Get Tickets | Memorial Stadium History

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois will honor and celebrate current and veteran military servicemen and women during the Nov. 3 Illinois Football matchup vs. Minnesota at historic Memorial Stadium, with many military-themed events and features planned for the game. Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. 

Events and features for the game include:

1. Illinois' Army ROTC will perform its swearing in ceremony during the game, with cadets taking the oath of loyalty to the Constitution of the United States and committing to service in the United States Army.
2. Veteran students from both the University of Illinois and the University of Minnesota will accompany each team's captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss.
3. Pilots from the Air Force's 114th Fighter Squadron will conduct a pregame flyover using two F-15 jets from of the Oregon Air National Guard.
4. The Illinois Chez Center for Wounded Veterans will supply the official coin for the pregame coin toss, which will later be auctioned on FightingIllini.com and proceeds donated to the Center. The Chez Center for Wounded Veterans provides residential and non-residential support services to empower military-connected students at the University of Illinois.
5. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will unveil and dedicate a commemorative chair at the 50-yard line on the West side of Memorial Stadium directly behind the Illinois team bench to honor all Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) soldiers. 
6. Gameday Spirit will produce patriotic-themed shirts for Military Appreciation day, with portions of proceeds going to the Chez Center for Wounded Veterans. The Grange Grove Gameday Spirit location will also sell Illinois branded Operation Hat Trick caps, which also funds wounded veteran programs nationally. 
7. The Marching Illini will perform a special patriotic halftime show, along with the traditional 3-in-1 and the celebration of the 108^th Dads Day. 
8. Military vehicles will be available for pictures on First Street between Grange Grove and the tailgating lots before the game.
9. The Illinois Athletics Ticket Office has made available special tickets for military servicemen and women and their families for the game. All military personnel in attendance will be recognized during the game.
10. The Fighting Illini football team will be wearing a special military-themed hat as they come through Illini Walk, with fans waving American Flags which can be obtained from the marketing table in Grange Grove. Illini Walk is set for 12:15 p.m. along First St. and through Grange Grove.
11. The Memorial Stadium videoboard will feature military videos and shout outs from personnel around the country and abroad.
12. The game will feature a Tri Service color guard made up University of Illinois Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines cadets.
13. Illini Athletics social media platforms will be dedicated to joining all Illinois military personnel around the world both home and abroad through the hashtag #IlliniMilitary on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  
14. These features for the Nov. 3 game will complement the military traditions fans see each Saturday at Memorial Stadium, including the sounding of the air raid siren performed by a local veteran to signal the official start of the game, and the ringing of the Navy bell by Naval ROTC cadets and the Army and Air Force push up team following all Illini scoring drives.
15. Fans are also encouraged to visit the Columns on the east side of Memorial Stadium, which honors the University of Illinois students who lost their lives in World War I (etched into the columns) and all subsequent conflicts with the names of alumni, students and faculty who lost their lives (listed on plaques in each tower of the Stadium).

HISTORY OF MEMORIAL STADIUM

Memorial Stadium was built in 1923 as a memorial to Illinois men and women who gave their lives for their country during World War I. Holabird & Roche (now Holabird & Root), an architecture firm founded in Chicago, designed the stadium dedicated to the 189 University of Illinois students and alumni who died in WWI. Their names appear on 200 limestone columns that support the east and west sides of the stadium. On 189 of these columns was inscribed the name of an Illini soldier who died in the war. In addition, carved stone panels were placed on the facility's exterior to commemorate the war and to honor athletic achievements.

The stadium was officially dedicated on October 18, 1924, when the University football team played a homecoming game against the University of Michigan. In 2002, the stadium dedication was extended to those who died in World War II. The new veterans' memorial honors the 948 alumni, students, faculty and staff who were killed in our nation's wars and conflicts since 1918. Their names are engraved on one of four limestone tablets at the entrances to Memorial Stadium's east and west colonnades alongside the names of their fallen World War I comrades.

TICKETS AVAILABLE

Tickets are available for the Nov. 3 Illinois football matchup vs. Minnesota for as little as $35. Fans can purchase at FightingIllini.com or by calling 866-ILLINI-1. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more, with additional benefits of parking passes, group tent hospitality and video board recognition.