No. 20 Illinois (10-3) competed in its final game of 2024 under the beaming sun in Orlando, Florida, for a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl title. Fans waved their rally towels and shouted chants for their teams as Illinois won its first bowl game since 2011, 21-17.
Disastrous Illini start
South Carolina’s (9-4) defensive line came out ferocious and attacked Illinois’ offensive line, which couldn’t handle the pressure. Illinois began with a three-and-out possession after junior quarterback Luke Altmyer got sacked deep in his own territory. Once the Gamecocks got the ball in their possession, they made it into the red zone. The drive stalled from there, as they had to resort to a field goal with good tackling from senior linebacker Ryan Meed.
After a pass interference call and a 59-yard completion to junior wide receiver Hank Beatty, things appeared optimistic for the Illini. But, at the one-yard line, junior running back Josh McCray fumbled the ball, and the Gamecocks recovered it in the end zone.
Making things happen on offense
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Two bleak offensive possessions made Illinois fans quiet at Camping World Stadium. However, in the final minutes of the first quarter, Illinois got the chains moving downfield, alternating between quick rushes and passes.
In the final seconds of the quarter, Altmyer found senior wide receiver Zakhari Franklin on the right side, who got his toes in and reached his arms out to secure a touchdown for the Illini. After the first quarter, they led 7-3 over the Gamecocks.
Better to bend than break
South Carolina had possession of the ball for nearly 12 minutes in the second quarter. In these 12 minutes, Illinois’ defense held them to zero points despite South Carolina’s continuous advancements into Illinois territory.
With as quick-footed as South Carolina redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers is, the Illini didn’t pass rush much. They weren’t perfect, but the physicality was present, with guys making hard tackles to prevent first-down conversions.
In the same quarter, the Illini amped up their man-to-man coverage and made vital stops to hold the Gamecocks from scoring. South Carolina had a fourth-and-seven attempt and lined up to kick a field goal but flipped the switch and attempted a trick pass into the end zone. Meed was again there to break up the pass and put the game back in Illinois’ control. Later, on the Gamecocks’ next field goal attempt, the ball hit the right upright, and the score remained 7-3 at the half.
Hectic 3rd quarter
About four minutes into the second half, South Carolina scored its first touchdown to retake the lead, 10-7. It came on a fourth down conversion, and the Gamecocks busted a run outside for the score.
“Obviously, we could’ve done things better on defense,” said sophomore defensive back Matthew Bailey. “Just playing situational football and the offense having our back and us having the offense’s back — it just allows us all to play more free. I think that’s what helped us win today.”
Altmyer got his squad back on offense and threw a pass deep up the middle, but South Carolina sophomore defensive back Jalon Kilgore intercepted it. Franklin was the target, but the senior receiver was knocked off his route by a physical play from the South Carolina secondary.
From there, the antics continued. Senior defensive lineman Ezekiel Holmes forced a South Carolina fumble at a pivotal moment, and sophomore defensive back Jaheim Clarke recovered it. Starting from Illinois’ 37-yard line, McCray and sophomore running back Aidan Laughery took turns rushing up the middle and on the edges to get into South Carolina territory. McCray finally ended the drive with a rush up the middle for a touchdown, and the game was back in Illinois’ hands, but not for long.
Controversial catalyst
If there was one thing that got Illinois fired up the most, it was the third-quarter scuffle sparked by the head coaches. After an Illinois kickoff to South Carolina, head coach Bret Bielema became unhappy with South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. In this play call, Beamer had his returner signal a T-bar motion, implying a fair catch. However, that player threw the ball in the end zone to his teammate, who then returned it down the field.
“Kickoff return is the highest percentage of injury in the sport,” Bielema said after the game.
After that, Bielema stormed onto the field and gestured to South Carolina’s sideline that its decision was unethical. Beamer became enraged with Bielema’s approach to the Gamecocks’ sideline and was held back by his staff. This caused both the Illini and Gamecocks’ sidelines to get onto the field in support of their coaches, and the players and fans went crazy. It fueled the fire for both teams, especially Illinois.
“I think it started with the big ol’ event,” Bailey said when asked what gave the Illini an extra edge in the second half. “It got everyone juiced up on our sideline for sure.”
Closing the door
Right out of the gate, the Gamecocks scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter after a 60-yard completion and some additional rushes at the end of the third quarter. Early on, the Gamecocks had control, 17-14. But, as the Illini had done all season, they showed resilience in their efforts.
In a drive that took over seven minutes, the Illini marched their way to the red zone. Altmyer utilized all his weapons in this drive, throwing to Beatty and Franklin and handing off to McCray and Laughery. McCray picked up another rushing touchdown on a cutback to put the score at 21-17. With over seven minutes left, it was still anybody’s game.
South Carolina’s offense came back on the field, but Illinois’ defense was stronger and wanted the win more. The Gamecocks couldn’t finish the job and failed to convert on fourth down. McCray ended all hopes for the Gamecocks with a 60-yard rush, and the Illini were able to kneel out the clock, securing one of the biggest wins of the century for the program.
“We have a chance to do something very special in the future,” Bielema said. “This was a culmination of 2024, but it was really the start of 2025.”
@tess_eken
