Coming off of a nine-win season, Illinois will look to build on fan excitement by ushering in upgrades at Gies Memorial Stadium, including a massive new videoboard.
School officials announced Tuesday that they plan to build the largest videoboard in college football, far outpacing those at Auburn, Purdue and other stadiums.
The team posted a rendering video showing the massive board, which will be located behind the south end zone over the top of the seating area known as “The Horseshoe” at the venerable stadium.
According to the school, the videoboard will be the largest in college football, far outpacing Auburn’s Jordan Hare Stadium.
Illinois says the new board will measure 250 feet wide by 69 feet tall, topping out at more than 17,000 square feet.
Needless to say, there is plenty of excitement surrounding Illinois’ football team. They are coming off of back-to-back nine win seasons for the first time in program history, and they have also won consecutive bowl games against SEC foes, including the Music City Bowl against Tennessee in December.
The Illini will also see a changing of the guard at several key positions, including at quarterback as Luke Altmyer moves on after one of the most successful careers in the history of the program.
To address that need, the Illini landed a commitment from former ECU quarterback Katin Houser, who threw for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns last season for the Pirates.
Illinois will open its 2026 season with a home game against UAB on Saturday, Sept. 5. They will also welcome the reigning ACC champion Duke Blue Devils to Champaign, as well as the Southern Illinois Salukis in non-conference play.
The Illini’s home Big Ten schedule will include visits from Oregon, who reached the College Football Playoff semifinal, along with Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue.
The team’s full schedule will be announced at a later date.
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