Illinois Set for Military Appreciation Game vs. Maryland – University of Illinois Athletics
Football
November 9, 2025
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After the team’s second bye week of the season, Illinois returns to Gies Memorial Stadium on Saturday to take on Maryland. The game, which is Illinois’ annual Military Appreciation Game, is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1.
Illinois (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) will celebrate veterans, active-duty military, and their families at Gies Memorial Stadium on Saturday, as nearly 2,000 tickets have been distributed to service members and organizations that support them. Other military day initiatives include a special coin for the coin toss, ROTC cadets rappelling off the stadium during the Illini Walk, and an Army swearing-in ceremony on the field during the first timeout of the first quarter.
Maryland (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) is led by quarterback Malik Washington, who has been one of the top freshmen players in the nation. He became one of three Power Conference true freshmen since 2000 with 200+ passing yards in each of his first six career games.
The game will be broadcast nationally on FS1. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Michael Martin (sideline).
Limited tickets remain available at FightingIllini.com.
Press Conference
Notes
Military Appreciation Game
• In recognition of the annual Military Appreciation Game, head coach Bret Bielema pledged to personally match tickets purchased by Fighting Illini fans to bring veterans, active-duty military, and their families to Gies Memorial Stadium. The initiative, announced July 3, aimed at filling the stands with heroes from across the state and beyond. The matched tickets were donated directly to service members and organizations that support them through VetTix.
• Over 1,300 tickets were distributed through Bielema’s campaign, then another 350+ Military Appreciation Game tickets were claimed through University of Illinois campus groups.
• Saturday’s coin toss will feature a special military coin representing all military branches.
• Prior to Saturday’s Illini Walk, four ROTC cadets will rappel off of Gies Memorial Stadium.
• During the first timeout of the first quarter, an Army swearing-in ceremony will take place on the field.
Winning Ways
• Illinois is postseason eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
• Illinois is postseason eligible three times in a four-year span for the first time since 1991-94.
• Illinois has 21 Big Ten wins in Bret Bielema’s first five seasons at Illinois. It is Illinois’ most Big Ten wins in a five-year period since winning 23 Big Ten games from 1990-94.
• Illinois has 29 wins over the last four seasons, its most wins over a four-year period since winning 30 games from 1988-91.
• Illinois has 16 wins over the last two seasons, the program’s most wins over a two-year stretch since 1989-90, when the Illini went 10-2 then 8-4 under John Mackovic.
• Illinois’ most wins over a two-year stretch:
18 — 1989-90; 1902-03; 1901-02
17 — 1983-84; 1982-83; 1903-04
16 — 2024-25; 1988-89; 1950-51
• Illinois is 16-6 over the last two seasons, including 12 Power-4 wins, nine Big Ten wins, and wins over teams from every other Power-4 conference: the SEC (vs. South Carolina, 2024), the ACC (at Duke, 2025), and the Big XII (Kansas, 2024).
• Illinois is 11-2 against unranked teams over the last two seasons (2024-25).
• Illinois is 10-2 at home over the last two seasons (2024-25).
Attendance Continues to Rise
• Illinois is on track for a season attendance over 400,000, which would be the sixth time in program history and the first time since 1994 that the Illini have passed the 400,000 fans mark in a single season.
• Limited tickets remain for Saturday’s Maryland game.
• Illinois sold out four straight games this season, tying the program’s longest sellout streak since 1982-87 (28 straight). The Illini also sold out four straight games during the 2008 season.
• Illinois sold out games against Western Michigan (Sept. 13), USC (Sept. 27), Ohio State (Oct. 11), and Rutgers (Nov. 1).
• Illinois announced on May 21 that its season tickets had sold out for the first time in at least 20 years. The Fighting Illini’s final season ticket total is over 42,000, including student season tickets sold out.
The Illinois Offense
• The Illinois offense has improved every year since offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.’s arrival. The Illini averaged 24.2 points per game in Lunney’s first year in 2022, followed by 24.5 in 2023, 28.3 in 2024, and now 33.1 in 2025.
• Illinois is averaging 33.1 points per game, currently the highest mark in Illinois history (record 32.5 set in 2010).
• Altmyer has led Illinois to a 20-11 record as the team’s starting quarterback, the third-most wins in Illinois history, behind only Kurt Kittner (24) and Jack Trudeau (23).
