming football schedules on Tuesday, noting the Gophers will host Alabama on Sept. 18, 2032. Minnesota will travel to Alabama for a game in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 17, 2033.
The Gophers are 1-0 all-time against the Crimson Tide, after Minnesota beat the Crimson Tide 20-16 in the 2004 Music City Bowl in Nashville. Meanwhile, Minnesota is 9-8-1 against current SEC teams, with the Gophers' most recent game against an SEC opponent being the 2020 Outback Bowl when they beat Auburn 31-24 to finish that season 11-2, the program's best record in 115 years.
The Crimson Tide have become a national powerhouse in college football since Nick Saban took over the program. Alabama has been to the College Football Playoff seven out of the last eight seasons, lost to Georgia in last year's national championship game and beat Ohio State two years ago to win the national title. Saban has led Alabama to six national championships since 2009.
Fleck will be 51 years old when the Gophers host Alabama in 2032.
"You’ll have to push me around by then," Fleck joked on his weekly KFAN Radio show. "We’re excited. I’m glad we get a chance to have the Crimson Tide up here, it’ll be great for our team, great for our fans. You talk about elevating the level of our non-conference games, I guess there’s no better way to elevate it than that."
In addition to Alabama, the Gophers have future home-and-home series planned with North Carolina, Mississippi State and Cal.
Minnesota is 4-1 this season after losing to Purdue on Homecoming. The Gophers play at Illinois on Saturday, coming off their bye week. The Illini are coming off a 9-6 win over Iowa.