University of Illinois students will be presented with the opportunity to score – on and off the field – in early May. Illinois Football is teaming up with Chick-Fil-A to present “Kickin’ for Chicken," an opportunity for students to earn free football season tickets by making a 35-yard field goal.
Is it just that easy?Make a 35-yard field goal and your student season tickets are on us!See you on May 8th from 4-7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. https://t.co/Z3xmDrXtq2 pic.twitter.com/tK4L8BGZvs
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) April 18, 2025
On Thursday, May 8, from 4-7 p.m. (there are no classes and no finals on that day), student season ticket holders will be given one attempt to step onto the Memorial Stadium turf and drill a field goal. Any student that makes a kick will be reimbursed for the cost of their season ticket, which are valued at $109. Not all students who miss their kick will walk away empty-handed, though, as the first 3,000 participants will receive a “Be our Guest card” for a free chicken sandwich or nuggets from Chick-Fil-A.
Students who wish to participate must have already purchased student tickets by the day of the event and RSVP to Illinois Football. Students will check in at the northwest tunnel of Memorial Stadium and get a chance to kick into the south goalposts. Student I-cards will be checked to verify identity.
The event should shape up very similarly to the kicking challenge on ESPN's "College GameDay" program, in which participants are given the opportunity to make a kick for a solid chunk of cash.
Although Illinois students won’t receive thousands of dollars for a made kick, they will be given the opportunity to watch an Illinois team projected to be quite good, for free. And if they miss – it isn’t as easy as it looks on TV – many will still walk away with some free food, a reward that should draw a big turnout.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!