For the first time since the show debuted, FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff show will broadcast live from the Champaign-Urbana campus at the University of Illinois.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

May 31, 2023

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The FOX Big Noon Kickoff show and national television audience is coming to Champaign for the first time.

Illinois athletics, along with the Big Ten Conference’s media partners, confirmed Wednesday morning that the Illini’s home game on Saturday, Sept. 16 will be an 11 a.m. kickoff on the national network with FOX pregame show being on site on the Champaign-Urbana campus for the first time since the program’s debut in 2019.

The show previews the day's top games in college football, plus detailed analysis on the Big Noon Saturday matchup between Illinois and Penn State with Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Urban Meyer, Brady Quinn, and Rob Stone on site.

Penn State, which won the Rose Bowl last season and finished with a No. 7 ranking in the final Associated Press, USA Today Coaches polls and 11th in the final College Football Playoff rankings, will be a favorite in the Big Ten Conference once again and will likely be 2-0 (with their first two games being home games against West Virginia) heading to Memorial Stadium in the third week of the 2023 season.

Illinois will have a home night game in the season opener against Toledo on Sept. 2 (6:30 p.m. CST on Big Ten Network) and a road game at Kansas the following weekend before heading into the national television spotlight in Week 3.

Illinois, which returns 12 starters on offense and defense, including Preseason All-America defensive linemen Jer'Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., 2022 Freshman All-America OLB Gabe Jacas, and three offensive linemen from the program's first ever Joe Moore Award semifinalist group (Isaiah Adams, Zy Crisler, Julian Pearl, is 2-2 all-time on ABC and FOX since Bret Bielema took over the program before the 2021 season.

Illinois will be returning to FOX for the first time since Bielema’s debut as head coach on Aug. 28, 2021 when the Illini defeated Nebraska 30-22.

Illinois also confirmed that the debut of new Nebraska new head coach Matt Rhule in Champaign will be on a Friday night as the Illini will host the Cornhuskers on Friday, Oct. 6 for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on FS1.

The Illini have a three-game winning streak over Nebraska including Bielema being 2-0 against Scott Frost’s Cornhuskers program.

The Homecoming game against Wisconsin on Oct. 21 will be at either the 11 a.m. or 2:30/3 p.m. CT time slot depending on the television carrier.