Minnesota West to open its gridiron season at home on Aug. 30

The Minnesota West football team will kick off its 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 with a 1 p.m. home game against the College of DuPage, which is out of Glen Ellyn, Ill.

The Bluejays will begin their second fall with Jeramine Smith as the team's head coach. Minnesota West dominated its opponents throughout much of the 2024 season and was ranked as high as No. 2 nationally at one point, but rules infractions resulting from ineligible players negated the squad's run. Officially, the Bluejays ended the year with an 0-8 record, but Smith was still named the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Coach of the year. 

Minnesota West will play its second 2025 season game on the road Sept. 6 at Minnesota State of Fergus Falls, but returns home the following Saturday for a 1 p.m. matchup against North Dakota College of Science. The Bluejays are back home Sept. 20 against Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range, then hit the road for a 1:30 p.m. game Sept. 27 at Central Lakes in Brainerd.

Minnesota West hosts its home finale on Oct. 4 against Rochester, then plays at Minnesota North College-Vermilion and Dakota Wesleyan on Oct. 11 and Oct. 19, respectively. to close out the regular season.