Purdue Football team runs on the field amidst Illini Alma Mater

On Saturday afternoon’s game between Purdue and Illinois, the Purdue Boilermaker’s football team ran onto the field amidst the Marching Illini’s performance. It was certainly an odd scene in Champaign as the Marching Illini were just getting started with playing the school’s famous theme “Hail to the Orange”. The Boilermakers ran onto the field and blatantly interrupted the performance which was honestly quite disrespectful. Typically when “Hail to the Orange” is played, Illini fans gather in arms and sing the school’s Alma Mater. Afterwards, the performance practically finishes up.

If the Boilermakers had waited a whole three more minutes, they would not have interrupted a key Illinois school tradition.

Intentional or not?

Look, this may have been completely unintentional. However, the point still stands, the Purdue Boilermakers committed a disrespectful act to the Marching Illini and the Illini fanbase. Director of the Marching Illini, Barry Houser, keeps the Marching Illini amongst the best college marching bands in the nation. They should have the full respect of the opposing team especially as the performance was nearing the school’s alma mater.

Fortunately for Illinois football, they were able to squeak out an unnecessarily stressful game, 50-49. 

That’s the first time I’ve ever seen an opponent run through the 3-in-1. pic.twitter.com/Ft28rrYrvg

— Robert Rosenthal (@ALionEye) October 12, 2024

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