3 p.m. | ABC
Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida
South Carolina Gamecocks Notes
QUICKLY:
The South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC) will face the Illinois Fighting Illini (9-3, 6-3, Big Ten) in the 79th edition of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. The game will be played at Camping World Stadium (60,000) in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, with kickoff scheduled for 3 pm ET.
GOING BOWLING:
The Gamecocks are appearing in their 26th bowl game. They own a 10-15 mark in the previous 25 contests. Carolina has posted a 10-7 mark in its last 17 bowl contests after dropping its first eight bowl games. Most recently, the Gamecocks dropped a 45-38 decision to Notre Dame in the 2022 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. It was just the third setback in their last nine bowl appearances.
GOOD TO BE BACK:
South Carolina will be making its fourth trip to a bowl game in Orlando and its first since the end of the 2013 season. The Gamecocks dropped a 20-7 decision to Miami (Ohio) in the Tangerine Bowl, played on Dec. 20, 1975, then won twice in the Capital One Bowl, defeating Nebraska by a 30-13 score on Jan. 2, 2012, and topping Wisconsin on Jan. 1, 2014, by a 34-24 score.
WHERE THE GAMECOCKS STAND:
One of the hottest teams in the country, the Gamecocks won their last six contests, including four over ranked opponents, to finish the regular season with a 9-3 record. The Gamecocks were ranked 15th in the final College Football Playoff Rankings and 14th in both the Associated Press and Coaches poll.
SIZING UP THE ILLINI:
South Carolina and Illinois have never met on the gridiron. However, Illini head coach Bret Bielema is no stranger to the Gamecocks. Bielema faced the Gamecocks twice as the head coach at the University of Arkansas. Carolina got the better of both decisions, winning by a 52-7 count in Fayetteville in 2013, Bielema’s first season with the Hogs, then posting a 48-22 win in Columbia in 2017, Bielema’s final year with the Razorbacks. South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer has never faced the Illini.
SUCCESS AGAINST THE BIG TEN:
South Carolina has won each of its last four contests against Big Ten teams in bowl games, and six of seven since the turn of the century. The Gamecocks opened the 2000s with back-to-back wins over Ohio State (2001 Outback and 2002 Outback) then, after a loss to Iowa in the 2009 Outback, Carolina has reeled off four-straight victories in bowl games over Big Ten schools, defeating Nebraska (2012 Capital One), Wisconsin (2014 Capital One) and Michigan twice (2013 Outback and 2018 Outback).
OLD FRIEND ALERT:
Illinois wide receiver coach Justin Stepp was on Shane Beamer’s staff at South Carolina from 2021-23. He is originally from Pelion, S.C., just outside Columbia. HOME SWEET HOME: South Carolina All-America punter Kai Kroeger hails from the Land of Lincoln. The All-American Super Senior who has handled the Gamecocks’ punting chores for each of the last five seasons, hails from Lake Forest, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.
TROPHY HUNTING:
The Gamecocks are looking to capture their fourth trophy of 2024. They collected the Bonham Trophy with a 44-20 win over No. 10/11 Texas A&M, defeated No. 24/21 Missouri, 34-30, to bring the Mayor’s Cup to South Carolina, then took home the Palmetto Bowl trophy after defeating in-state rival Clemson, 17-14. It marked the first time that South Carolina captured all three regular season trophies in the same season.
ANOTHER TOP-25 MATCHUP:
South Carolina will be playing its eighth top-25 opponent, according to the Associated Press poll at the time of the game, as Illinois enters the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl ranked No. 21 in the most recent AP poll. The eight games played against ranked opponents is a school record, surpassing the previous mark of seven in the 2010 season. The Gamecocks are 4-3 against AP top-25 teams this season, falling to No. 16 LSU, No. 12 Ole Miss and No. 7 Alabama before defeating No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 24 Vanderbilt, No. 24 Missouri and No. 12 Clemson in the second half of the season.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST:
South Carolina knocked off three ranked opponents in the consecutive weeks for the first time in school history, defeating No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20, No. 24 Vanderbilt 28-7 and No. 24 Missouri 34-30 then, after defeating Wofford, knocked off No. 12 and eventual ACC Champion Clemson to improve to 4-3 against ranked opponents this season. The Gamecocks are 7-12 against AP ranked opponents in the Shane Beamer Era, also logging wins against No. 13 Kentucky, No. 5 Tennessee and No. 7 Clemson, all in the 2022 season. The Gamecocks had lost eight-straight games to ranked opponents before going on the current four-game winning streak.
