Chambana Sun

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Exactly 100 years after Red Grange's historic performance in the Memorial Stadium Dedication Game against Michigan on Oct. 18, 1924, the University of Illinois will host its Memorial Stadium Rededication on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. One day later, Illinois will face Michigan for the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Illinois' rededication ceremony will be free and open to the public inside Grange Grove at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 18. The ceremony will feature a program that honors the many uses of Memorial Stadium over the last century and an unveiling of new historic features around the stadium.

A 100th-anniversary gala will be hosted inside the Colonnades Club at Memorial Stadium at 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 18. The event will feature some of the greatest players to wear the Illinois uniform sharing stories and reliving memories of the past century. Invitations to purchase tickets will be sent to I FUND members and VIPs.

Illinois will wear 1920s-themed throwback uniforms against Michigan on Saturday, including hand-painted helmets resembling leather-style helmets from early football years at Memorial Stadium. The Illini uniforms will pay tribute to those worn during the 1924 Illinois-Michigan game, featuring a blue base and vertical stripes down the middle of the jersey.

A pregame ceremony will include a special game ball presentation involving generations of Illinois football alumni, with festivities continuing throughout the contest. The Marching Illini will perform a special halftime show, and fans can expect a "Spirit of the Illini" presentation during the trademark "3-in-1."

Historical videos and in-stadium displays will be featured all season long at Memorial Stadium. Additionally, Illinois will wear each of its three other throwback helmets once during select home games across the 2024 season. These helmet designs have been announced: a four-star design worn from 1962-68 during Dick Butkus' time at Illinois; an arched Illini design used from 1971-87; and an underlined Illinois design worn from 1989-2012.

About Grange's Legendary Performance in the 1924 Dedication Game

On Oct. 18, 1924, Red Grange delivered one of college football's most remarkable performances during Memorial Stadium's Dedication Game against Michigan, who arrived in Champaign on a 20-game unbeaten streak. Grange set an early tone with a 95-yard return on the opening kickoff and scored his second touchdown five minutes later with a 67-yard rush.

Within twelve minutes of play, he amassed four touchdowns and finished with six total scores and over 400 total yards of offense. The Wolverines had allowed only 32 points during their unbeaten run but conceded 39 points to Illinois in their defeat; Grange alone accounted for 36 points.

"Michigan never knew Red Grange, the Illinois wildcat until today," wrote James Crusinberry of the Chicago Tribune in 1924. "Now Michigan knows him well... He stamped himself as one of the greatest football stars of all time."

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