Will FOX's 'Big Noon Kickoff' Be Back at Illinois for Ohio State in Week 7?

There's no good reason it can't – or won't happen – so long as the Illini take care of business on the road against Purdue in Week 6

A University of Illinois Block I flag flies in front of the set of Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" show on its visit to Champaign, Illinois, for the Illini's homecoming football game against USC. | University of Illinois

It's a sign of the times for Illinois football that Champaign is on a near-weekly watch for college football pregame shows that might pop into town and point the national spotlight on the Illini.

Illinois moved up a slot in the AP poll to No. 22 and ran its record to 4-1 (1-1 Big Ten) with Saturday's 34-32 gut-check win over USC in front of a sold-out Gies Memorial Stadium, and it was accompanied by a pregame visit from FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" crew. It was quite a moment for Illini fans, who haven't been able to participate in this sort of excitement around the team since at least the Ron Zook era roughly 20 years ago.

Our first time in Champaign did NOT disappoint 🔥

Thanks for partying with us @IlliniFootball fans 🧡🎉 pic.twitter.com/0FuI3zP4mX

— Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) September 29, 2025

The moment was also a shot of redemption for the program after ESPN's "College GameDay" faced some blowback for overlooking Illinois at Indiana in Week 4, which was immediately followed by the Illini rolling over in a 63-10 loss. An Illinois defeat in Champaign on homecoming weekend a week after such a hot mess could have turned the attention of college football at large away from Illini football for quite some time. Instead, we're left to wonder: Might "Big Noon" beat a quick path back to Illinois' door?

Can’t wait for another electric atmosphere in Gies Memorial. pic.twitter.com/XhE53aWPq6

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 29, 2025

Why Illinois should expect 'Big Noon' back in U-C Oct. 11

If two weeks seems like a tight turnaround for a college football pregame show to return to a campus – especially Champaign, rather than Ann Arbor or Eugene or Tuscaloosa – keep in mind that there is plenty of precedent. Just a year ago, "Big Noon" was in Boulder, Colorado, three times in one month.

And because it typically chooses the site of the best noon game being broadcast on FOX airwaves each week, a game featuring current No. 22 hosting defending national champs and current No. 1 Ohio State in Champaign is going to be very tough to beat. TCU at Kansas State (2:30 p.m. CT) in Week 7 doesn't get it done. Neither does Kansas at No. 11 Texas Tech (6:30 p.m. CT).

The Buckeyes are one of college football's biggest brands, and the slightest hint of their vulnerability (OSU looked almost mortal in a 24-6 win over Washington in Week 5) makes a road game against a reenergized Illinois team look like a far more entertaining matchup than it would have been in other years. It doesn't hurt that Illini Nation turned out in a big way for last week's festivities. Its denizens will have two weeks to marshal their energies for another likely "Big Noon" 60,000-strong house party.