October 23, 2026 | Football
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois hosts #25 Oregon on Saturday for the program's annual Military Appreciation Game. A number of memorable moments and activations will be happening around Saturday's game to honor veterans, active-duty military, and their families.
Flyover
Two Army National Guard helicopters are scheduled to conduct a flyover following the national anthem at approximately 1:45 p.m. CT on Saturday. One CH-47F Chinook and one UH-60V Blackhawk will fly above Gies Memorial Stadium from north to south. The crews flying the helicopters include two University of Illinois graduates, AJ Hager and Dominick Polizzi.
Military Coin
Saturday's coin toss will feature a special military coin.
Siren Sounder
U.S. Army infantry veteran and Purple Heart recipient Dalton Trimble will be the honorary pregame air raid siren sounder. Trimble deployed to Afghanistan in 2014, where he was wounded when a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle near a U.S. Army convoy. He is a native of Danville, Illinois.
Special Helmets
Illinois will wear special arched Illini helmets with United States flags on each side. Coaches and staff will also wear special military appreciation gear on the sidelines.
Rally Towels
Illinois will give out 50,000 orange rally towels to fans, sponsored by Toyota.
Coach's Commitment
In recognition of Illinois' Military Appreciation Game, head coach Bret Bielema pledged to personally match tickets purchased by Fighting Illini fans to bring military and their families to Gies Memorial Stadium. Bielema started the initiative last year, aiming 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. Nearly 1,000 tickets have been distributed through Bielema's campaign this season and over 2,000 tickets in two years.
