Solar eclipse could impact 19 Minnesota college football teams Saturday

Height of eclipse will occur from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday

The Gophers football team may be off this weekend but that doesn't mean Minnesota college football won't be impacted by Saturday's annular solar eclipse. Fourteen games and 19 teams across Minnesota, ranging from DI-FCS to DIII, could have their respective game partially affected by the eclipse. 

Of course, if clouds reign supreme it won't matter, but if there are clear skies the annular solar eclipse will partially obstruct the sun across the entire Lower 48 Saturday. The first signs of the eclipse will start at 10:04 a.m. CT and end around 2:13 p.m. CT. The height of the event will occur from 11 a.m to noon.

Map of annular solar eclipse and it's coverage across Lower 48 / NASA

According to NASA, Minnesota will have between 40-50 percent of the sun covered by the moon during the maximum obstruction.

Here is the list of games that will be partially impacted if skies happen to clear. 

• Bemidji State at Wayne State (Nebraska) 12 p.m.
• Greenville (Illinois) @ Martin Luther (New Ulm, MN) 12 p.m.
• University of Mary (North Dakota) @ MN-Duluth  12 p.m.
• Westminster College (Missouri) @ MN-Morris 12 p.m.
• Sioux Falls @ MN-Moorhead `12 p.m.
• St. Thomas @ Drake (Iowa) 12 p.m.
• Bethel @ Augsburg 1 p.m.
• Carleton at Saint John's 1 p.m.
• Hamline @ Concordia College 1 p.m.
• Concordia University at Minot (North Dakota) 1 p.m.
• Macalaster @ Gustavus 1 p.m.
• St. Olaf @ St. Scholastica 1 p.m.
• Western Oregon @ MN-Mankato 2 p.m.
• Augustana (South Dakota) @ Winona State 2 p.m.

NASA advises it is "never safe to look directly at the sun during an annular eclipse" without proper specialized eye protection. Without proper solar filters on camera lens', binoculars, or a telescope, viewing any part of the sun can cause severe eye injury.