The Northwestern Wildcats are scheduled to begin play at the new Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill. on Oct. 2 against Matt Campbell's Penn State Nittany Lions giving David Braun's team a chance to spring what would be a major upset.

The Wildcats' offense is has gotten most of the preseason hype at Big Ten Media Days this week but the defense has its fair share of playmakers including defensive back Robert Fitzgerald, one of seven All-Big Ten selections on last year's team.

Fitzgerald, who is not related to former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, nevertheless reminds many Wildcats fans of the former coach and All-American because of his name and hard-nosed play on the field. 

The Wildcats defensive back shared his thoughts on what the team's new stadium brings to the table in comments shared by the team's official X account. 

Robert Fitzgerald spoke through the Big Ten Network at Media Days in Chicago during which he heaped praise on the new stadium, capacity 35,000. 

The new Ryan Field seeks to emulate a European soccer style feel, placing fans on top of the action and providing amenities like field level bars and raucous student sections to enhance the experience. 

"It's gonna be amazing," he said.

"The stadium is breathtaking, it's unreal, you know there's really not a bad seat in the house.

"So thank you to the Ryan family for their extreme generosity and support that they've showed to the Northwestern football program, and I hope we catch a lot of wins in that stadium this year." 

Over 1,000 workers are still busy putting the finishing touches on the Wildcats' new stadium according to a report from Evanston Now.

The stadium is nevertheless game ready according to Ryan Sports CEO Pat Ryan.

"We could play a game here today," he said while giving a tour on Friday morning. 

The price tag for the new Wildcats' new digs has risen from $850 million to $875 million as the prepping continues. 

Crews broke ground on the stadium behind schedule due to 50 days of inclement weather, Ryan said. 

Several hundred more workers were brought on board to ensure the project was finished with the standards set by Ryan and his team.

"You know, everybody would like it to just be done," Ryan said.

The stadium is expected to change the culture of Northwestern football and the surrounding area for the better, which can only be good for the Wildcats' Big Ten championship hopes.

"We added some things...That I think will add to the quality of life," Ryan said. 

"I think people will appreciate it."