ILLINOIS road game

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Jealous of those making the trip this weekend. I've heard good things about Champaign and this would've been Big Ten town #8 for me...will for sure make the effort in 2018.
 

Current Forecast for Saturday is 77 degrees and 0% chance of rain. I can't think of anything that could ruin this road trip.


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maroonfive said:
Those prices are ridiculous. If you haven't done the drive before there is nothing between Champaign and Chicago. Nothing!!!! There could be road construction however.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Taking the morning train from Chicago. Problem is it gets to Champaign-Urbana at about 10:20am. Inlaws will be picking us up and driving us to the stadium. After this trip i'll only have 9(out of 14) BigTen stadiums to go...

Go Gophers!
 

STPGopher said:
Taking the morning train from Chicago. Problem is it gets to Champaign-Urbana at about 10:20am. Inlaws will be picking us up and driving us to the stadium. After this trip i'll only have 9(out of 14) BigTen stadiums to go...

Go Gophers!
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Get the heck out of here. Train from Chicago? What time does it leave? Not waking distance to the stadium?
 

STPGopher said:
Taking the morning train from Chicago. Problem is it gets to Champaign-Urbana at about 10:20am. Inlaws will be picking us up and driving us to the stadium. After this trip i'll only have 9(out of 14) BigTen stadiums to go...

Go Gophers!
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I wish I was going as I have a 4 day weekend but I will go to the Northwestern game next year. My favorite road trip. Stay downtown and take the Purple Line to the game. Chicago and Illinois should be nuts this weekend with the World Series in town.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 


armygopher said:
Where is everyone parking n will there b any open spaces....tailgating, what time to arrive?
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We plan on tailgating in one of the research parking lots between St. Mary's Rd & Hazelwood Drive. Tailgate lots open at 7 and we plan on being there then. Party on!
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Does Firehaus still have the free shuttle to the stadium? I checked their website but didn't see anything. Granted, I didn't look very hard...

I'm torn between parking free and doing my pregame over there or paying for parking near the stadium and hanging out in Grange Grove, which looks very cool.

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I saw the BTN crew setting up this morning on my walk to school (I currently go to UIUC). The stage was being set up on the south side of Grange Grove and looked very cool.

Even though the tickets are cheap, I think this one is going to be pretty busy. More tailgating tents are set up already then normal, so I anticipate a pretty big crowd.

Also, it is manageable to walk from Firehaus to the stadium depending on your age and ability, I would say it is about a mile and you could see a lot of campus on the way. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me! Go Gophers!
 



Hello, all! Just wanted to drop by and give a few recommendations for those of you who will be visiting our humble college town this weekend. Champaign has changed so much even since 2010 (when at least one poster last visited), and it's been all for the better. Hope you don't mind if I post a pic or two with my suggestions! :cool:

1. I'll start with the obvious: Visit Grange Grove. Free admittance, food vendors, tents for sale cheap, live music, BYOB allowed and a beer garden ... we finally realized our tailgating potential here (thank GOD for our new AD Josh Whittman!).
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2. I'm guessing most of you will spend your time around Campustown, and it also sounds like a lot enjoyed Firehaus and Legends, two great bars. We also have a cool Brothers on Green Street with a lofted balcony area. I would highly recommend Kam's, which is kind of a staple of Champaign. Many students' grandparents probably partied there, the floors are sticky, it smells like decades' worth of stale beer and piss ... yet it's the most popular bar on campus! There's just something about it.
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It's also a VERY short walk (practically out the door) from the Main Quad, which is worth the visit and probably the prettiest area of campus:
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Joe's Brewery is my personal favorite (on Fifth Street), which is huge and has a very cool outdoor area that's fun before games.

3. Lastly, for those who have time, I would STRONGLY recommend checking out D
Downtown Champaign:
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It's practically unrecognizable since even ~2007, and it truly is exploding in growth. There are tons of bars and restaurants, and my personal favorite is a stretch of Taylor Street that was left over from the old pedestrian mall. It has been converted into a patio/beer garden area for Cowboy Monkey (fun bar with live music most nights). This area is perpendicular to an old alley that has been completely converted to four separate, consecutive beer gardens, starting with the one belonging to The Blind Pig Brewery (easily my favorite bar in the area):
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Very cool at night! I'd also check out the newest bar, Barrelhouse 34, which has a rooftop patio.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your trip! It's a quaint college town, but Champaign can be a lot of fun.
 

