BYU Will Face Northern Illinois At Soccer Venue SeatGeek Stadium
Feb 12, 2020, 10:21 AM | Updated: 10:26 am
Northern Illinois quarterback Marcus Childers is brought down by BYU defensive lineman Zac Dawe and linebacker Sione Takitaki during their game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. (Ravell Call, Deseret News)
(Ravell Call, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – BYU won’t be making a trip to an on-campus venue within the MAC again this fall. The Cougars game against Northern Illinois on Saturday, October 24th is moving from Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois to SeatGeek Stadium.
#BYU won't be travelling to NIU's stadium on campus after all.
BYU will face the Huskies at SeatGeek Stadium former home of the MLS' Chicago Fire on October 24th this season. #BYUFootball @kslsports
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 12, 2020
SeatGeek Stadium is a venue primarily designed for soccer and was the former home to the MLS’ Chicago Fire. The NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars currently call SeatGeek home along with the Roosevelt University men’s and women’s soccer teams. Located in Bridgeview, Illinois, SeatGeek Stadium is located 12 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.
This game was moved from DeKalb to SeatGeek Stadium as part of Northern Illinois’ Chi-Town Showdown. Northern Illinois and the MAC have television rights for this game when kickoff time and television plans are announced at a later date.
When BYU and Northern Illinois meet in October it will be the first time a college football game has been played at SeatGeek and it’s the first time BYU has played a game in a soccer venue.
SeatGeek Stadium has a capacity of 20,000. If memory serves me right, this would be the first time #BYU has played a football game in an MLS stadium.#BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/HAmECWgoPt
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 12, 2020
BYU has only played Northern Illinois one time and it came in a defeat two seasons ago in 2018. The Huskies upset BYU by a score of 7-6 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
This fall’s game will conclude a two-game series between the two programs.
Since BYU became an FBS Independent in 2011, this game will mark the seventh time they’ve played a regular-season game at a neutral venue. The last one was in 2018 against UMass in the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium.
BYU’s 2020 Football Schedule
Sept. 3rd (Thursday) – at Utah
Sept. 12th – MICHIGAN STATE
Sept. 19th – at Minnesota
Sept. 26th – at Arizona State
Oct. 2nd (Friday) – UTAH STATE
Oct. 10th – MISSOURI
Oct. 17th – HOUSTON
Oct. 24th – vs. Northern Illinois (SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois)
Nov. 7th – at Boise State
Nov. 14th – SAN DIEGO STATE
Nov. 21st – NORTH ALABAMA
Nov. 28th – at Stanford
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
