Illinois releases statement on fire at Memorial Stadium, not anticipated to impact game vs Nebraska

A Big Ten West matchup between Nebraska and Illinois slated for Friday evening in Champaign is set to go on as planned after a small fire broke out at Illinois’ Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. The blaze was contained to a small vehicle within the concourse.

With first responders quickly addressing the scene and limiting the damage, the conference bout between 2-3 squads can go on as planned. Neither team is contending in the league or for the division title, but the winner of Friday’s game will have a leg up to getting six wins and a bowl bid.

“The Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) thanks the many first responders for their quick action,” a statement from the athletic department read.

Kick off is set for 8:00 p.m. EST with the game broadcast on FS1.

A fire was reported at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night by the IlliniAlert system, the emergency alert system for the Champaign-Urbana campus. It urged people to avoid the area of the stadium, located at 1402 S First Street in Champaign. The fire has since been extinguished, according to a subsequent alert.

WCIA3 confirmed the fire on the Illinois campus, and that there was still plenty of smoke and a large presence of first responders. The response has closed a road near the stadium at the moment.

“The fire at 1402 S First St, Champaign has been put out but fire crews remain on scene working. Please continue to avoid the area,” the latest update read.

HAPPENING NOW:

Fire crews are responding to a fire at Memorial Stadium on the U of I campus. WCIA crews on scene say Kirby is closed from First to Fourth.

Details to come. @WCIA3 pic.twitter.com/DqLNe5zdIL

— Amanda Brennan (@amandabrennantv) October 4, 2023

A later update added that the fire was contained to a utility terrain vehicle in the stadium and that the damage was minimal, with more smoke than fire.

“Fire at 1402 S First St, Champaign. Avoid area. If in or near this location, leave immediately. More information to come,” the original alert read.

One reply to the tweeted alert showed that multiple fire and other first response units were being sent to the scene or were already on scene. It also stated there was a confirmed structure fire. Another stated the fire had been extinguished but firefighters were still on hand.

Illinois is scheduled to host Nebraska on Friday evening.

Nebraska is seeking a bounce back on Friday

Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White was not happy with how his defense played in Saturday’s 45-7 loss to Michigan.

“As a whole defense, there wasn’t one guy you could say played their tails off. Period. We just didn’t get done,” White said during his Tuesday press conference. “Nobody went in there and played the way we’re supposed to play.”

The answer is an interesting one considering what Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule said after the game.

He had been asked Saturday if his team had matched the intensity of the Wolverines. He took the question a different way.

“I didn’t feel us necessarily cutting loose and ripping and going attacking them. And that’s kind of where we have to get to, to be quite honest with you,” Rhule said.