Illinois debuts largest college football jumbotron at Gies Memorial Stadium

Illinois opens the 2026 season with the unveiling of a new, record-setting jumbotron at Gies Memorial Stadium. Measuring 17,315 square feet, the video board surpasses the previous college football record held by Auburn’s 10,690-square-foot screen. The $20.94 million project was funded primarily through a $100 million donation from Larry Gies, which also prompted the renaming of the facility. Daktronics manufactured the display, which features 30 million pixels and spans 69 feet in height by 250 feet in width. The structure debuted during the program's game against UAB on September 3, 2026. While the screen sets a new standard for college athletics, it remains smaller than the largest displays found at professional NFL venues.

• 6:20 AMYahoo Sports — Inside Illinois' new $20.9M jumbotron, the biggest in college football history