TAMPA, Fla. -- Illinois fell just short in its first bowl game since 2019, dropping the ReliaQuest Bowl to No. 22 Mississippi State, 19-10, in Tampa on Monday afternoon.
The Bulldogs kicked the game-winning field goal with four seconds remaining to take the last-minute bowl victory.
The Illini defense had two interceptions in the defeat, with Matthew Bailey making his third interception of the season and Kendall Smith tallying his fifth pick. The takeaways came on consecutive drives and ultimately led to an Illinois touchdown, and the interceptions pushed the team's season total to a program-record 24.
Isaiah Williams had career highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (120), while Casey Washington put together a career-best performance with eight catches for 74 yards.
Tommy DeVito went 23-of-34 passing for 253 yards and a rushing touchdown. Caleb Griffin's 52-yard field goal in the third quarter was the longest kick of his career.
The ReliaQuest Bowl was the ninth January bowl game in program history and the first since the 2008 Rose Bowl Game. Illinois had its first 8-win season since the Rose Bowl team in 2007 went 9-4.
Highlights
Press Conference
Quotes
Bret Bielema
Opening statement:
"Give a lot of credit to Mississippi State. They came in and battled it out for four quarters, winning it at the end. I thought it would be a gritty game. Really kind of played to script how I thought, we thought it would play out. I thought our defense would play well.
"I couldn't give enough credit to our younger players, especially in the secondary. When you have really your best corner, the next best corner is out with injury, one of our better safeties was out, I thought those guys really stepped up not only today, but really all the preparation back in Champaign and the practices down here. Really was excited about those guys defensively.
"Offensively, just kind of one of those days where we were just a little bit off. From our last corner route to Isaiah opening on a third-and-9 that just bounces off his fingertips, that kind of is the epitome of the whole day offensively. A lot of good things, some positive things, just not enough to get over the end.
"Told our guys at halftime we had a legal procedure penalty that took seven off the board, and obviously we got sacked and took us out of field-goal range. Defensively we had a mental error that really gave them the best yardage of the day that allowed that first field goal to happen. So some self-inflicted things. Not taking anything at all away from Mississippi State. They played a great game and played to their strengths and came through in the end.
"What this does is obviously closes the season. A lot of positive things for our program, offense, defense, special teams. Today, personnel-wise, when we have guys that miss, Brian Hightower pulled his hammy a little bit back in Champaign. Thought we might get him back this week, but he didn't get through. We were kind of short at the wide receiver position. Obviously left with the portal. Tight end position was cut down a little bit. Offensively, we were a little bit banged up. Then obviously at running back, I thought Reggie and Josh did a really nice job of preparation, but it was really their first game as a tandem in there together.
"So some things that will get us excited about the future. Had a lot of really good young players that played well today and will continue to play better as the season goes along. Right now we'll get back to Champaign, some guys have some decisions to make, and we'll have a long conversation then. January 4-8, we can have some portal guys come in for visits. We'll take two or three weeks of live recruiting here to continue to build our roster.
"One thing I can promise you is we've really built this roster, I think, into a roster that it's really hard to try to find a guy that doesn't belong here. We've got guys that believe in what we are, what we do, how we work, and I think we've just got to continue to stay on that path."
On the close losses this season:
"We had a lot of close losses. We lost five games by one score. That falls directly to me as head coach. We've got to find the answers to come through. Some of it has been offensively, defensively, special teams definitely had a factor in some of these. It's kind of a mixed bag. I know that during bye week two, we still were on a pretty good streak, so it wasn't as big. We really looked at that Indiana game after it happened, corrected, modified some things.
"Michigan State, Purdue, and of course Michigan, those were all three very tough games, all kind of played out a little bit different in the end. Michigan, there was a big fourth-down call. The Purdue game, there was a play right before the half that kind of flipped the script, and then we -- in the Michigan State game, there was just some -- I thought that was probably more at the end we just didn't play well. We have to close well. We're a good football team that didn't play very well that day.
"Obviously, this was a tough one today. This was a defensive battle that probably came down to who had the ball last, who was able to execute. Unfortunately, we came up short."
On using the transfer portal to rebuild:
"The transfer portal, to me, is a lot of things. With Spoon, before the year started, I thought if he played well, there's a chance we might lose him, but he played himself into possibly being the first corner taken in the NFL Draft. I really didn't foresee that at that level, but I think it makes sense to grab a corner for a corner in that scenario.
"Obviously, Chase Brown jumped out. He had a year left of eligibility. Depending on what we feel at the running back position, there's some easy ones there to go one-for-one. I don't want to make a huge living in the portal, but I do think it gives us a chance to replace old players that aren't here anymore.
