A Saturday night title game on a published clock
The 2026 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game kicks off at 8:00 PM on Saturday, December 5, 2026 at Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis. The Big Ten Football season culminates there. The No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the conference meet, and the victor earns the Big Ten Championship and a chance to play in one of the six bowls that comprise the College Football Playoff. Four published times shape a corporate group day.
The South Parking Lot opens for ADA parking at 8:00 AM. The ticket office opens at 4:00 PM. Gates open at 6:00 PM. Kick-off lands at 8:00 PM.
The gate time is the one that matters
Gates open two hours before kick-off, and all individuals entering the facility must have a ticket regardless of age. A group that wants its people seated together and settled before the 8:00 PM start works back from 6:00 PM.
Every bag gets measured
Lucas Oil Stadium applies the NFL clear bag policy at this event. A patron may carry one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag that does not exceed 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. A small clutch bag or purse approximately the size of a hand may come in alongside it. Fanny packs are not allowed in the building.
Fans without a bag or purse can use the security lines marked EXPRESS LANES.
Diapers, medical items and the clear bag rule
Diaper bags must meet the clear bag policy, and diapers can travel in a clear bag. Each member of a family, including children, may carry one approved clear bag. Bags holding medical devices and related supplies, including breast pumps, sit outside the clear bag policy and still pass through security screening, including a search, at the gate. Breast milk and required medications come in inside clear bags or clear containers.
IU Health provides First Aid at all public events at the stadium. The main First Aid office sits in the northwest corner of Street Level, adjacent from section 145 at the bottom of the pedestrian ramp, and four satellite stations serve the rest of the building. Guest Assist takes text reports on 317.644.4357.
What stays on the bus
The stadium's not-permitted list covers weapons or fireworks, missile-like objects, poles of any kind, large purses, bags and backpacks, liquor containers, bottles, cans, liquid containers and coolers, food not dispensed by stadium concessionaires, video cameras at the promoter's discretion, and blankets and seat cushions. Coolers and food qualify for an exception on special medical or dietary grounds. A bag that fails the check is turned away at the gate.
Cash and the concession count
Lucas Oil Stadium is cashless across retail outlets, concession stands, bars and the Colts Pro Shop. Two cash-to-card kiosks sit in Sections 105 and 129 and convert cash into a pre-paid debit card with no transaction fee. The stadium takes Apple Pay and Google Pay. More than 160 permanent and portable concession stands serve the building.
Drop-off, parking and the one-hour clamp
Two drop-off points serve the stadium. A vehicle travelling northbound on Missouri Street drops at the southwest corner. A vehicle travelling southbound on Capitol Avenue drops at the northeast corner near the Colts Pro Shop. Pedestrian traffic may restrict both points within approximately one hour before and after the event. A group that arrives by coach fixes its drop window with the driver in advance.
Denison Parking owns and operates nearly 2,000 spaces in the lots around the stadium, on 317.916.1760, with online reservation through ParkWhiz.com. Bus, camper and RV parking runs through the same number. Accessible parking may be available in the stadium South Lot with access off northbound Missouri Street for some events, on a first-come, first-served basis, and a valid placard or licence plate is required. Indianapolis offers more than 70,000 parking spots downtown.
Four main entrances take the crowd. The Lucas Oil Gate sits on the north side, the Huntington Bank Gate on the west, the Caesars Gate on the south, and the Verizon Gate on the east.
A room block that fits the clock
A group stays to the final whistle, so it needs beds within reach of downtown. bookMyTeam lists 273 Indianapolis properties. Most hotels quote group rates from 10 rooms per night, and some discount from as few as five depending on season and availability. bookMyTeam publishes a 15-40% saving below rack rates on competitive requests, with 50+ hotels bidding per request and responses inside 24 to 72 hours. Submitting a request is free and the group pays the hotel directly.
