Game Day Timeline
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois is celebrating the Rededication of Memorial Stadium this weekend with a number of events, ceremonies, and festivities. Fans are encouraged to get to their seats by 2 p.m. CT to catch a special pregame game ball presentation with Illini legends, a flyover, and air raid siren sounder Howard Griffith. (Rededication Ceremony)
Here is a rundown of what's happening inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday:
Giveaway: The first 10,000 fans inside Memorial Stadium will receive a free rally towel sponsored by Toyota.
Game Program: Saturday's game program will be a recreation of the original 1924 game program artwork. Game programs are available for free in the east and west halls of Memorial Stadium while supplies last (limit one per fan).
Throwback Uniforms: Illinois will don 1920s-themed uniforms on Saturday, with the helmets, jerseys, and pants all designed to mirror the attire worn by Red Grange and the Fighting Illini football teams that represented the university during the early years of the program's existence. To learn more about the uniforms and individually hand-painted helmets, click here.
Illini Hour: The popular Illini Hour is back at Memorial Stadium in 2024. From 90 minutes to 30 minutes before kickoff, all hot dogs, non-alcoholic beverages (excluding souvenir cups), and Carbliss and Nutrl seltzers are just $3, and 24-ounce domestic beers are $7. This week's Illini Hour will run from 1-2 p.m. CT before the 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
Game Ball Presentation: Prior to kickoff, a special game-ball presentation featuring some of Illinois' most legendary players will take place from the south end zone out to the 50-yard line. The initial handoff will be by athletic director and former Illini football player Josh Whitman.
Flyover: The United States Navy is scheduled to conduct a flyover following the national anthem.
Air Raid Siren: New this season, an Illini celebrity will sound the Illini air raid siren right before kickoff to get the crowd pumped up for the game. This week's sounder is Fighting Illini legend Howard Griffith, who set the NCAA record with eight touchdowns at Memorial Stadium.
Halftime: All former football players in attendance will line the field at halftime and be honored by the Fighting Illini fans.
Marching Illini Performance: A halftime performance by the Marching Illini will involve family members of Illinois' athletic architects from the early years – Athletic Director George Huff, Head Football Coach Robert Zuppke, and Red Grange.
Freaky Fast 77 Yard Dash: "The Galloping Ghost" has returned to Memorial Stadium for Year 2 of The Freaky Fast 77 Yard Dash presented by Jimmy John's. Between the third and fourth quarters, an Illinois student will race Red Grange 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 beginning three hours prior to kickoff.
100th Anniversary Museum: Illinois has installed a free pop-up museum celebrating the history of Memorial Stadium inside of the Great West Hall. The museum features imagery and artifacts from the greatest moments in Memorial Stadium history.
