Fighting Illini Are Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Champions

By UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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

For the first 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 Camping World Stadium on Tuesday evening.

With the win, the Orange and Blue picked up their 10th triumph of the 2024 campaign, equaling the program single-season record and securing 10 victories for the first time since 2001.

Mounting their FBS-leading fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the year, the Illini took the lead with 7:29 remaining, forced a turnover on downs with just over three minutes to go, and then ran out the clock on their ensuing possession.

Named the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP, Josh McCray recorded his third multi-touchdown game of the season, finishing with two rushing scores while posting 13 carries for 114 yards. His two touchdowns marked his ninth and 10th such scores during the 2024 campaign, which rank eighth-most in a single season in program history.

Hank Beatty hauled in four catches for 90 yards, both of which were career-best marks. His 59-yard reception in the first quarter was the longest play of his collegiate career.

Luke Altmyer went 13-for-22 for 174 yards and one touchdown, with the lone passing score going to Zakhari Franklin in the first quarter. Franklin finished with four catches for 39 yards.

The Illini defense made one takeaway – a fumble recovery in the third quarter – and forced two turnovers on downs, while Matthew Bailey made a team-most 13 tackles in the win.

The Gamecocks opened the scoring with a field goal on their first possession of the afternoon, but the Illini took their first lead of the game on the final play of the first quarter. Getting the ball back on their own 24-yard line with 5:13 remaining, the Orange and Blue moved past midfield on the second play of the drive.

After converting a third down in the red zone, Illinois found the end zone for the first time via a 15-yard completion from Altmyer to Franklin, giving the Illini a 7-3 advantage after one period of play.

South Carolina found its way into the red zone on its ensuing possession, but a pass breakup from Ryan Meed thwarted a Gamecock trick play on fourth-and-7 to force a turnover on downs. 

After Illinois was forced to punt, a missed South Carolina field goal as time expired marked the end of the first half and sent 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 either team through the opening two quarters, while Altmyer completed 75% of his passes for 101 yards in the first half.

The Gamecocks went back in front just over four minutes into the third quarter. After the Illini offense turned the ball over on their next possession, the Orange and Blue defense answered by registering their first takeaway of the contest. Ezekiel Holmes punched the ball loose, the first forced fumble of his career, before Jaheim Clarke got the recovery to set up Illinois' offense near midfield.

The Illini offense capitalized, driving 63 yards on nine plays to retake the lead. A 27-yard completion to Collin Dixon moved the Orange and Blue inside the red zone, and Illinois scored on the next play on a 3-yard touchdown run from McCray, his ninth rushing score of the season, to give the Illini a 14-10 lead with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter.

South Carolina jumped back ahead on the first play of the final frame, but yet again, the Illinois offense found an answer. Converting on two third downs, the Illini faced a third-and-3 at the Gamecock 9-yard line. McCray found the end zone for the second time, though, giving the Orange and Blue a 21-17 advantage halfway through the fourth quarter.

The Gamecocks moved into the red zone on their next offensive possession, but with a fourth-and-4 at the Illini 7-yard line, the Illinois defense forced an incompletion to thwart the drive and bring the Orange and Blue offense back onto the field with just over three minutes left.

Looking to seal the game on their ensuing drive, the Illini had a third-and-2 at their own 15-yard line. McCray picked up the first down on a 60-yard gain on the next play from scrimmage to essentially clinch the victory.

The 2024 Illinois squad finish with a 10-3 record and are now the fifth team in program history to earn 10 wins in a season, joining the 1902, 1983, 1989, 2001 teams. The Orange and Blue posted their first-ever victory over an SEC opponent en route to their fourth ranked triumph of the year, tying the record for the most in a single campaign in program history.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL RESULTS

Monday, Dec. 30

Music City Bowl

No. 19 Missouri 27, Iowa 24

Nissan Stadium

Nashville, Tennessee

Tuesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl

Michigan 19, No. 11 Alabama 11

Raymond James Stadium

Tampa, Florida

Sun Bowl

Louisville 35, Washington 34

El Paso, Texas

Citrus Bowl

No. 20 Illinois 21, No. 15 South Carolina 17 

Camping World Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Texas Bowl

LSU 44, Baylor 31

NRG Stadium

Houston, Texas

Tuesday, Dec. 31

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Game (Fiesta Bowl)

No. 4 Penn State 31, No. 9 Boise State 14

State Farm Stadium

Glendale, Arizona

Wednesday, Jan. 1

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Game (Peach Bowl)

No. 3 Texas 39, No. 12 Arizona State 31 (2OT)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, Georgia

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Game (Rose Bowl)

No. 6 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Game (Rose Bowl)

No. 6 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21

Rose Bowl

Pasadena, California