Illinois is no stranger to late heroics. The Illini entered Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl leading the nation with four fourth-quarter comebacks. Once again, things would come down to the final 15 minutes as running back Josh McCray had two touchdowns,

Josh McCray scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to give No. 21 Illinois the lead, and the Illini held on to beat No. 14 South Carolina 21-17 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

It will be easy to forget the final score of Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl — 21-17 Illinois over South Carolina. Yes, Illinois (10-3) beat USC (9-4), keeping the Gamecocks from winning 10 games for only the fifth time in school history.

No. 15 South Carolina faces No. 20 Illinois in the Citrus Bowl in the first all-time meeting between the programs. Illinois is looking for its first bowl win since the 2011 season, while South Carolina seeks its second bowl game win in four seasons under coach Shane Beamer.

The Gamecocks lost a tough battle, falling 21-17 to Illinois in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. South Carolina finishes the season with a 9-4 record, leaving ple

Illinois' defense helped seal the win by stopping South Carolina with a little more than three minutes remaining.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are headed to Orlando, Florida to take on Illinois in the Citrus Bowl. Here are the latest betting lines and score predictions for the matchup.

A few days out from the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Illinois has made the trip to Orlando. In the new-age of star players opting-out of bowl games, the Illini escape relatively unscathed. The only opt-out for the Orange and Blue is receiver Pat Bryant,