Why Illinois Will Wear 1920s-Style Throwback Uniforms, Leather Helmets vs. Michigan

The Illinois Fighting Illini are breaking out their 1920s jerseys for Saturday's showdown with Michigan.

Illinois showed off its threads, including custom leather helmets, for the upcoming game between the Big Ten rivals that also serve as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Red Grange's iconic six-touchdown performance against the Wolverines.

Friday is the official 100th anniversary of Grange's performance in a 39-14 win for the Illini. He opened the game with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown, ran for scores from 66, 55 and 40 yards all in the first half.

The second half saw Grange run for another score and throw a 20-yard touchdown pass. He also intercepted two passes on defense in the game.

When the game was over, Grange had racked up 402 all-purpose yards (212 rushing, 126 kickoff return and 60 passing) in addition to scoring all six touchdowns for the Illini.

The formal dedication of Memorial Stadium—which originally opened in 1923—happened on the date of the Michigan game on Oct. 18, 1924, with 67,000 fans in attendance.

Grange finished the 1924 season with 1,176 yards of total offense and 15 touchdowns. He was a unanimous All-American selection and earned Big Ten MVP honors in 1924.

Illinois went 6-1-1 with wins over Michigan and Ohio State. The school hasn't defeated both teams in the same season since 1999.

The Wolverines have won six straight games in the rivalry dating back to 2010. Illinois enters Saturday's game ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll with a 5-1 record. Its lone loss was a 21-7 defeat at No. 3 Penn State on Sept. 28.

Michigan has slipped to No. 24 in the current AP poll after a 27-17 loss to Washington on Oct. 5. The reigning national champs have already lost twice this season after a 15-0 record in 2023.

The Wolverines and Illini will kickoff from Memorial Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.