THEY REMEMBER NOVEMBER:
The Gamecocks went a perfect 5-0 in the month of November. They started the month off with an impressive 44-20 win over No. 10/11 Texas A&M and followed that up with a convincing 28-7 win over No. 24/25 Vanderbilt in Nashville before rallying past No. 24/21 Missouri by a 34-30 count. They routed FCS Wofford in Columbia by a 56-12 score. before winning by a 17-14 count at No. 12 Clemson, their second-straight win in Tiger Town. The Gamecocks have played their best ball in November under Shane Beamer, posting a 13-4 mark in the month over the past four years including wins over six ranked opponents. The recent surge has propelled South Carolina to a No. 14 ranking in the AP poll this week, its highest ranking since September of 2014.
THEY CALL IT A STREAK:
The Gamecocks have won six-straight games, the first four of which came against SEC opponents. They own the longest current winning streak in the SEC. They are looking to notch their seventh-straight win, something that hasn’t been done since a 10-game winning streak over the final four games of the 2011 season and continuing through the first six games of the 2012 campaign. the last time they won seven or more games in a row in a single season came in 1984 when they won the first nine game of the season. Only Oregon (14) and Notre Dame (10) have longer current winning streaks among Power 4 and independent schools heading into the postseason.
TO BE THE BEST YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST:
The Gamecocks have set the school record for wins over a ranked opponent in a season with four, knocking off the AP’s No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 24 Vanderbilt, No. 24 Missouri and No. 12 Clemson over the final five weeks of the season. They had knocked off three ranked teams in a season on six occasions previously. Here are the years, opponents and rankings of those wins: Year Opponents (Rank) 2000 Georgia (9), Miss. State (25), Ohio St. (19) 2001 Georgia (25), Miss. State (17), Ohio St. (22) 2010 Georgia (22), Alabama (1), Florida (24) 2012 Georgia (5), Clemson (12), Michigan (19) 2013 Missouri (5), Clemson (6), Wisconsin (19) 2022 Kentucky (13), Tennessee (5), Clemson (7) 2024 Texas A&M (10), Vanderbilt (24), Missouri (24), Clemson (12)
IN SEARCH OF NUMBER TEN:
The Gamecocks are in search of their 10th win of the season. They have won nine or more games eight times and have won 10 or more games just four times. Carolina posted a school-record 11 wins in three-straight seasons from 2011-13. 11 wins – 3 times (2011, 2012, 2013) 10 wins – 1 time (1984) 9 wins – 4 times (2001, 2010, 2017, 2024)
ROAD WARRIORS:
The Gamecocks won four true road games this season for just the fourth time in school history, also winning four road games in 1968, 1994 and 2006. They logged a trio of impressive SEC road wins, all by at least three touchdowns, posting a 31-6 victory at Kentucky, winning in a 35-9 rout at Oklahoma and knocking off 24th-ranked Vanderbilt 28-7, holding all three of those opponents to under 10 points. They recorded three conference road wins for the first time since 2011 when they won at Georgia, Mississippi State and Tennessee en route to an 11-2 mark overall and a 6-2 SEC record.
IT JUST MEANS MORE:
The Gamecocks recorded five SEC wins for the first time since 2017 and for just the ninth time since joining the league in 1992.
A South Carolina win over Illinois would…
Give the Gamecocks their 10th win of the season, their high mark since posting an 11-win season in 2013. The Gamecocks have won 10 or more games just four times in school history. Extend the Gamecocks winning streak to seven games, last accomplished from 2011-12. The last time they won seven-straight games in a single-season was in 1984. Extend their school-record to a fifth win over a ranked opponent this season. They defeated three ranked opponents in a season six times prior to this season, most recently in 2022.
Offense
THE OFFENSE LOGGED IN:
In year two as offensive coordinator, Dowell Loggains had a much different offense to direct than he had in year one. The Gamecock offense in 2023 was geared around quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Xavier Legette, both of whom are now in the NFL, with Legette being a first-round pick by the Carolina Panthers and Rattler earning playing time for the New Orleans Saints. In 2024, Loggains handed the quarterback reins over to redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers. Sellers had an All-SEC running back behind him in Arkansas transfer Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. With a mostly new receiving corps, the Gamecocks have found their identity with a more balanced attack, featuring Sellers and Sanders on the ground and an improving passing game that features tight end Josh Simon. At 31.6 points per game, the Gamecocks are having their best offensive scoring output since 2014 (32.6 ppg).
