Share and Follow
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois’ campus is turning 100 years old, and the university is planning to commemorate the milestone season with a year-long celebration.
1924 was the first full season the Fighting Illini football team played in Memorial Stadium; the 1923 team split games between the stadium and their previous home Illinois Field. The first game in Memorial Stadium was a 7-0 win over the University of Chicago Maroons on Nov. 3, 1923.
The 100th anniversary of that event passed without much fanfare; what the university is commemorating in 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the stadium’s dedication.
Memorial Stadium was built to honor the university’s students and alumni who perished while fighting in World War I, and it was formally dedicated on Oct. 18, 1924, during the Homecoming game against the Michigan Wolverines. Both Illinois and Michigan claim a national championship from the previous season and entered that game with 2-0 records.
What happened next is regarded as one of the greatest single-game performances by one player in college football history. In front of a full house of 66,000 people, legendary Illini running back Red Grange made national headlines by scoring six touchdowns, four of which happened in the first 12 minutes of the game. He ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, scored four touchdowns from the line of scrimmage and threw for a sixth. The Illini won 39-14.
100 years and one day later, on Oct. 19, 2024, the Illini will host a “Rededication Game” for Memorial Stadium. Their opponent: the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines.
The Rededication Game will be the highlight event of the season-long commemoration. There will be other special events and merchandise, in-game features and benefits for season ticket holders.
The university also unveiled a special logo for the anniversary season. Banners displaying the logo are now displayed outside the stadium in Grange Grove.
Season tickets for the 2024 season are now on sale.