"I think we're always going to be a developmental high-school type program, but we definitely want to supplement with players that we need."
On his confidence in the running back room leading up to the game:
"I thought we had a good game plan. Obviously, there were times today where I didn't think our inside zones went well, but in the second half, we talked about a little more gap schemes, and they kind of hit us on that drive where we went right down the field and did some nice play-action pass off those looks as well.
"I think, overall, we didn't run the ball effectively well. I can't say right now if it was any one specific thing, but I'll give Mississippi State credit for being able to take away what we were hopefully trying to get done."
On the state of the program heading into the spring and momentum moving forward:
"Last year, we didn't go anywhere. This year, we're in a January bowl game in Florida playing an SEC opponent. This is not a program that will settle. This is kind of hopefully a springboard into bigger and better things.
"Very excited to get here to the ReliaQuest Bowl and have this opportunity in this moment. We're trying to get to a nine-win season and obviously fell short, but this is a season that we did a lot of really good things. I think it's good to be disappointed in the end to know how close we were to doing some even bigger things.
"You usually get what you're prepared for, what you execute to. Bottom line, we played some really good football this year, and we played some games that weren't that good. Those are the games that ended up getting us in the end.
"Today, again, did some good things against a good football team that won eight games in the SEC, and we didn't do enough good things to make us win today. That unfortunately hurts, but it's part of the process."
On the program's progress in his second year:
"Illinois is in a better position now than they were when we got here, there's no question about that. For us to get to where we want to be, we need to continue to strive forward with our coaching, Xs and Os, offense, defense, and special teams, and we've got to continue to build and develop our roster.
"As we mentioned earlier, we lost five games by one score, games that a couple of them really came down to the final drive, final possession of the game.
"I know what the off-season will be for me as a head coach. I know what I'll concentrate on. I kind of got into it in December a little bit with our guys. The knowledge and experience we've gained in these moments of adversity have really got to help us in the moments going forward.
"I did say to the guys, last thing leaving the locker room, 'When you're home, for the guys returning in the middle of January, think about where you truly want to be. Do you want to just be a good football team and talk about winning games, or do you want to sacrifice and get to a level of championship expectations on a yearly basis? I think that's where Josh, myself, and everybody wants us to go and sustain success.
"I think, if we're disappointed in an eight-win season, we've made a step in the right direction. By no means am I going to be settling for an eight-win season."
On Aaron Henry's first game as defensive coordinator:
"Aaron just continues to be who I think he is, from the time that I knew this was the direction I was going to go.
"I would say after last year's season, I didn't know quite which direction I was going to go, but as I saw Aaron unfold this fall, I saw really again kind of the same thing I just mentioned with (Mississippi State head coach) Zach Arnett. When you see coaches' players play, when you see the growth that Devon Witherspoon is having, you see the things that are happening, physicality, maturity. There's talent development with Tank, but he learned to play the game at a different level. I know that was what was bred into him in Aaron's coaching.
"The way the players reacted when I made the announcements, the way they handled practice, they literally didn't miss a beat. Today, just the way the game unfolded, he made some adjustments at halftime, played some things within the game. The extreme limitations we had today personnel-wise, I think we made the right choice, and hopefully it's just going to become even better from here.
"I think there's some really good intricacies of him and Andy and Jamo working together. Antonio joined us two days ago, so Antonio will help him on the back end, and those two's prior relationship will be really key in that room. They come from the same cloth.
"I'll bring in an outside linebacker coach that's going to really bring some huge value for us in the pass rush game and some different things really to build on some of the things we have to from the past."
On the offense and areas of improvement:
"Probably consistency. Consistency, and I think we have to have an identity. I think it's easy to say, 'OK, we're an up-tempo offense. We've got the tempo thing, but what are we?' When we get in the swing of things, things are pretty hard to defend. But then other times, when we get hit in the head, it doesn't seem to go anywhere in a hurry.
"I'm excited for Barry. I think he knows. Obviously, we'll have some transition in the running back room, which I think will be very exciting. I think we can bring in some people there that have some thoughts and ideas, and hope to have Ben back with us full-time in the spring.
"There's some exciting things for us offensively. We'll have some new personnel with us in January that give some different strengths in literally every position group. Barry's a very smart football coach, and I think he'll continue to move this thing forward."
Alex Palczewski
On what he will remember about this season:
"You know I'm just proud of how these guys fought. Throughout six years, there's always a point of the season where something happens. In seasons past, we've kind of reacted differently, but the way that this team has responded, it's truly been something special. Just the brotherhood of guys just not settling for average, and always pushing each other is probably the biggest thing, and just the friendships and the people and the bonds that we have it's truly something special."