HITTING THEIR STRIDE:
The Gamecock offense has been on fire of late. Over the last five games of the season they totaled 2,483 yards of offense, an average of 496.6 yards per game.
GROUND CONTROL:
South Carolina is averaging 188.9 rushing yards per game this season, over 100 yards more per game than their 85.1-yard average from 2023. They have not averaged even 170 yards on the ground since 2013 (198.5).
POUND THE ROCK:
The Gamecocks have had some prolific games running the ball this season. Carolina rolled up 243 yards on 41 carries against LSU, (5.9 ypc), and followed that up with a 273- yard, four-touchdown effort on 53 carries against Akron (5.2 ypc). Carolina rushed 43 times for a season-best 286 yards against Texas A&M, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. It was the third-highest total under Shane Beamer and the most against an SEC opponent in his regime. Both Raheim Sanders (144) and LaNorris Sellers (106) eclipsed the 100- yard plateau, the first time the Gamecocks had two players go over the 100-yard mark in a game since 2021. Carolina went for 214 at Vanderbilt with Sanders eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the second-straight game. They went for 265 against Wofford, averaging 5.8 ypc and 267 at Clemson, averaging 6.4 ypc. Carolina is 22-6 when it rushes for 100 or more yards since 2021.
QB1:
Redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers is QB1. The 6-3, 242-pounder saw limited action in three games in 2023 playing behind Spencer Rattler. Sellers, who is blessed with excellent size, speed and arm strength, is 172-for-265 passing (64.9 pct.) for 2,274 yards with 17 touchdowns in 2024. He has also rushed 155 times for 655 yards and seven scores. He sat out the second half of the LSU game and all of the Akron contest with an ankle injury.
Illinois Fighting Illini Notes
#20 Illinois Selected for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
• Illinois was invited to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl for the second time in program history (1990 Florida Citrus Bowl vs. Virginia). • The Citrus Bowl will be Illinois’ second New Year’s bowl game in the last three seasons, along with the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl following Illinois’ 8-4 regular season in 2022. The last time Illinois played in two New Year’s bowls in a three-year span was 1990-91, when the program played in the 1990 Citrus Bowl and the 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl (now the ReliaQuest Bowl). • Illinois will play in two bowls over a three-year stretch for the first time since back-to-back bowl seasons in 2010 and 2011. • Bret Bielema is the first Illini coach to go to two bowl games in his first four seasons since Lou Tepper from 1991-94. • Illinois is looking to win a bowl game for the first time since Dec. 31, 2011 (Kraft Fight Hunger vs. UCLA, W, 20-14).
Nine-Win Illinois
• Illinois is looking to tie its school record for wins in a season with 10, set in 1902, 1983, 1989, and 2001. • Illinois won 9+ regular season games for the eighth time in program history (1892, 1902, 1904, 1983, 1989, 2001, 2007). • Illinois has 22 wins over the last three seasons, the program’s most in a three-year span since 1999-01 (23 wins). • Illinois had six Big Ten wins for the first time since going 6-2 in Big Ten games in 2007 on the way to the 2008 Rose Bowl. • Illinois had its third six-win Big Ten season in the last 30 years (2001, 2007, 2024).
Illinois in the Rankings
• Illinois was #20 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. The Illini were ranked in the last four CFP rankings, the longest stretch of consecutive CFP rankings in program history. Before this year, Illinois had appeared in two CFP rankings in 2022. • Illinois is in the AP Top 25 for the 11th time this season, coming in at #21 in the Dec. 8 poll. • Illinois’ 11 AP Poll appearances are tied for the third-most in program history behind only 1989 (17) and 1990 (16). • Illinois has five wins when ranked in the AP Top 25, the most since recording eight such wins during the 1990 season.
