Fast facts
League: NCAA Football
Team: Fighting Illini
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Team Mascot: Chief Illiniwek (retired)
Year Opened: 1922
Capacity: 60670
City / State: Champaign / Illinois
Rivalries & Top Games to Attend
Land of Lincoln Trophy
Rival Team: Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern and Illinois play each season for the Land of Lincoln Trophy and have been playing annually since 1927. The intrastate rivalry has blossomed due to the proximity of the two schools, which makes for a great game as many fans will travel to the opposing school for this match up.
Purdue Cannon
Rival Team: Purdue Boilermakers
The Purdue Canon is presented to the winner when Illinois takes on Purdue. The trophy dates back to an incident in 1905 when a group of Purdue students brought the canon to U of I in hopes of firing it off after a victory, only to get it confiscated. After an eleven year hiatus, the rivalry resumed in 1943 and has been an exciting game to watch ever since.
Illbuck Trophy
Rival Team: Ohio State Buckeyes
The winner of the rivalry game between Illinois and Ohio State receives the Illbuck trophy; a wooden replica of a once live turtle with the series results etched into its back.With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers in 2014 these two schools will no longer play each season making it that much more special when these two rivals face off.
SuperTailgate Awards
Fast facts
League: NCAA Football
Team: Fighting Illini
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Team Mascot: Chief Illiniwek (retired)
Year Opened: 1922
Capacity: 60670
City / State: Champaign / Illinois