Champaign must be a happening place on a Friday night. At least a quick look at the Illinois student section just a few minutes before the Illini opened B1G play against Penn State would suggest it.

About 20 minutes prior to kickoff between Illinois and Penn State, Audrey Snyder of The Athletic captured an image of the Illini’s student section. The crowd was pretty sparse.

Like, really sparse.

https://twitter.com/audsnyder4/status/1043300427897303040

That’s not exactly the best home field advantage.

Illinois has struggled over the last few years, which has caused attendance to dip. And with Penn State coming to town as a four-touchdown favorite, students probably decided to carry on with their regularly scheduled plans.

While head coach Lovie Smith has said he likes the exposure of Friday night games, it doesn’t appear the Illini faithful prefer it.

Friday night’s matchup serves as the B1G opener for both Penn State and Illinois.