What: The Eureka College Red Devils football program, led by first-year head coach DionJordan, will host coach Luke Butts and the Westminster College Blue Jays for the first-ever Berlin Wall Bowl. This unique collegiate rivalry celebrates the historical Cold War connections shared by both institutions, including ties to Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and physical pieces of the Berlin Wall preserved on each campus.
Who: The inaugural game will feature the Eureka College Red Devils facing off against the Westminster College Blue Jays, with the winner claiming possession of the newly created Berlin Wall Bowl trophy. The game will feature a 25th anniversary tribute to 9/11 and a halftime show honoring first responders on First Responders Appreciation Night. All first responders receive free admission at the gate.
When: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 – Kickoff time: 5 p.m. CDT
Where: McKinzie Field on the Eureka College campus
- 700 Reagan Dr, Eureka, Illinois 61530
Activities
- 11 a.m. Tailgate starts – bounce houses, music, food trucks, and other fun
activities, etc. - 4:30 p.m. Pre-game ceremony begins featuring a 25th anniversary tribute to 9/11
- 5 p.m. Kickoff
Visuals
- Unveiling of the custom Berlin Wall Bowl trophyPre-game activities (listed above)
- Pre-game ceremony, including action shots of the Eureka College Red Devils and Westminster College Blue
Jays players - Halftime show honoring first responders during “First Responder Appreciation Night”
- Trophy presentation ceremony on the field
Interviews
- Athletic directors
- Leadership
- Museum curators
- Head football coaches from both Eureka College and Westminster College before and after the game.Post-Game Availability: A formal post-game press conference featuring both coaches for approximately 15 minutes after the game concludes
Media RSVP and Credentials: Media members planning to cover the event are asked to RSVP and request credentials by Friday, September 4, to the Eureka Athletic Communications Department. Contact: awoodside@eureka.edu or Communications@eureka.edu
Media Contacts
Eureka College: Austin Woodside, Director of Sports Information, at 309-467-6377 or awoodside@eureka.edu; or Communications@eureka.edu or 405-888-3683.
Westminster College: Sarah Backer, Director of Media Relations, at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu; or Tyler Oberlag, Sports Information Director, at Tyler.Oberlag@WCMO.edu or 573-220-7588.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
