Illinois Homecoming | Buy Season Tickets | 2016 Schedule

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the start times for this year's Homecoming games on Wednesday. Illinois' Homecoming matchup with Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 29, will start at 11 a.m. CT. Television network information for the Illini-Gophers matchup will be announced at a later date.

This year will mark the 106th Homecoming at the University of Illinois. The Fighting Illini are 45-58-2 all-time on Homecoming, dating back to 1910, a 3-0 win over Chicago. Last season, Illinois fell to Wisconsin, 24-13, on Homecoming. 

It will be the 18th time that the Fighting Illini host Minnesota on Homecoming. Illinois is 9-7-1 in Homecoming games against the Gophers, including a 28-24 win in 2014 while donning the Gray Ghost uniforms for the first time.

The University of Illinois boasts being one of the first universities to celebrate Homecoming, a tradition on almost every college campus. It was conceived in 1909 by students C.F. Williams and W. Elmer Ekblaw, members of the Shield and Trident senior society. They joined with another society, Phoenix, to organize the three-day event.

FOUR AWAY GAME TIMES SET 

In addition to the our own Illinois Homecoming game, the Illini play in four away Homecoming games in 2016. Those game times also have been set (TV networks TBA).

    Oct. 1 » Illinois at Nebraska (3:30 ET/2:30 pm CT)
    Oct. 15 » Illinois at Rutgers (Noon ET/11 am CT)
    Oct. 22 » Illinois at Michigan (3:30 ET/2:30 pm CT)
    Nov. 12 » Illinois at Wisconsin (3:30 ET/2:30 pm CT)

Game times for six of Illinois' 12 games have now been set. Times for the first three weeks of the season, which would include Fighting Illini home games against Murray State (Sept. 3) and Western Michigan (Sept. 17), are expected in the coming weeks. Beyond that, TV and start times for any remaining football games will be determined on the customary 6- or 12-day advance notice.

SEASON TICKETS

The Fighting Illini begin the 2016 season against Murray State on Saturday, Sept. 3, before hosting North Carolina on Sept. 10 in primetime (6:30 pm CT on BT). Season tickets start at only $99 and are on sale now online or by calling 1-866-ILLINI-1. Limited seats are still available in the Horseshoe seating area in the south endzone. Mini plan packages will be made available later this month and single game tickets will go on sale in mid-June. There will be two mini plan options available for fans who cannot commit to the entire season – for $70, fans can guarantee seats in the Orange or Blue seating areas for games against North Carolina, Homecoming against Minnesota, and Dad's Day against Michigan State while for $50, fans can secure seats for the tilts against Minnesota and Michigan State.

GRANGE GROVE

Grange Grove will be the tailgate destination again in 2016 as fans can enjoy pregame festivities, live music, food trucks, family zone activities, and the true tailgating experience. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the concert line up to be released in the summer.