Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Champions: #20 Illinois Defeats #15 South Carolina

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Combating Illini are Cheez-It Citrus Bowl champions.

For the primary time since 2011, the Orange and Blue have secured a bowl victory, with No. 20 Illinois taking down No. 15 South Carolina, 21-17, at Tenting World Stadium on Tuesday night.

With the win, the Orange and Blue picked up their tenth triumph of the 2024 marketing campaign, equaling this system single-season document and securing 10 victories for the primary time since 2001.

Mounting their FBS-leading fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the 12 months, the Illini took the lead with 7:29 remaining, pressured a turnover on downs with simply over three minutes to go, after which ran out the clock on their ensuing possession.

Named the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP, Josh McCray recorded his third multi-touchdown sport of the season, ending with two dashing scores whereas posting 13 carries for 114 yards. His two touchdowns marked his ninth and tenth such scores through the 2024 marketing campaign, which rank eighth-most in a single season in program historical past.

Hank Beatty hauled in 4 catches for 90 yards, each of which have been career-best marks. His 59-yard reception within the first quarter was the longest play of his collegiate profession.

Luke Altmyer went 13-for-22 for 174 yards and one landing, with the lone passing rating going to Zakhari Franklin within the first quarter. Franklin completed with 4 catches for 39 yards.

The Illini protection made one takeaway – a fumble restoration within the third quarter – and compelled two turnovers on downs, whereas Matthew Bailey made a team-most 13 tackles within the win.

The Gamecocks opened the scoring with a area purpose on their first possession of the afternoon, however the Illini took their first lead of the sport on the ultimate play of the primary quarter. Getting the ball again on their very own 24-yard line with 5:13 remaining, the Orange and Blue moved previous midfield on the second play of the drive.

After changing a 3rd down within the purple zone, Illinois discovered the tip zone for the primary time by way of a 15-yard completion from Altmyer to Franklin, giving the Illini a 7-3 benefit after one interval of play.

South Carolina discovered its method into the purple zone on its ensuing possession, however a cross breakup from Ryan Meed thwarted a Gamecock trick play on fourth-and-7 to power a turnover on downs. 

After Illinois was pressured to punt, a missed South Carolina area purpose as time expired marked the tip of the primary half and despatched the Orange and Blue into the break with a 7-3 edge. Hank Beatty’s 59-yard catch-and-run was the longest play for both crew by way of the opening two quarters, whereas Altmyer accomplished 75% of his passes for 101 yards within the first half.

The Gamecocks went again in entrance simply over 4 minutes into the third quarter. After the Illini offense turned the ball over on their subsequent possession, the Orange and Blue protection answered by registering their first takeaway of the competition. Ezekiel Holmes punched the ball free, the primary pressured fumble of his profession, earlier than Jaheim Clarke acquired the restoration to arrange Illinois’ offense close to midfield.

The Illini offense capitalized, driving 63 yards on 9 performs to retake the lead. A 27-yard completion to Collin Dixon moved the Orange and Blue contained in the purple zone, and Illinois scored on the following play on a 3-yard landing run from McCray, his ninth dashing rating of the season, to present the Illini a 14-10 lead with 2:23 remaining within the third quarter.

South Carolina jumped again forward on the primary play of the ultimate body, however but once more, the Illinois offense discovered a solution. Changing on two third downs, the Illini confronted a third-and-3 on the Gamecock 9-yard line. McCray discovered the tip zone for the second time, although, giving the Orange and Blue a 21-17 benefit midway by way of the fourth quarter.

The Gamecocks moved into the purple zone on their subsequent offensive possession, however with a fourth-and-4 on the Illini 7-yard line, the Illinois protection pressured an incompletion to thwart the drive and convey the Orange and Blue offense again onto the sphere with simply over three minutes left.

Trying to seal the sport on their ensuing drive, the Illini had a third-and-2 at their very own 15-yard line. McCray picked up the primary down on a 60-yard achieve on the following play from scrimmage to primarily clinch the victory.

