The Fighting Illini are heading back to Florida.
Earning its 13th guaranteed opportunity of the season, No. 20 Illinois will take on No. 15 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve. The contest marks the team's second bowl appearance under head coach Bret Bielema, while the Orange and Blue aim to leave Camping World Stadium in Orlando with their first postseason victory since 2011.
Arriving in the Sunshine State on Christmas night, the Illini will spend nearly a full week in Orlando ahead of the team's 2 p.m. CT kickoff on Dec. 31. With a Big Ten-most 17 players hailing from Florida, Illinois' bowl appearance serves as a homecoming for several Illini starters and key contributors.
"I think 11 or 12 of those guys are starters, so some of our most prominent players are from Florida," said head coach Bret Bielema. "To be able to go to Orlando and have it be a home game for those guys is a really cool thing as well."
Facing off against one of the hottest teams in the country, the Orange and Blue look to bring the juice against the Gamecocks in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
"I'm super excited for our football team," Bielema said. "As the year has gone on, this team has continued to fight and put their best foot forward. There were times when we were ahead, behind, and everywhere in between, and this is another guaranteed opportunity for us."
Here are a few storylines to follow ahead of Saturday afternoon's top-20 battle between No. 20 Illinois and No. 15 South Carolina.
Illini Look for 10th Win of the Season, First Bowl Victory Since 2011
Entering the game with a 9-3 mark and having already posted three ranked wins this season, the Illini aim to match their program's single-season record and reach 10 victories for the fifth time.
The team's last 10-win campaign came back in 2001, when the Orange and Blue earned a bid to the Sugar Bowl. The only other prior instances occurred in 1902, 1983, and 1989, with the 1983 team playing in the Rose Bowl and the 1989 squad securing a spot in the Citrus Bowl.
That appearance at the 1990 Citrus Bowl, an 31-21 Illinois victory over Virginia, is the team's only other trip to the Orlando-based bowl.
Bielema's first-career bowl appearance as a head coach took place at the 2007 Citrus Bowl, then called the Capital One Bowl, guiding Wisconsin to the postseason and to a 17-14 victory over Arkansas.
In his 16 years as a head coach, Bielema has led 12 of his teams – including this year's Illini squad – to bowl games.
"For me, this is kind of a unique opportunity," Bielema said. "My first-ever bowl game was against the University of Arkansas in this very game. It's a game that we won and gave us 12 wins at Wisconsin when I was there, and it set the program record for wins.Â
"To have the chance to tie that here at Illinois with a 10th win would be absolutely awesome."
Opponent Scout: South Carolina Offense
The Gamecocks arrive in Orlando having won their last six games, with their most recent triumph coming in a 17-14 road victory over ACC champion and College Football Playoff participant Clemson. South Carolina has not lost since Oct. 12, a narrow 27-25 road defeat to Alabama, while the Gamecocks have averaged 35.7 points per game during their lengthy winning streak.
South Carolina's offensive success can be attributed, in large part, to quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who was named SEC Freshman of the Year by the conference's coaches. Playing in 11 games this season, Sellers is averaging 206.7 passing and 59.5 rushing yards per game while completing nearly 65% of his pass attempts. Sellers has totaled multiple scores in each of the last five games, and he has registered 17 passing and seven rushing touchdowns this season compared to only seven interceptions.
The Gamecocks' leading rusher is senior running back Raheim Sanders, who finished the regular season with team-best marks in rushing yards (881, 73.4 yards per game) and rushing touchdowns (11). Sanders was one of seven players in the SEC to post double-digit rushing scores during the 2024 campaign.
Tight end Joshua Simon is the team's top receiver with 450 yards and six touchdowns on 34 catches, all of which are team-leading tallies. Simon has secured a receiving score in four of the last five games after recording only one touchdown through his first six appearances.
Nine different Gamecock pass-catchers have over 100 receiving yards this season, while wide receivers Mazeo Bennett Jr. and Nyck Harbor rank second on the team with three receiving scores apiece.
Opponent Scout: South Carolina Defense
South Carolina EDGE rusher Kyle Kennard was the leader of the Gamecock defense in 2024, which culminated in his recognition as the winners of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and SEC Defensive Player of the Year award. Kennard declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Dec. 13 after amassing 15.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
Defensive back Nick Emmanwori finished the regular season with a team-high 83 tackles, while his four interceptions were tied with DB Jalon Kilgore for the team lead. Three other Gamecock defenders made over 50 tackles: linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. (75), Bam Martin-Scott (65), and Debo Williams (59).
Though Kennard made the most sacks, EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart was not far behind with 6.5 sacks. Defensive tackles Tonka Hemingway and T.J. Sanders totaled four sacks each. DB Judge Collier led the Gamecocks with eight pass breakups. Â
"They have won six straight games against really good opponents. I've been in that league, and I know what it's all about. Congratulations to South Carolina, their fan base, and their players," Bielema said. "Coach Beamer stands for all the right things in college football. I'm super excited about the matchup."
No. 20 Illinois and No. 15 South Carolina will square off on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. CT on ABC.
