For the fourth consecutive year, the NIU football team will open up the season against a Big Ten opponent.

This year, the Huskies will travel to Minneapolis to take on Minnesota. NIU has opened up with Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan the previous three years.

NIU will also travel to Tennessee to take on the Volunteers this season.

“We’re looking forward to every game,” NIU head coach Jerry Kill said. “We’re gonna play whoever they put in front of us and prepare.”

One significant change in this year’s schedule is that it will feature eight MAC opponents instead of seven.

The schedule features three games on the ESPN family of networks, and the final four games of the season will be played on either a Tuesday or Wednesday.

“That’s part of our conference philosophy,” Kill said. “The worst thing is to have a nationally televised game on ESPN and your stadium is half-full. We need people at those games.”

The home opener will be Sept. 20 against Indiana State, and NIU will also host Miami University, Toledo, Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Navy.