The 2024 Illinois squad end with a 10-3 document and are actually the fifth crew in program historical past to earn 10 wins in a season, becoming a member of the 1902, 1983, 1989, 2001 groups. The Orange and Blue posted their first-ever victory over an SEC opponent en path to their fourth ranked triumph of the 12 months, tying the document for essentially the most in a single marketing campaign in program historical past.

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

POSTGAME NOTES

Workforce Notes

• Bielema has received 10 video games for the primary time in his Illinois profession and has led the Illini to their first 10-win season since 2001.
  • It’s the fifth 10-win season in program historical past.
    • 1902, 1983, 1989, 2001, 2024
• Illinois has 23 wins during the last three seasons, tying this system’s most in a three-year span since 1999-01.
• Illinois has six wins when ranked this season, essentially the most since eight such wins through the 1990 season.
• Illinois improved to 14-5 in video games with greater than six days relaxation since Bielema’s arrival in 2021, together with 12-3 during the last three seasons and a 4-1 document this season.
• The Illini have received the first-ever assembly towards South Carolina.
• Illinois improves to 9-12 in bowl video games, profitable its first bowl sport since 2011.
  • The Illini are actually 2-0 on the Citrus Bowl.
• The Illini have received 4 video games towards ranked opposition in a single season for the third time in program historical past.
• Bret Bielema improved to 28-22 throughout his Illinois profession. Since Robert Zuppke went undefeated in two of his first three seasons at Illinois from 1913-15, Bielema’s 28-22 begin is the second-best by way of 49 video games by an Illini head coach, behind solely Mike White (29-19-1, 1980-83).

Participant Notes

• Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP Josh McCray rushed 13 occasions for 114 yards and two touchdowns.
  • First 100-yard sport of the season and his first such sport since dashing for 142 yards on Oct. 23, 2021, at Penn State.
  • His 60-yard rush within the fourth quarter was a profession lengthy.
  • Third sport this season with a number of dashing touchdowns.
    • His 10 dashing touchdowns are tied for eighth most in a single season in program historical past.
    • First Illinois working again with 10 dashing touchdowns in a single season since Chase Brown in 2022.
• QB Luke Altmyer accomplished 13 of his 22 passes for 174 yards and a landing.
  • Completed 2024 with 22 landing passes, matching Juice Williams (2008) and Jeff George (1989) for third-most in a single season in program historical past.
  • Now has 35 passing touchdowns in his Illini profession, matching Johnny Johnson (1992-95) for ninth.
  • Completed the season with a passing effectivity ranking of 144.04, the second-best mark in a single season in program historical past.
• WR Hank Beatty caught 4 passes for a career-high 90 yards.
  • His 59-yard reception within the first quarter was a profession lengthy.
• WR Zakhari Franklin caught 4 passes for 39 yards and a landing.
  • Together with his first catch of the sport, he surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in his profession, changing into the twenty second participant in FBS historical past to succeed in that mark.
  • Finishes his profession with 321 receptions, eighth-most all-time in FBS historical past.
  • Ends his profession with 42 landing catches, matching Wyoming’s Ryan Yarborough (1990-93) and Oklahoma State’s Rashaun Woods (2000-03) for eighth-most all-time in FBS historical past.
• DB Matthew Bailey recorded a game-high 13 tackles, with 5 solo efforts. 
  • His 13 tackles additionally set a career-high mark and his third double-digit deal with effort of the season. 
• OLB Gabe Jacas posted eight tackles, 4 solo, together with a game-high 3.0 tackles for a loss.
  • Third sport this season with no less than 2.0 TFLs.
• DL Ezekiel Holmes recorded the primary pressured fumble of his profession within the third quarter.
• DB Mac Resetich and DL Dennis Briggs Jr. every recorded 1.0 sacks within the contest.