Big Comebacks and B1G Wins
• Illinois led the nation with four fourth-quarter comeback wins this season (Kansas, at Nebraska, Purdue, at Rutgers). • Illinois has a 9-4 record in one-score games over the last two seasons, including a 4-1 record in one-score games this season. • Seven of Illinois’ nine one-score wins over the last two seasons have come in the final minute or overtime. • Illinois has been underdogs in five of its nine one-score wins over the past two seasons, including four as road dogs. • Pat Bryant had three game-winning touchdown catches in the final minute or overtime this season, all coming from Luke Altmyer (at Nebraska, Purdue, at Rutgers). Bryant led the nation in game-winning touchdowns. • Altmyer has led five game-winning drives in the final minute or OT during his Illini career, including four in Big Ten wins. He leads the nation in career game-winning drives.
ILLINOIS AT THE CITRUS BOWL
• Illinois will return to the Citrus Bowl for the first time since the 1989 season, when RB Howard Griffith and QB Jeff George led the Fighting Illini to a 31-21 victory over Virginia in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl. • Illinois qualified for the 21st bowl game in program history. • Illinois snapped a 26-year bowl victory drought with the win over Virginia in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl, the Illini’s only appearance in the Citrus Bowl. Illinois jumped on the Cavaliers early, with LB Bill Henkel recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff. Five plays later, QB Jeff George drilled a 15-yard scoring strike to Steven Williams. After Virginia tied the game early in the second quarter, George directed Illinois on an 80-yard scoring drive. Illinois opened the second half with an 84-yard drive capped by RB Howard Griffith’s three-yard TD. Early in the fourth quarter, WR Mike Bellamy scored on a 26-yard pass from George to clinch an Illini victory. George earned MVP honors, completing 26-of-38 for 321 yards and three TDs. • Illinois’ trip to Orlando will be a homecoming for 17 Illini who hail from Florida, including nearly a dozen starters. Illinois’ 17 players that hail from the Sunshine State represent the most of any Big Ten program. • Bret Bielema’s first career bowl game as a head coach was at the Citrus Bowl, then called the Capital One Bowl, when he took his 2006 Wisconsin team to Orlando and beat Arkansas, 17-14, on January 1, 2007. • In 16 years as a head coach, Bielema has led 12 of his teams – including this year’s Illinois squad – to bowl games.
Tough, Smart, Dependable
• Illinois was fourth in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+7) and fourth in turnovers forced (18) during the regular season. • Illinois ranked 20th-best in the nation in fewest penalty yards per game (42.25) during the regular season. • Illinois’ five interceptions thrown as a team tied for the fewest in the Big Ten and tied for the sixth-fewest in the nation during the regular season. Only Army (1), Boise State (4), James Madison (4), Marshall (4), and Vanderbilt (4) threw fewer regular-season interceptions than Illinois. • Illinois is 7-0 when it commits zero or one turnover. The Illini are 7-1 when they force one or more turnovers.
The Illinois Offense
• Illinois ended the season by scoring exactly 38 points in three straight games, the program’s first time scoring 38+ points in three straight Big Ten games since 2010. • Altmyer was one of only four quarterbacks in Power-4 with 20+ touchdown passes and five or fewer interceptions, along with Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (29/5), Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke (27/4), and Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt (21/5). • Altmyer was 33rd in the nation in passing efficiency during the regular season. His 144.9 passing efficiency would be second-best in a single season in Illinois football history, behind only John Paddock’s 151.1 set last season. • Altmyer was fourth in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns (21) and 31st in the nation during the regular season. • Altmyer in Illinois wins: 145-for-232 passing (62.8%), 1,971 yards (219.0 yards per game), 19 touchdown passes, 2 interceptions, 63 rushes, 237 rushing yards (3.8 yards/rush), four rushing touchdowns. • Altmyer joined an impressive list of Illini QBs who have led the team to three Top 25 wins in a single season over the last 50 years: Jack Trudeau (1983), Jason Verduzco (1990), Kurt Kittner (2001), Juice Williams (2007), and Altmyer (2024). • WR Pat Bryant tied for the Big Ten lead in receiving touchdowns (10) and tied for 10th in the nation during the regular season. His 10 TD receptions tied the Illinois record held by Brandon Lloyd (2001) and David Williams (1985). • On the game-winning TD at Rutgers, Bryant became the 10th player in Illini history to reach 2,000 career receiving yards. • Bryant set the Memorial Stadium records for single-season receiving TDs (6) and career receiving TDs (13). • