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Chicago State starts inaugural football season with tailgating celebration

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 29, 2026, 10:25 PM

Last updated Aug 29, 2026

Chicago State starts inaugural football season with tailgating celebration

Summary

Chicago State University launched its first football season on August 29, 2026, as fans tailgated ahead of the inaugural game against Roosevelt University at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The Cougars, Chicago's first Division I team since 1939, have scheduled an 11-game season, playing all home games at the arena due to the absence of a dedicated field on campus. Alumni and fans expressed excitement, viewing the event as a historic moment for the school and the community. Preparations included training at the school's baseball field and efforts to build a football program over the past year.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Chicago State's first football game is against Roosevelt University.
•The Cougars are Chicago's first Division I football team since 1939.
•Tailgating celebrations attracted local fans to SeatGeek Stadium.
•The football program aims to create new school spirit and community involvement.
•The school has planned an 11-game season, all at SeatGeek Stadium.

Latest Updates

10:25 PMYahoo Sports — Tailgaters kick off Chicago State’s first football season: ‘A historic moment’

What they're saying

"
As the Chicago State University Cougars geared up for the first football game in the university’s history, fans poured into a dusty Bridgeview parking lot Saturday morning with truckloads of meat and coolers of beer. Tailgating wasn’t just appropriate for the occasion, they said, but a requirement for a city welcoming its first Division I college football program. “This is a historic moment,” ...
— Yahoo Sports

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