CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Coming off its first Big Ten win of the season, Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium to take on Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon in its 113th Homecoming game.
The Fighting Illini (3-4, 1-3 B1G) enter the contest following a 27-24 road win over Maryland, a game in which Caleb Griffin nailed a 43-yard field goal as time expired to secure the victory. Seth Coleman and Kaden Feagin both earned conference honors for their respective performances: Coleman was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after tallying 3.0 sacks, six tackles, and 3.0 tackles for loss, while Feagin was tabbed Big Ten Freshman of the Week after making his first start and recording 19 carries for 84 yards and one touchdown, the first score of his career.
The Badgers travel to Champaign coming off a 15-6 home loss against Iowa, though Wisconsin still sits 4-2 overall with a 2-1 record in Big Ten play under first-year head coach Luke Fickell.
Illinois won the last meeting between the two sides, a 34-10 victory in Madison, Wisconsin, on Oct. 1, 2022.
Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Devin Gardner (analyst) will call the nationally televised broadcast on FS1 with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart, Martin O'Donnell, and Michael Martin.
Press Conference
Get Tickets
Homecoming Events
The Illini football game is the final activity in a week-long celebration of Illinois alumni returning to campus. Homecoming week at Illinois celebrates the 113th year of Illinois traditions. Themed "Sweet Home Illini," the week includes events to celebrate current students, community members, and the more than 400,000 living alumni.
Homecoming week events include the following:
Monday, Oct. 16:
» Dinner on the Quad / Pep Rally
Location: Main Quad
Time: 5:00-8:00 p.m. CT
Host: Illini Union Board (IUB)
Friday, Oct. 20:
» Homecoming Parade
Location: Map
Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
Parking will be available in E14. Cars must enter off Oak Street. No overnight parking will be allowed, and cars will be towed if left in the lots.
» Pep Rally!
Location: Grange Grove
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT, following the parade
» Men's Basketball Exhibition Game – Illinois vs. Ottawa
Location: State Farm Center
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Get Tickets
Saturday, Oct. 21: Gameday vs. Wisconsin
» Grange Grove Tailgating – lots open at 7 a.m. CT
» Homecoming Court recognition during the game
» Inaugural "Spirit of the Illini" award recipient at halftime
Promotions
Varsity I Weekend — Former letterwinners of all sports are invited back to campus to take part in a large reunion.
Illini Hour — Fans are now incentivized more than ever to enter Memorial Stadium during the first hour gates are open. From 90 minutes to 30 minutes before kickoff, all hot dogs, non-alcoholic beverages (excluding souvenir cups), domestic beers, and Trulys are just $3. Fans can visit any stand where items are sold to take advantage of the early bird deals. For the Wisconsin game, gates open at 1 p.m. CT and Illini Hour runs from 1-2 p.m. CT before the 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
Season Ticket Holder Punch Card —
» Illini Concessions: $3 nachos
» Gameday Spirit: Save $15 on an orange Illinois Football crewneck sweatshirt (sale price $29.99) and orange FamILLy hooded sweatshirts (sale price $39.99). Locations available in Grange Grove and inside Memorial Stadium, not available at Neil St. and Green St. locations.
Freaky Fast 77 Yard Dash — "The Galloping Ghost" is returning to Memorial Stadium for The Freaky Fast 77 Yard Dash presented by Jimmy John's! This new promotion occurs between the third and fourth quarters of Fighting Illini football games all season long, and will feature a race between Red Grange and a University of Illinois student who will be given a headstart inside the hashes of Zuppke Field at Memorial Stadium. The student racing the modern-day version of Red will have a chance to win free Jimmy John's for a year. Fans can interact and take photos with Red Grange inside Grange Grove on game days from three hours prior to kickoff.
Need a tailgate spot? — Reserve a tailgate in Grange Grove for FREE or book a fully turnkey tailgate with add-ons such as televisions, tailgate games, BBQs, high-top tables, and speakers. Catering options include; Nelson's Catering, Hickory River BBQ & Friar Tuck Beverages. Make your FREE or turnkey reservation through our official University of Illinois tailgate service provider Tailgater Concierge.
