According to ESPN Chicago, and ESPN 1000, they’ll only be using one end zone tomorrow at the Wrigleyville Classic, the game between Illinois and Northwestern at Wrigley Field. This is due to space constraints and safety concerns.

This in-state Big Ten rivalry game, the quirkiest game in all of college football just became quirkier, and more of a novelty.

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It will certainly will be a bowl game type environment when the Northwestern Wildcats host the Illinois Fighting Illini, their bitter instate rival, in the Allstate Wrigleyville Classic at Wrigley Field. The Friendly Confines, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, last hosted a football game on Dec. 13, 1970. Kickoff is set for 2:35 p.m. CT this Saturday with ESPNU televising to a national cable audience.

In order to feature the world famous Wrigley marquee in the set’s backdrop, ESPN’s College GameDay will be originating its Saturday broadcast from the corner of Clark and Addison. Meaning yes, Erin Andrews, Queen of all Sports Media will indeed be here in Chicago. GameDay usually selects one “novelty game” a season, and this year it’s right here in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood.

The atmosphere will be further enhanced when NU moves it’s usual, traditional “Wildcat Alley” set of gameday activities down to Wrigleyville.

For Illinois, it’s essentially a “play-in” game as their postseason lives hang in the balance. You can sense the bowl game tension in Ron Zook’s voice in this video.

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