CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois and Wisconsin have agreed to reschedule this year’s canceled football game, with the new date taking place on Sept. 4, 2027. SIU will receive a $625,000 guarantee to play the game, the largest payout in school history.
The Salukis and Badgers were originally scheduled to play at Camp Randall Stadium on Sept. 12, but the Big Ten announced it was going to a conference-only schedule this season. The guarantee for the original date was $500,000.
“I’d like to commend the administration at Wisconsin for diligently working with us to find a suitable replacement date and fair compensation,” said SIU Director of Athletics Liz Jarnigan. “Guarantee games are a critical source of revenue for our department, and our players, coaches and fans always look forward to the challenge of playing an elite program like Wisconsin.”
Members of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the Salukis typically play one “guarantee” game per year against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent. Southern’s future FBS opponents are now booked through 2027, with the exception of 2025.
Future FBS Opponents (Guarantee)
2021: at Kansas State ($450,000)
2022: at Northwestern ($550,000)
2023: at Northern Illinois ($375,000)
2024: at Kansas ($500,000)
2025: TBD
2026: at Illinois ($525,000)
2027: at Wisconsin ($625,000)