Weather: 83 degrees, clear skies, 9 mph north wind

Betting spread: Minnesota minus-42.5

Records: This is the Gophers’ season opener. The Panthers (1-0) edged downtrodden Murray State 28-14 on Aug. 27. Eastern Illinois was tied 14-14 at halftime with Murray State — which is 2-22 over the past two years.

Context: Eastern Illinois went 3-9 last season, including 2-6 in what is now known as the Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Football Association. The Panthers lost 56-0 to Alabama last November.

History: Minnesota is 56-2 all-time against current programs from the FCS level, with both losses coming against South Dakota (1912, 2010). The U also has two losses against new FBS member North Dakota State in 2007 and 2011. The U beat Eastern Illinois 42-20 in its previous matchup in 2014.

Big question: Can Minnesota produce a sharp start to the season? Last year, the U led Buffalo 13-10 into the fourth quarter before a field goal and touchdown connection from Drake Lindsey to Jalen Smith made it a more-comfortable 23-10 final. With Mississippi State up next, now is the time to get the kinks out, while also not putting new schemes and wrinkles on film for the Bulldogs.

Key matchup: EIU running back Charles Kellom vs. Gophers defensive tackle Naquan Crowder. Kellom rushed for a career-high 171 yards and three touchdowns at Murray State, and the Panthers amassed 267 rushing yards total in opener. Minnesota replaces four key defensive tackles with the stout Marshall transfer and a handful of others. Last year, the U allowed 121 rushing yards per game, which was 27th in nation in FBS.

Connection: Eastern Illinois backup quarterback Jeremiah Salem is the grandson of former Gophers head coach Joe Salem, who went 19-35-1 at the U from 1979-83. Jeremiah lost the QB battle in camp but might get a shot after starter Cole LaCrue put up a paltry 101 passing yards, one TD and was sacked five times in opener.

Stat: 114-0. The combined score in the Gophers last two games against FCS opponents — 48-0 vs. Rhode Island in 2024 and 66-0 vs. Northwestern State in 2025.

View: The Gophers get unjustly dragged for playing FCS foes like this, but that doesn’t mean their nonconference schedule is weak. They will play Mississippi State out of the Southeastern Conference on Sept. 12; that game will be a barometer between the feuding conferences. And the U plays Akron from the Mid-American Conference on Sept. 19. That trio of games is historically on par for P.J. Fleck’s teams and is a respectable slate across college football, where canceled games between Power Four opponents have become the norm. The Gophers have played power conference teams in each of the past five years: Colorado (2021-22), North Carolina (2023-24) and California (2025). On the docket: Mississippi State (2027), Cal (2028) and Alabama (2032-33). This fall, Indiana, Washington, Southern California, Penn State and Nebraska are among teams without Power Four nonconference opponents.

Check-in: Mississippi State should cruise in its opener as well. The Bulldogs on Saturday play Louisiana-Monroe, a program The Athletic pegged as No. 132 out of 138 FBS programs in the nation.

Player to watch: New Gophers receiver Noah Jennings. The transfer from Cincinnati was the source of big plays throughout fall camp and spring practices. The 6-foot, 188-pound senior figures to be a key target for Lindsey after totaling 23 receptions for 323 yards in 13 games for the Bearcats last season.

Prediction: The Gophers will have no trouble pushing aside the lower-level Panthers in what effectively will be a preseason game in Week 1. Minnesota cruises, 50-0.

— Andy Greder