Ryan Field

But I just wish we could communicate to so many of these Northwestern fans that, like, any casual football fan in the country's dream is to come into this stadium and watch Chip Kelly's offense right now.

It's like, there's no more fun thing than to go to the new Ryan Field and watch Chip Kelly run plays for this football team.

It's just, like, the best thing that's out there.

And, and again, I'm like, we have the, we have the benefit of the start up to the runway of this era being very friendly to us, because Penn State doesn't historically travel, and of course Ball State's not gonna travel, and Rutgers is not gonna travel either.

And I just, I just wanna say t- I just wanna say, too, just throwing it out there.

It's not too late.

If you decide you wanna open the doors of Ryan Field for another viewing party for this game-

Oh

So this is Northwestern.

These are the Wildcats, home of the new Ryan Field.

Have you been yet?

I have not.

Ash, I have to ask you, uh, to go back into your memory bank Uh, 20 years.

And, uh, one of the most memorable finishes, a team that wasn't great by any stretch of the imagination for Michigan State, but certainly had a day to remember against, of all teams, the Northwestern Wildcats, and it was a very different looking Ryan Field than, uh, it is now with the, the new stadium and, uh, $800 million invested in that.

But this was a game when Michigan State looked like they were absolutely dead in the water.

A lot of people turned it off, but the Spartans didn't turn it off.

Against, of all teams, the Northwestern Wildcats.

And it was a very different looking Ryan Field than it is now with the new stadium and $800 million invested in that.

But this was a game when Michigan State looked like they were absolutely dead in the water.

A lot of people turned it off, but Spartans didn't turn it off.

After that, the money started coming in.

A guy named Pat Ryan started upgrading the current stadium back then, Ryan Field, known as Dyche Stadium before he started pumping in a bunch of money.

Then they changed the name to Ryan Field because of his monetary donations.

They got a press box, brand-new press box.

They got a brand-new locker room.

But what Northwestern never did was lose touch with its history, lose touch with the groups and the traditions that made it quirky and fun and different.

Yeah, they were winning a little bit more on the field, but there was still this appreciation for the marching band and for some of the student groups on campus and for some of the traditions that were going on because they were still playing in an atmosphere that kept in touch with the past, okay? And so before I share my opinions on what's going on now, I had to give you that little bit of a backstory because I think it's important.

'Cause if you don't know the backstory, and you listen to me talk about the new changes and the new Ryan Field, you're probably thinking of, like, "Well, this guy's just a stick in the mud.

We've got heated couches in a sk- outdoor sky box.

We hope there, see people there at the new Ryan Field.

Yeah, we'll be at new Ryan Field.

We're gonna-

That place looks awesome.

It does.

So the kick is at 11:00 AM.

So we're gonna meet, have a little coffee, a little breakfast, and then we'll make our way over to Ryan Field.

Champaign.Iowa rebounded from its first loss of the season to Ohio State with a dominant win at Washington on Friday night, and Northwestern improved to four and one with a lopsided win against Ball State.

The Wildcats want to impress folks at Ryan Field and are eager to reclaim the Land of Lincoln Trophy.

The only opponent Illinois figures to be favored against is Maryland, but the Terrapins will be at home and are fighting for Mike Locksley's job.

The status of quarterback Kate Hauser is unclear after he left the game with a hand injury.

Don't look now, but this was a big one for Iowa to get back up off the mat after the Ohio State game, and now they have what is a very manageable schedule down the stretch.

Still have to play Wisconsin, you know, still have a road trip to New Ryan Field to Northwestern, but not exactly the toughest schedule in the world.

Um, they're gonna be in one possession games.

You know, that's Iowa football, but watch out for the Hawkeyes and that P word.