By IlliniGuys Staff

December 31, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Don't think for a moment that bowl games no longer matter.

Josh McCray rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns as 20th ranked Illinois capped off a special 2024 season with a 21-17 upset victory over #15 South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.

Illinois (10-3) reaches double-digit wins for just the fifth time in program history and it's the first time since their last Big Ten championship season of 2001.

Orlando has been good to the Illini football team. It's the second time Illinois has won its 10th game in a bowl; both occasions were at the Citrus Bowl.

Illinois had a 7-3 halftime lead on a Luke Altmyer to Zakhari Franklin 15-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first quarter as the Illini defense repeatedly turned away the Gamecocks. Ryan Meed knocked away a would-be touchdown pass on a trick 4th down play by South Carolina (9-4), which saw a field goal attempt on the final play of the half go awry as the kick bounced off a goal post.

Then the fireworks began as one of only two non-playoff games pitting top 20 teams against each other lived up to the hype. The Gamecocks finally found the end zone on an Oscar Adaway III 36-yard scamper on 4th down to give the SEC representative a 10-7 lead.

Then, after the teams exchanged turnovers, Illinois regained the lead on a McCray 3-yard touchdown run and a 14-10 lead with 2:23 to go in the third quarter.

That's when sparks flew.  Both benches clearing at the 1:37 mark in the third quarter as the coaching staffs exchanged words. Moments later, South Carolina star freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers hit Joshua Simons on a six-yard score as the Gamecocks retook the lead 17-14.

But Illinois then engineered one of its best drives of the season, going 75 yards on 12 plays - but more importantly taking nearly seven and a half minutes off the clock, capped off by McCray's nine-yard touchdown run.

The Illinois defense then turned away South Carolina and Sellers on a pass attempt on a 4th down play from the Illini 7-yard line to seal the win.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for complete postgame coverage.