Official Ford Field Web Site

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan football finalized its non-conference schedule on Friday with the announcement that it will take on 2008 Rose Bowl participant Illinois on Nov. 8, 2008 at the home of the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the site of the Super Bowl XL - Ford Field.  WMU's fourth and final non-conference game, to go along with Illinois, Nebraska (Aug. 30) and Idaho (Sept. 13), will be Tennessee Tech (Division I FCS) at Waldo Stadium on Sept. 20.

Ford Field is the home of the NFL's Detroit Lions, a professional venue seating 65,000, and hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006.  Ford Field is also the annual home of the Mid-American Conference championship game and the Motor City Bowl.

"We are so very excited that Ford Field, the University of Illinois and Athletic Director Ron Guenther are willing to work with us on this great opportunity to showcase Western Michigan University and our football program to our alumni base and the families of our current and prospective students who call the Detroit area home," commented WMU Athletics Director Kathy Beauregard.

Western Michigan has an alumni base of 40,000 in Southeastern Michigan and over 8,500 students hail from the same area, which comprises nearly 40 percent of our instate enrollment.  In fact, there are 12,000 targeted prospective WMU students from Southeastern Michigan's largest seven counties alone.

The WMU Athletic Department, along with the support from multiple groups across campus, is working on a university-wide marketing effort to promote the game at Ford Field.  Details will be communicated about all of the great events that will surround the Nov. 8 game at a later date.  Details regarding tickets for this game are also being determined at this time.

The game on Nov. 8 will mark the first time Western Michigan will host a game at a professional venue.  It also counts as one of the Broncos' six home games in 2008, at a professional venue.  It marks the second time WMU will have played at Ford Field, having defeated Eastern Michigan, 44-36, on Nov. 5, 2005.

This will not be the only time fans of the Broncos and the Illini will get to see these two teams on the field against each other.  It is the first of a two-game agreement, one that sees WMU traveling to Champaign, Ill., in 2011.  A home-and-home two-game men's basketball series is also a part of the discussion and details are still pending. 

Western Michigan and Illinois have taken the field against one another only twice in program history with the Illini coming out on top on both occasions.  The last meeting came on Sept. 18, 2004 when Illinois needed a touchdown with 1:02 remaining to escape with a three-point win, 30-27, over the Broncos.  The first ever meeting also took place on Nov. 8.  It was Nov. 8, 1935.

The Illini are coming off a very successful 2007 season that saw them defeat the No. 1 team in the country, Ohio State, en route to representing the Big Ten in the 2008 Rose Bowl.  Illinois went 9-4 last season with a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten. 

Western Michigan and Illinois had four opponents in common last season (Missouri, Indiana, Iowa and Ball State).  Both teams fell to Missouri early in the season and the Illini captured wins over Indiana and Ball State.  They fell to Iowa, 10-6, on Oct. 13, a team the Broncos defeated, 28-19, on Nov. 17 on the road.  It was WMU's second win over a team from a BCS conference in as many years.

Illinois is coached by Ron Zook.  Like WMU head man Bill Cubit, Zook is entering his fourth season at the helm in 2008.  Both men coached at the University of Florida but missed each other by two seasons.  Cubit was the quarterbacks coach in Gainesville, Fla., in 1989 and Zook came to the Gators in 1991 after spending three seasons with the Buckeyes.  He stayed through 1995 then left for the NFL.  He returned to Florida as its head coach for three seasons (2002-04).

"Playing top-level opponents is what we strive to do at Western Michigan and that is exactly what we will get against Illinois," commented Cubit.  "I am grateful to both our administration and the Illinois Athletic Department and his administration for putting this game together.  Ford Field is a world class venue and we are excited that this venue is where we will continue our growing relationship with the Big Ten."

This game will mark the seventh time in the past 10 seasons at least one Big Ten team has appeared on the Broncos' schedule.  WMU has played two Big Ten teams in a season three times during that same span.