Northwestern will open $862M Ryan Field Oct. 2 vs. Penn State

Northwestern will host its first game at Ryan Field, its revamped football stadium that cost $862 million, in primetime on Friday, Oct. 2, when the Wildcats open Big Ten play against Penn State.

The date is notable because it will mark exactly 100 years since Northwestern played its first game at Northwestern Stadium, which was located on the same site, on Oct. 2, 1926.

Northwestern will play its first two home games of the 2026 season (vs. South Dakota State on Sept. 5 and vs. Colorado on Sept. 19) at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, a temporary stadium where the school has hosted most of its football games over the last two seasons.

Ryan Field, which will have a capacity of 35,000 and has been billed as the largest stadium project in college football history, will host each of the Wildcats' final five home games. That also includes games against Ball State (Oct. 10), Rutgers (Oct. 24), Iowa (Nov. 7) and the season finale vs. Illinois (Nov. 28).

Northwestern finished the 2025 season with a 7-6 record, making a bowl for the second time in three seasons under David Braun.