Fall Tradition: Fighting Illini Football

Saturday morning kicked off the offical start of Fall -- and to welcome in my favorite season we took part in one of my favorite fall activities: Football!  Whether it be high school, college or NFL, checking out a football game in the Fall is a must.

Every Fall JC and I try to make it to an Illinois Football game, so when we had the chance to head to Memorial Stadium on Saturday we couldn't pass it up. 

JC is a huge Illinois fan.  Much of his "normal" wardrobe is full of orange and blue.  His love for Illinois sports was probably one of the only negative marks against him my Dad could come up with. My family is from the Terre Haute, Indiana area, so members of my family are naturally big Indiana University fans. I have tried to remain true to IU and my upbringing through the seven years JC and I have been together; however living in Central Illinois for eight years has rubbed off on me and I’m starting to cave a little, for the sake of our marriage :) This Saturday I succumbed to the Illinois fever and wore an Illini orange sweater to the football game. 

Illini Game -- grudgingly wearing orange.

With my new Illini orange outfit on we checked out some new sections of the tailgating area around Memorial Stadium.  In previous years, we haven't had much time to tailgate and enjoy the "before" game festivities like thousands of football fans have clearly been taking advantage of for awhile now.  On the field in front of the main entrance to Memorial Stadium a stage is set up with bands playing.  Vendors lure customers in with enticing smells of unhealthy stadium food.  Groups of people huddle together eating food and consuming adult beverages, while others throw footballs and play bags (aka corn hole). 

Besides a pretty awful football game, I was really impressed with the Illinois band.  The half time performance was a "Superhero" theme.  Although the theatrics of the performance were a little corny, the formations the band members created were really impressive. 

One of the band formations during a performance.

Loving Fall Football!

The whole Illinois Football atmosphere is like football on steroids.  Clearly everyone there has a love for Illini Football, or football in general.  For anyone living, or visiting, Central Illinois in the Fall, an Illinois Football game with the whole tailgate experience is a must!