On what the program can learn from its close losses this season:
"It's tough, five losses all by one score. We have to learn how to finish, learn how to fight through adversity, and executing what we are capable of. That's the frustrating thing but something that they are going to learn how to do."
On the offense's future potential:
"It's truly going to be something special. We have the right coaches in there – obviously, some of them have left – but Coach B is really a magician and just a great head coach. I trust him with my life and to make sure that this program is in good hands, and I'm extremely excited to see what this program will do next year."
Isaiah Williams
On the season overall:
"I feel like of course it would've been great to win. You wanna win every game. It would've been great to end the season on a win, but I feel like everything in the locker room going the right way and I feel like that's huge. Guys that's coming back, we lost five games, and that in the offseason is something that's just going to be huge. Win them games, that's our biggest thing to commit for next season. Just for me, personally, it was just a great opportunity to get some deep shots, kind of just show what I can do, more than just catch."
On his performance:
"I feel like it was great. Just to do it against an SEC opponent, they got one of the best DBs in the nation, had like six interceptions and three pick-6s. Just to go against them and show what I can do against some of the best in the nation, I feel like it was huge for me."
On the wide receiver group and preparing for next season:
"I feel like next year, we gotta be even better. There's gonna be a lot of competition, and I'm gonna make sure the guys know that we gotta compete every single day, gotta make each other better because next year we gonna have to come up huge when our name is called."
Matthew Bailey
On his interception:
"I was just breaking on the hitch man up. I was man-to-man on the slot. I was breaking on the hitch, and then I just saw the ball. Catch the ones they throw you, that's what Coach B says a lot."
On areas to improve in the offseason:
"Everyone wants to get faster, stronger, but for me, I think I can get a little bit faster. Obviously being a freshman coming in, just knowing more, being more intelligent, learning the game of football a little bit more: I think all of those things will help my game."
Kenenna Odeluga
On the importance of a January bowl game for the program moving forward:
"The things that we have done is try to be consistent and be accountable to everyone:Â the players, the coaches, everyone. It starts with the culture, and we have built a culture that prides itself in everyone putting their best foot forward and giving it all they've got. If you don't give it all that you've got, you probably won't be here. They don't like guys like that. The next step is just trying to be more consistent: more consistent with ourselves and more consistent with how we finish games. Our coach told us that all of the games we've lost have been one-score games, and that shows us the progress we have made and how impactful we can be."
On new defensive coordinator Aaron Henry:
"Coach Henry is always going to be Coach Henry. He's still the same personality and still the same guy. He has the respect of the players, so whatever he's doing and he's been doing, there's nothing that he has to change."
Jartavius Martin
On building upon the successes of the last two season:
"When I first stepped on campus, seeing the growth up until now, we are a completely different team. The only way to go is up."
On Aaron Henry's game plan:
"He came out and executed extremely well and put us in a great position. He's a great coach, and his future is bright."
Team Notes
- The Illini recorded an interception in 12 of 13 games this season.
- Illinois set a program record with 24 interceptions this season.
- It is the seventh time this season the Illini have intercepted at least two passes in a game.
- This was the ninth January bowl game in program history and the first since the 2008 Rose Bowl Game.
- This was the first bowl game in the state of Florida since the 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl.
- Today's attendance was 35,797.
Illinois Notes
- Today's captains: WR Isaiah Williams, LB Tarique Barnes, DB Jartavius Martin, OL Alex Palczewski.
- OL Alex Palczewski started for the 65th time in his career, extending his Illinois and Big Ten record for career starts. Palczewski matches Appalachian State's Thomas Hennigan (2017-21) for the most starts in FBS history.
- QB Tommy DeVito completed 23Â of his 34Â passes for 253 yards.
- DeVito rushed for his sixth touchdown of the season in the second quarter.
- WR Isaiah Williamshad career highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (120).
- It was his third 100-yard game of the season.
- WR Casey Washington set career-high marks in receptions (8) and yards (74).
- DL Jer'Zhan Newton broke up two passes, setting a career high.
- DL Keith Randolph Jr. broke up one pass.
- DB Matthew Bailey recorded his third interception of the season in the second quarter.
- Bailey's interception was the first red zone interception thrown by Mississippi State QB Will Rogers this season.
- DB Kendall Smith recorded his fifth interception of the season in the second quarter.
- K Caleb Griffin kicked a career-long 52-yard field goal in the third quarter.
- It's the longest Illini bowl game field goal.
- It is the second-longest field goal in ReliaQuest Bowl history.
