Northwestern will open the new Ryan Field on Oct. 2 vs. Penn State — its 3rd home game of the season
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Northwestern will open the new $862 million Ryan Field on Oct. 2 against Penn State, the athletic department announced Tuesday.
The Friday night game will be played 100 years to the day of the first football game at the original stadium, then known as Northwestern Stadium. It will be the first of five games this season at the new stadium, followed by Ball State on Oct. 10, Rutgers on Oct. 24, Iowa on Nov. 7 and Illinois on Nov. 28.
Northwestern’s first two home games against South Dakota State on Sept. 5 and Colorado on Sept. 19 will be played at Martin Stadium on the lakefront. The Wildcats played the last two seasons at the temporary football stadium, along with games at Wrigley Field.
Northwestern said stadium construction will be finished in mid-September.
Athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement that NU looks forward to bringing fans “to the nation’s greatest college football stadium.”
“The opening of the new Ryan Field marks a defining moment for Northwestern football and reflects our continued investment in excellence across every aspect of the program,” Jackson said in a statement. “The opener against Penn State presented by Fox Sports provides us with an extraordinary stage to showcase the incredible stadium and the culture that head coach David Braun has established.”
Northwestern announced plans in 2022 for the privately funded Ryan Field project. The new stadium will have 35,000 seats — 12,000 fewer than the old stadium — but NU has touted a better fan experience, with chair-back seats that are closer to the field with better sight lines.
The venue also is expected to host concerts, and the Chicago Stars NWSL team — which will play its home games at Martin Stadium this year — has applied for a permit from Evanston to play at Ryan Field beginning in 2027.
The athletic department announced that season ticket holders from 2023-25 will have priority access to seat selection at the new stadium. Tickets for the games at Martin Stadium will be sold separately from the Ryan Field season ticket package.
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