 Photo: Jim Klapthor
Making their second appearance at Ford Field in the past four seasons, Western Michigan will welcome the University of Illinois Fighting Illini on November 8, 2008. The Broncos, who defeated Eastern Michigan 44-36 in their last appearacnce at Ford Field in 2005, will be seeking their second win over a Big Ten opponent in as many seasons when they take on Illinois. Last season the Broncos upended the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road 28-19. The Hawkeyes defeated Illinois 10-6 in 2007.
The Illini are coming off of their most successful season in several years after finishing the 2007 campaign with a 9-4 mark, including a win over top-ranked Ohio State. Illinois concluded its season by making its first appearance in the Rose Bowl since 1984, dropping a 49-17 decision to Southern California.
The November 8 contest will be a home game for the Broncos who are hoping to draw from an alumni base of over 40,000 in Southeast Michigan. Western Michigan is in the planning stages of a marketing campaign to promote the Ford Field contest.
"Playing top level opponents is what we strive to do at Western Michigan and this is exactly what we will get against Illinois," said WMU head coach Bill Cubit, in a prepared statement. "Ford Field is a world class venue and we are excited that this venue is where we continue our growing relationship with the Big Ten," he added.
Ford Field is home to the NFL's Detroit Lions, hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006 and has been the site of the Mid-American Conference Championship Game every year since 2004 as well as the Motor City Bowl since 2002. There have been four regular season contests involving MAC teams since 2004 at the facility with Eastern Michigan serving as the host school for each game.
The Eagles defeated Central Michigan 64-61 in a four overtime thriller at Ford Field in 2004 then hosted Western Michigan in 2005, followed by non-conference games against Navy in 2006 and Northwestern in 2007.
Athletic department sources at Eastern Michigan have indicated that there are no plans to host a contest at Ford Field this season at the present time. Attendance for Eastern Michigan's annual game at Ford Field, billed as the "Collegiate Clash," has steadily declined
The contest against Illinois on November 8 will serve as the first of a two-game agreement between the schools that will see Western Michigan travel to Illinois in 2011. The two teams last met on the gridiron in 2004 when the Illini defeated the Broncos 30-27 in Champaign, IL.
Western Michigan also announced a home-and-home two-game men's basketball series with Illinois is currently being planned
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