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Illinois finished the 2024 season in the November games tied for fourth in the 18-team Big Ten Conference in rushing offense and hope what they found translates into the Citrus Bowl.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 30, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

ORLANDO, Fla. — It took multiple months for Illinois to properly showcase the first key to victory in a football game in the mind of its head coach - run the football.

Through the months of September and early October as Illinois continued to build a 6-1 start, Bret Bielema’s offense in 2024 didn’t resemble his teams of the past in terms of being able to physically dominate the line-of-scrimmage and eat game clock with the run concepts that have seen him build consistent winning teams in his previous 15 years as a head coach.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 30, 2024

The Illini ended 2024 with a ‘Bam’, as in Kylan ‘Bam Bam’ Boswell throwing up a triple double as Illinois rolled to a dominant 117-64 win over Chicago State to move to 9-3 before they head into a gauntlet of Big Ten play beginning on Thursday at #9 Oregon.

Here’s a look back and where they stand:

*Illinois’ 117 points were its most since Nov. 25, 2020 (122 vs. North Carolina A&T) and the second-highest point total of the Underwood era. They Scored a season-high 60 points in the first half.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms Coleman, who suffered a severe shoulder injury at the end of the win at Rutgers in November, practiced Saturday but was inactive on Sunday.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 30, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. — The health status of Seth Coleman for this Citrus Bowl matchup remains a bit of a mystery.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Staff Writer December 30, 2024 Illinois' […]

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By IlliniGuys Staff December 29, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

South Carolina confirms another player opt-out and injury concerns leading into Citrus Bowl matchup vs. Illinois.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 29, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. — A day after he signed his third full recruiting class to Illinois, Bret Bielema couldn’t help but mention some programs across the country that paid a lot of money in roster salary but didn’t make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

However, while knowing his Illini program have not put up nearly that kind of financial capital for the upcoming 2025 season, Bielema is putting the internal expectations inside the Smith Family Football Complex at being in a playoff game at this time one year from now.

Brad Sturdy, Illini-Insider & Co-Host of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 29, 2024

The Illini will face their final; critter of the season on Sunday when the Chicago State Cougars come to town for an afternoon tilt. The Cougars come in 0-14, while the Illini sit 8-4 as the ready for a daunting Big Ten schedule. 

Here are the particulars. 

Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry only had one specific word to describe South Carolina quarterback and SEC Freshman of the Year LaNorris Sellers - different.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy ESPN)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Based off what Illinois safety Miles Scott has been watching on preparation film of South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, maybe it’s fitting this Citrus Bowl will be played about 20 miles from Disney World.

When Scott, a team captain and the player who will hear the communication from Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry on Tuesday for the game, decided to watch the most recent offensive play of South Carolina’s season, he had thoughts that it wasn’t real life.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

December 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Crosnier Julien/KMSP)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois men’s basketball program will have a rare opportunity to host a potential recruit during Sunday afternoon’s game.

Illinois will welcome Jonas Boulefaa, a 6-foot-9 power forward who currently plays for Pôle France, as the Illini take on Chicago State at 1:00 p.m. CT at the State Farm Center.

Without the services of All-Big Ten selection Pat Bryant, Illinois wide receivers should expect this Citrus Bowl to serve as a jump-off point for their future development.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 28, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. — Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant is expected to be back with his college teammates for Citrus Bowl practices this weekend…as a spectator.

By IlliniGuys Staff December 28, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Larry Smith - Co-Host & Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - With the first postseason tournament title and thus the first championship banner in program history to be raised to the rafters at State Farm Center, 2024 will go down as the greatest season in Illinois women's basketball history. Here are the top 10 moments in 2024 for head coach Shauna Green and her squad:

Former Alabama head coach Mike Shula will call plays for South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl in his debut as Gamecocks new offensive coordinator hire. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 28, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. — When the NCAA Division I Board of Directors officially agreed to a waiver for former junior college players, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema knew exactly where he was spending Christmas Eve. 

Immediately following the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, composed of university presidents, announcing a waiver had been granted for former junior college players who had exhausted their eligibility with this 2024-25 season, Bielema scheduled a private jet flight to Oakland Calif., to spend the day before Christmas with J.C. Davis and his family. 

Justin Stepp’s first season on Bret Bielema’s coaching staff will end with him going up against his most recent former employer in the 2024 Citrus Bowl matchup.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 27, 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. — Not likely in his wildest imagination would Justin Stepp believe that he’d be on the opposite sideline of his most recent former boss in the final game of his first season at Illinois.

However, this will be the exact situation as Stepp, who was hired as the new wide receivers coach in February by Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, and the entire No. 20 Illini squad will play No. 15 South Carolina on New Year’s Eve on Tuesday at 2 p.m. CST on ABC.

In his first Citrus Bowl media conference from inside the Smith Family Football Complex, Bielema made no secret about how much Stepp would love the opportunity, maybe more than anybody on this Illini staff, to knock off the Gamecocks to provide Illinois its 10th win in a season for the first time since 2001.