Illini 411: Did the U. of I. really invent Homecoming?

The 1910 Illini football team that played in Illinois’ first Homecoming game. (Image courtesy of Illio, 1912)

A: It’s complicated. The idea that Illinois invented Homecoming comes from The Daily Illini, which ran an enthusiastic editorial after our first Homecoming in 1910 that called the U. of I. “the originator.” That claim proliferated and was passed down from generation to generation of students. However, in 2005, the historian John Franch found evidence that half-a-dozen schools had held Homecoming-like events before 1910. Nevertheless, those events were one-offs and not created to be annual traditions, as ours was. So, while we were not the first, we can claim the longest continuous Homecoming tradition.

Discover the unusual traditions and great athletic moments from the University of Illinois’s 100-year Homecoming history at Illinois Homecoming: A centry of spirit.

Illinois Alumni, Fall 2026