Maryland to Offer Tuition Raffle at Illinois Football Game
Students can enter a tuition raffle by attending the Maryland versus Illinois football game scheduled for October 31.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Football
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The University of Maryland is hosting a tuition raffle for students who attend the upcoming football game against Illinois on October 31. To enter, students must scan a QR code on the stadium video board and remain in attendance until the fourth quarter.
Why it matters
The promotion arrives as the university football program struggles, having recently fired head coach Mike Locksley following a lengthy period of poor performance. The incentive aims to boost student turnout for the home game.
The Maryland football team currently holds a 2-5 overall record and is 0-4 in Big Ten play. The team ranks 15th in attendance among the 18 Big Ten programs, averaging 42,264 fans per home game.
The players
University of Maryland
The public research university in College Park is the institution hosting the football game and tuition raffle.
Mike Locksley
The former head coach of the Maryland football team was fired by the university during the week prior to October 27, 2026.
The details
Students must be present in the stadium and stay until at least the fourth quarter to be eligible to win the raffle. This initiative follows a tumultuous week for the program, which fired head coach Mike Locksley prior to October 27, 2026.
Timeline
The team has lost 12 consecutive conference games since October 4, 2025.
The university fired head coach Mike Locksley during the week of October 20, 2026.
The football game against Illinois is scheduled for October 31, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The promotion arrives during a difficult season that has seen the team struggle to remain competitive within the Big Ten. The event serves as a strategy to bolster student support during a rebuilding phase following the dismissal of the head coach.
Eligible students must be in the stadium during the game against Illinois to participate in the raffle. This promotion highlights a direct effort to improve attendance numbers for a team that has not won a conference game in over a year.
The takeaway
Students should plan to arrive early to ensure they can access the QR code and remain in the stands through the third quarter to qualify. This event emphasizes the university effort to maintain home-field atmosphere despite the team's ongoing losing streak.
Further reading
For more on the current standing of the team, visit Football.
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