Here's the big Gophers-Vikings weekend to circle on the calendar: Between the morning of Sept. 30 and the afternoon of Oct. 1, we'll learn all we need to know about their 2017 seasons.

By Chris Carr

April 21, 2017 at 7:57PM

P.J. Fleck has a chance to be 3-0 when he charges into TCF Bank Stadium on Sept. 30 for his first Big Ten game. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here's the football weekend you can circle with a thick red marker on that giant Minnesota sports calendar you have on the wall of your TV watchin' den: Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

We already know what's going to happen leading up to that weekend. (That's a lie, but hang with us a sec) …

By that Saturday morning, Sept. 30, P.J. Fleck will be yelling and screaming and rowin' boats and, more importantly, his Gophers will be 3-0 and feeling good about their start. It'll go like this: crush Buffalo at home in the opener, beat Oregon State in overtime at their place, crush Middle Tennessee (REVENGE FOR THAT NCAA TOURNEY BEATDOWN!) at the Bank. That's 3-0, and even more fuel for Fleck.

The Vikings will be 2-1, coming off a nice home victory over the up-and-coming Buccaneers, knowing they need to put some Ws on the board in the early fall before a tough finish.

Two teams riding high, heading into the last day of September. Then: The Weekend That Will Tell Us Everything We Need To Know About These Football Seasons will be upon us.

The Gophers play host to Maryland that Saturday, Sept. 30, their Big Ten opener. Maryland's on the rise. Fleck's first big test. Lots of pressure to get this one done in front of the revved up maroon and gold sweaters. Do the Gophers have a functional QB? Is the defense still slamming doors on drives? The Gophers have a real chance to be 7-0 heading to Iowa on Oct. 28 – after Maryland, it's at Purdue, vs. Michigan State, vs. Illinois – but the Sept. 30 game against the Terps sets the tone.

The Lions come to town the following day. Here is the one truth about every Vikings schedule since the invention of cable television: If the Vikings are going to have a successful season, they have to win their home game against Detroit. We're too lazy to go look that up, but we're sure history agrees with that. All the optimism is crushed on the first day of October if there's an L here – they'd need to win four in a row to change the vibe. Yes, the Lions home game isn't the gimmie putt it used to be, but still: gotta have this one.

Newsroom editors hate the "must win" cliche. The Wild Game 5 on Saturday is a must win. All these other "must wins" you hear about, that's bad labeling and lazy language. So no "must-win" nonsense here, but by late Sunday afternoon on Oct. 1, we'll know whether to be excited about two football teams, one football team, or the baseball playoffs.

If you're looking for a football weekend to block off on the family calendar, there it is.