Bret Bielema has brought the Illinois football team to a new level in the Big Ten after recording the most wins over any two-year span in program history.
Bielema has completely changed the culture in Champaign, winning their first back-to-back bowl games since the 2010-2011 seasons. He has brought the Illini out of the pits of despair that they've been in for quite some time and has created an actual rebuild that we can all be proud of.
Bielema is making Illinois big-time, to the point where quality transfers like quarterback Katin Houser and wide receiver Alex Perry are taking notice. It has been such a big rebuild for the Blue and Orange, which has led to the team getting a major upgrade to Gies Memorial Stadium.
The atmosphere at Gies Memorial Stadium just leveled up. pic.twitter.com/oLHA1kgaum
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) January 13, 2026
According to the University of Illinois' official press release, this entire project was "designed, manufactured, and installed" by the company Daktronics. Daktronics, for those of you who are unaware, is the company behind the "world's largest double-halo display" at the Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome.
The new video board at Gies Memorial Stadium will reportedly be completed by the start of the 2026 college football season and will measure roughly 17,300+ square feet. According to Illinois' press release, the board will consist of 16 LED displays that total roughly 30 million pixels.
Illinois' monstrous video board is bringing mixed emotions to Illini fans
For some fans, they may think that it's "just a video board." They may be concerned that the program was more focused on something cosmetic rather than something related to the team. Heck, if you look on social media right now, you will actually see fans asking, "How about the roster?"
To those people, you are not wrong. It's an honest question to ask, especially since Illinois reportedly has a very minuscule NIL budget. It's an honest question because with just a little extra money, this team could certainly break through to the next level of the Big Ten.
But now that we have the board, the best way to really describe it is with the phrase "look good, play good." When you look like a contender, chances are you're going to play like a contender. The University of Illinois just put a fresh coat of paint on its shack, and it's going to look breathtaking when it's done.
Obviously, someone is going to disagree with this sentiment. But if anything, let's just wait until it's done and see how much more rocking it makes Illini games. The idea sounds amazing! Can't wait to see its beauty this season!