‘That place should be rocking’ Bielema asking for crazy crowd vs Michigan

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois football has special uniforms, special guests and specials plans for its week seven test against the reigning national champions.

The Illini host Michigan in the Memorial Stadium 100th anniversary rededication game. Athletic Director Josh Whitman, who played for Illinois football from 1997-2000, will serve as the honorary team captain for the game. Howard Griffith, who set an NCAA record with eight touchdowns in a single game in Memorial Stadium in 1990, will sound the air raid siren. The Illini will wear 1920s-themed uniforms, with helmets, jerseys and pants all designed to mirror the attire worn by Red Grange and Illini football teams that represented the program during its early existence.

All those factors make the matchup a big one, but it also marks a big moment for the 2024 season. Saturday’s game the first ranked-versus-ranked matchup in Memorial Stadium since 2000. Bret Bielema is calling on the crowd to match, if not exceed, the excitement of the weekend’s festivities.

The game versus Michigan is already sold out, but the Illini head coach wants more than just a full house.

“We haven’t lost a game [at home] this year,” Bielema said on Monday. “That place should be rocking. That place should be going crazy. To have two ranked teams, that’s what I want to hear… When we go to Michigan we have to prepare for crowd noise there. I would really like for someone to have to prepare for crowd noise here. That’s when we’ve arrived.”

Michigan is the second sellout of the season for Illinois football, after not selling out a home game since 2016 prior to the 2024 campaign. Illinois beat Kansas in front of a full house on Sept. 7.

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