By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 8, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN – Let’s address the 17,000-plus square-foot elephant in the room, shall we? It’s massive, with an almost overwhelming presence over what was arguably the quietest corner of the old Memorial Stadium.

If you haven’t caught on to what we’re talking about, it’s the new 69-by-250-foot video board, college football’s largest, that stands over Gies Memorial Stadium’s south horseshoe. The video board got its college football debut on Thursday, literally overseeing and illuminating a 42-23 win over UAB. IlliniGuys spoke to fans and players on game day to gather thoughts and reactions to the larger-than-life screen.

“The new screen we got out there, holy man, that was… that was cool, man. Loved the environment,” said junior linebacker Will Holmes following the game. “We’ve been kind of playing with it on the last week of practice to get used to it. That was special out there, that was cool.”

“I love it,” said Will Vinson, a fan coming from a household of lifelong Illini fans. “The size, I mean it being what, six thousand feet bigger than Auburn’s? Especially this school and the seasons we’ve had, it’s awesome for the fanbase.”

The video board is over five times larger than the stadium’s old board, with the always-on monitor displaying in-game stats, scores around college football, and a broadcast angle of the game. In-game promotions, like lighting up almost all 16 million pixels bright yellow to distract opposition kickers.

“We’re sitting right in front of it, so it’s going to take us a little bit of getting used to compared to the old one,” he added. “But I think it’s going to be a game-changer, especially graphic-wise, video replay-wise, all that. It’s just going to be a game-changer for the whole stadium.”

IlliniGuys also spoke with Bob and Joan McMillen, parents of Illini offensive lineman TJ McMillen, who said their son has told them about the in-game impact of the screen.

“He says that the sound and how bright it is, that it’s unbelievable and could be a distraction for away teams that aren’t used to it,” said Bob.

Not everyone’s thrilled, though. Thursday’s Big Ten Network broadcast reported that folks in Gibson City – around 30 miles away from Champaign – said they could see glow in the sky from home.

It’s not just the video board that’s changed either: a revamped sound system, with large speakers above the video board and 20+ new speakers around the stadium, and new LED lights in place of the old floodlights were also unveiled on Thursday. The two elements were initially teased as part of a $9 million enhancement project that was announced in June 2025.

“We were here for a scrimmage, and the brightness and the noise that came from it was unbelievable,” added Joan.

Bob says that the McMillens, who hail from Naperville, weren’t always an Illinois family, but that the video board and the improvements in Gies Memorial Stadium are valuable for the program’s legacy.

“I mean it just shows you all the work that Illinois is putting into building not only football but all their athletics,” Dad Bob added. “And Josh [Whitman] should get a lot of credit for what he’s done. All the legacy, with Red Grange and **** Butkus and everyone who’s come through here and done amazing things for the program, it’s just a great opportunity for anybody who wants to come to this school with tradition.”