Northwestern opened its new $875 million Ryan Field on Friday afternoon, Oct. 2, 2026, in Evanston with a 34-13 football victory over Penn State.
The Wildcats (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) built a 17-point first-half lead and finished with 413 rushing yards to hand the Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2) their second conference loss.
The game marked the official opening of the 35,000-seat venue, which was largely funded by billionaire businessman Pat Ryan Sr. and his family over the last five years.
Before kickoff, Pat Ryan Sr. and his family cut a purple ribbon outside the concourse to celebrate the opening of the stadium.
"It shows the commitment to excellence," said Pat Ryan Sr., benefactor and businessman.
He noted that the project represents a broader initiative by the university to elevate its athletic standards alongside its academic reputation.
"The whole plan all along has been to strive for excellence in everything the university does," said Ryan Sr. "There was a point in time in history when I go back that they didn't strive for excellence in athletics.
That's been reversed. Because a great university has to strive for excellence in everything it does.
And this is a statement of that."
Braun Calls Opener 'Something That Dreams Are Made Of'
Head coach David Braun addressed reporters after the game in a press conference attended by members of the Ryan family.
"Something that dreams are made of," said David Braun, head coach of Northwestern.
Braun reflected on the atmosphere created by the home crowd and the newly designed standing-only student section in the south end zone, known as the Wildcat Wall.
"Running out of that tunnel, to that crowd and that student section, I don't know how our guys did it," said Braun.
"I felt like I was in the best dream of my life, and for them to reshift and refocus was remarkable."
The venue recorded a sellout crowd of 35,000 attendees, featuring video tributes to the growth of the athletic program.
Braun expressed confidence in the future home-field advantage the stadium will provide.
"Has the opportunity to become the most deafening environment in the Big Ten, in the country," said Braun.
He encouraged remaining supporters to attend future home contests at the venue.
"If you weren't here tonight, you're missing out," said Braun. "You have a chance to make a correction and buy tickets to Ball State."
On the field, running back Caleb Komolafe led the Wildcats with a career-high 188 rushing yards on 25 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that extended Northwestern's lead to 31-7.
Running back Joseph Himon II added 162 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, scoring on a 38-yard run in the second quarter to make the score 17-7.
Northwestern's defense allowed one offensive touchdown through the first three and a half quarters, supported by fourth-quarter interceptions from linebacker Braydon Brus and safety Robert Fitzgerald.
The team celebrated with students in the south end zone following the final whistle.
"Really just what it came down to was focusing on us," said Braydon Brus, linebacker for Northwestern. "We talk about that a lot.
Just taking it one play at a time. Not letting the moment get bigger than it needs to be.
Tonight was a big night getting to play in this stadium, brought a lot of awesome attention to us."
Brus highlighted the impact of student support on the squad's performance throughout the contest.
"Obviously new stadium, everything we're doing here, the students buying in is going to be a big part of our success going forward," said Brus.
"Seeing the turnout they had today, the juice they brought, the energy, the excitement, the noise, I think it definitely played a big role in our success.
Getting to go over there and celebrating with them, it's the students that make Northwestern."