Game Sponsor – Carle
Notes
Illinois Coming Off Big Ten Road Win at Maryland
• QB Luke Altmyer led his second game-winning drive of the season, and K Caleb Griffin drilled his second last-second game-winning field goal to give Illinois a 27-24 upset victory at Maryland.
• Griffin's 43-yard game-winner made him the first kicker to have two game-winning field goals (final minute) in a single season in Illinois history.
• Bret Bielema's six Big Ten road wins in his first three seasons are tied for the third-most by a head coach in Illinois history. Only John Mackovic (9, 1988-90) and Lou Tepper (8, 1992-94) won more Big Ten road games in their first three seasons at Illinois than Bielema. Mike White (1980-82) and Ray Eliot (1942-44) also won six Big Ten road games in their first three seasons.
The Law Firm of Newton and Randolph
• Newton is third in the nation in QB pressures among interior defenders with 25, according to PFF, behind only Tulane's Patrick Jenkins (27) and Notre Dame's Howard Cross III (26). Newton has eight more than any other Big Ten interior defender.
• Newton had seven pressures against #7 Penn State in Illinois' Big Ten opener, the second-most by any Power-5 defensive tackle in a game this season. Newton was the highest-rated Power-5 defensive tackle in the nation during Week 3 vs. Penn State (minimum 30 snaps), according to PFF.
• Among defensive tackles, Newton is second in the nation in PFF's defensive stops statistic with 21. He has five more than any other Big Ten defensive tackle.
• Despite missing last week's game, Randolph is third in the nation and first in the Big Ten in tackles (33) among DTs. He trails only Notre Dame's Howard Cross III (45) and UCF's Lee Hunter (34).
#1 Among Nation's Most Reliable
• Isaiah Williams leads the Big Ten in receptions with 42, 11 more receptions than any Big Ten receiver. OSU's Marvin Harrison Jr. and PSU's KeAndre Lambert-Smith are second with 31 receptions.
• Williams is second in the Big Ten in receiving yards with 546. Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. is the only Big Ten receiver with more receiving yards (604).
• Williams leads the Big Ten with 25 first-down receptions, four more than Penn State's KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who sits in second place (21). Williams' 25 first-down receptions are tied for the 19th-most in the nation.
• Williams has at least one catch in all 32 games since he switched from QB prior to the start of the 2021 season, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and tied for the 9th-longest active streak in the nation.
• Williams has at least three catches in 21 straight games.
• Williams is No. 2 in Illinois history in career receptions with 174. In the Illinois record book, Williams trails only College Football Hall of Famer David Williams' 262 receptions (1983-85).
• Williams has 1,795 career receiving yards, 10th all-time in Illinois history. Williams needs 10 yards to pass Malik Turner (1,804) for ninth in program history.
Discher Leading Top-Ranked Special Teams
• Illinois leads the nation in blocked kicks (4) under first-year coordinator Robby Discher.
• PFF ranks Illinois' special teams unit at #3 in the nation, behind only Miami (Ohio) and Iowa.
• All-American Johnny Newton has two blocked kicks (vs. Penn State, at Purdue), and the Illini have blocked punts by Ashton Hollins (at Purdue) and Ryan Meed (vs. Penn State). No other Big Ten team has more than two blocked kicks/punts.
• Illinois is one of only five teams in the nation with two blocked punts (OU, PITT, VANDY, SJSU).
• K Caleb Griffin is the first Illini kicker to have two game-winning field goals in a single season. His 43-yard winner at Maryland was the second walk-off field goal on the road in Illinois history, along with Mike Bass' 46-yard winner as time expired at Wisconsin in 1982.
• Griffin hit a 53-yard field goal to end the first half at Purdue, his career long. It was the 6th-longest in program history and the longest ever by an Illini in a road game.
• P Hugh Robertson's average is up to 43.4 yards/punt, 3.4 better than last season.
The Illinois-Wisconsin Series
• Saturday will be the 91st meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Badgers.
• Wisconsin holds a 44-39-7 edge in the all-time series, but Illinois leads 22-19-3 in Champaign.