Thanks, Friendly! Very helpful! We just passed through the repulsive state of wisconsin and are now in northern Illinois. We'll be in Champaign in a couple hours - very much looking forward to it.
 

Yeah thanks, Friendly. Will be useful for two years from now when both undefeated teams match up :)
 

Thanks Friendly - but you forgot to mention the Harvest Market on Neil St. Highly recommended.


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Illinois, today, was my 9th B1G Stadium. I have to admit I wasn't overly excited about Champaign, but I should have been.

The game day atmosphere is awesome. Tailgating is everywhere and hopping early. We walked through campus after the game and went to the main shopping/bar area later and it was "alive" everywhere all day. Lots to do, friendly fans, and just a great time.

We chose to tailgate in Grange Grove where there was a live band, food trucks, beer tent, etc.
However, what caught my eye is that Grange Grove is EXACTLY what the U needs to do if they want students interested (which is what I believe is the biggest thing missing at the U). The University of IL set up Grange Grove to be a college party. It is free, right outside the stadium, and it is open 7am-10pm. It was as rocking as any house party I ever went to at it was PACKED all day long. IL has created an atmosphere where students want to be involved in GameDay - even when the team is no good. Sure the Game isn't the highlight now with the state of the team - but GameDay is already an event and the atmosphere is already there if they can get the team on track. I can't tell you how many times we said today, "this is what the U needs".

Awesome road trip. Champaign is right up there with Happy Valley on my list.


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Black Dog Smoke & Ale House was fantastic. Great trip and Great Game. Gophers looked great, going to be a fun November.
 


Friendly Illini Fan said:
Glad you guys had fun!!
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Hope you guys have fun the next 4 weeks. Particularly 2 and 3 weeks from now.

Should hope you get healthy first. Have watched many Gopher teams look like yesterday's Illini. Far too many starters either playing hurt or watching from the sidelines.

Good luck to you.
 

This times 10,000.

Spoofin said:
Illinois, today, was my 9th B1G Stadium. I have to admit I wasn't overly excited about Champaign, but I should have been.

The game day atmosphere is awesome. Tailgating is everywhere and hopping early. We walked through campus after the game and went to the main shopping/bar area later and it was "alive" everywhere all day. Lots to do, friendly fans, and just a great time.

We chose to tailgate in Grange Grove where there was a live band, food trucks, beer tent, etc.
However, what caught my eye is that Grange Grove is EXACTLY what the U needs to do if they want students interested (which is what I believe is the biggest thing missing at the U). The University of IL set up Grange Grove to be a college party. It is free, right outside the stadium, and it is open 7am-10pm. It was as rocking as any house party I ever went to at it was PACKED all day long. IL has created an atmosphere where students want to be involved in GameDay - even when the team is no good. Sure the Game isn't the highlight now with the state of the team - but GameDay is already an event and the atmosphere is already there if they can get the team on track. I can't tell you how many times we said today, "this is what the U needs".

Awesome road trip. Champaign is right up there with Happy Valley on my list.


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What we have in block G is so lame. Game day atmosphere sucks around the bank because there is nothing to barely do. There is more atmosphere and fun going on in the fair grounds then anything at the U or near the stadium. Can't block off streets because UM pd and Minneapolis pd say it will disrupt flow of traffic. Guess what there is almost no traffic flow around the majority of the other Big 10 stadiums. You don't see traffic consistently driving by everywhere else in the Big 10, and they make one way streets go the other way and block off side streets that cause congestion so it is easier to get in and out. You actually see people out directing traffic instead of just by the stadium. The U does nothing to invite people to campus and does nothing to make them want to stay. Instead of helping students have a good time they harass them and want to crack down on everyone. Stuff you see let go during Vikings game days is alway's interrupted at the U.
We should have a pre-game pep fest area that is more open then puny block G. Heck Ohio State has their skull session in the old basketball arena, why can't we have something like that in the Pavilion. Oh that's right it would inconvenience stadium operations and cost the U a tiny bit of money. The only other Big 10 University that put's as little as possible into game day operations from my travels to the U is Northwestern and they have more tailgating and stuff going on around the stadium. We want top flight recruits and a top football program, but yet the University puts as little effort as anyone into game day operations and creating an atmosphere around the stadium as the University of Minnesota. Even Indiana blows us away in campus game day atmosphere. We expect a top 25 football program but there is little effort by University administration in helping any of that occur. President Kaler could do a lot more but he let's the other shot callers, say no or we can't do that. Takes a little money to make some money but the U has never understood that concept.
 



WorkingMyTailOff said:
That is pretty slick. Will keep that in mind for future Gopher Illini games.
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The downside is Amtrak is unpredictable. We were late due to the train "catching up" to a freight train. Too bad passenger trains don't have their own tracks. Still not bad. missed the first Gopher TD. Illinois was just scoring as we entered the stadium.
 

We made our 2nd road trip this year, and our 2nd trip to Champaign in two seasons. Our first road trip was to State College and I can't say enough about Happy Valley. I would rate the game day experience a 10/10. Most friendly fans in the B1G and we were pretty lit up by the time we entered the stadium walking to the stadium from the basketball arena two blocks away from tailgate invites. Beautiful campus, and fun State College downtown area.

Champaign is a lot of fun too, but he tailgate situation isn't even close to Penn State, and that includes the Grange Grove. We did frequent some of the local pubs, including Kam's and Firehaus, but our favorite, by far, is the Illini Inn. It's about as 'divey' as Kam's, but more quaint, and with a more mixed aged crowd. Great bartenders and $4 a round for 2 rum and cokes. Memorial Stadium is also my favorite stadium in the B1G outside of MN. I've not visited Rutgers, Maryland, Nebraska, and Northwestern.

If you're staying more than a night in Champaign area, downtown Urbana was fun too. We hit the American Legion and Bunny's Tavern (not related to the St. Louis Park bar). All in all, Champaign is a great away game experience and worth the visit.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
What we have in block G is so lame. Game day atmosphere sucks around the bank because there is nothing to barely do. There is more atmosphere and fun going on in the fair grounds then anything at the U or near the stadium. Can't block off streets because UM pd and Minneapolis pd say it will disrupt flow of traffic. Guess what there is almost no traffic flow around the majority of the other Big 10 stadiums. You don't see traffic consistently driving by everywhere else in the Big 10, and they make one way streets go the other way and block off side streets that cause congestion so it is easier to get in and out. You actually see people out directing traffic instead of just by the stadium. The U does nothing to invite people to campus and does nothing to make them want to stay. Instead of helping students have a good time they harass them and want to crack down on everyone. Stuff you see let go during Vikings game days is alway's interrupted at the U.
We should have a pre-game pep fest area that is more open then puny block G. Heck Ohio State has their skull session in the old basketball arena, why can't we have something like that in the Pavilion. Oh that's right it would inconvenience stadium operations and cost the U a tiny bit of money. The only other Big 10 University that put's as little as possible into game day operations from my travels to the U is Northwestern and they have more tailgating and stuff going on around the stadium. We want top flight recruits and a top football program, but yet the University puts as little effort as anyone into game day operations and creating an atmosphere around the stadium as the University of Minnesota. Even Indiana blows us away in campus game day atmosphere. We expect a top 25 football program but there is little effort by University administration in helping any of that occur. President Kaler could do a lot more but he let's the other shot callers, say no or we can't do that. Takes a little money to make some money but the U has never understood that concept.
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I still think the road thing is really sorta BS. Use McNamara Plaza, no need to block any roads for crowds, just for when the band marches in and out. With what they already block for Block G currently, they would only need to block traffic on University for the minute or two it takes the band to cross over to McNamara. And then just block going the other way for like 5-10 minutes max. That way, you have a more open area, more space, central to existing before game destinations (though, a bit farther from tailgates). Oh, and actually advertise it. Put up flyers in dorms, send a note to season ticket holders, ask local businesses to advertise it too.

All in All, Campaign was fun. You can tell that their students, faculty, and local businesses have 100 times more school spirit than ours do. There was window paint about the game on literally every local business near campus. We should take a page from their game day experience book.
 

Took my wife and two sons to the game and had a great time. Illinois has a great set up and the fans are friendly. If they can get their program up and running it will be a great venue.
 

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