Game times announced for some Illinois Football Games

Certain Illini Football Game Times Announced

Three game times for Illini football have been announced for the 2023 season. Illinois opens its Big Ten Conference schedule against #8 Penn State. The Fox Big Noon Kickoff comes to Champaign for the first time since the show’s inception in 2019. Kickoff for the Illini’s Big Ten home opener is 11 am central time. That is the conference opener, however. The Blue and Orange begins its season with a late afternoon game against MAC contender Toledo at Memorial Stadium at 6:30 central. The time for Illinois’ Friday night home tilt against Nebraska has also been announced. The Huskers visit Champaign on October 6th at 7:00 pm central.

In addition to those three games with announced game times, three other games have narrowed slots down to two times. Illinois visits West Lafayette to play for the Purdue Cannon on Saturday, September 30th. The conference and its television partners have narrowed the slots to 2:30 or 6:30 pm. On October 14th, the Illini visit the Maryland Terrapins in College Park. That game takes place either at 11 am or 2:30 pm. Homecoming versus Wisconsin will be either at 11 am or 2:30 pm.

There is a buzz around the program.

The expectations and buzz around the program are palpable this offseason. As a result, ticket sales have been outstanding. There are 7,000 new season ticket sales, the most since the season after themIllini’s 2008 Rose Bowl appearance. Existing season ticket holders renewed at a 93% rate, the most since 2008 and up 7% from last season.

Fans should be excited about their Illini. They return ten All-Big Ten players, the most all-conference players in the Big Ten West. Illinois returns 12 starters on offense and defense, including Preseason All-Americans  Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph, Jr. In addition to the defense being solid in the trenches, the offensive line is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award.