• Last year, Illinois won in Madison for the first time in 20 years by outscoring the Badgers 17-0 in the third quarter and cruising to a 34-10 win. Illinois held Wisconsin to just two yards rushing, the fewest yards the Badgers have rushed for at home since being held to 12 yards on Nov. 3, 2007, vs. Ohio State. The 24-point margin of victory was the third-largest in an Illinois win in Madison and the Illini's biggest since 1988. It was the largest margin of victory for the Illini in a Big Ten road game since defeating Purdue by 34 points on Nov. 7, 2015. In the deciding third quarter, the Illini held the Badgers to just 10 total yards and Wisconsin did not complete a pass or gain a first down.
• Illinois is 22-19-3 against the Badgers in Champaign. The two teams have split the last two meetings in Champaign, with Illinois pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Big Ten history in 2019 against the Badgers. James McCourt's 39-yard field goal as time expired beat the #6 Badgers, 24-23, on Illinois' Homecoming, as the Illini won as 30.5-point underdogs according to ESPN. Illinois had the most points (24), takeaways (3), rushing yards (141), passing touchdowns (2, tied), rushing touchdowns (1, tied), yards per carry (4.0), and the longest rush (43, Corbin) against Wisconsin to that point in the season.
• The 1995 game between the Illini and Wisconsin holds historical significance as the last college football game to end in a tie (final score was 3-3). Overtime rules were instituted the following season.
• Illinois' most receiving yards vs. Wisconsin: 167 D. Williams 10/6/1984, 154 T. Brewster 10/23/1982, 142 O. Williams 10/24/1981
• Illinois' most rush yards vs. Wisconsin: 239 Grabowski 11/14/1964, 196 Grabowski 11/13/1965, 160 Mendenhall 10/6/2007
• Illinois' most passing yards vs. Wisconsin: 479 Eason 10/23/1982, 401 Kittner 10/20/2001, 357 Eason 10/24/1981
• Illinois' longest rush vs. Wisconsin: 80 Corbin 10/20/2018, 73 J. Wilson 11/13/1971, 69 B. Brown 11/14/1959,
• Illinois' longest pass vs. Wisconsin: 86 Eason to O. Williams 10/24/1981
• Last 100-yard receiving game vs. Wisconsin: Steve Hull, 105, 10/19/2013
• Last 100-yard rushing game vs. Wisconsin: Chase Brown, 129, 10/1/2022
• Last 300-yard passing game vs. Wisconsin: Jon Beutjer, 319, 11/9/2002
• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was formerly the defensive coordinator (2004-05) and the head coach (2006-12) at Wisconsin. He led the Badgers to three Big Ten championships (2010-12), six consecutive bowl games and a 68-24 record (.739) in seven seasons as head coach.
• Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry played under Bielema at Wisconsin, where he was an All-Big Ten first-team defensive back. Henry earned 32 starts from 2007-11 and helped lead the Badgers to consecutive Big Ten titles and Rose Bowl appearances as a junior and senior.
• Illinois defensive backs coach Antonio Fenelus was a two-time All-Big Ten performer at Wisconsin. He recorded 155 tackles, 22 passes defended, nine interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 52 career games.
• Illinois defensive line coach Terrance Jamison played on the defensive line for the Badgers from 2005-07 under Bielema before knee injuries forced him to the sidelines. Jamison combined to serve four seasons as a student assistant (2008-09), quality control assistant (2011), and a graduate assistant (2012).
• Illinois linebackers coach Andy Buh served in the same position at Wisconsin in 2012 under Bielema.
• Illinois senior football analyst Jim Leonhard has a long history at Wisconsin, including serving as interim head coach for the Badgers for seven games in 2022. Leonhard spent seven seasons on staff in Madison, including six seasons as Wisconsin's defensive coordinator from 2017-22. He started his coaching career at Wisconsin in 2016 after a 10-year NFL career and an All-American playing career at Wisconsin.
• Illinois Football Chief of Staff Mark Taurisani spent seven seasons at Wisconsin, including the final four as Director of Football Operations (2010-13). He served as football operations coordinator (2008-09), following two seasons as an operations assistant (2006-07).
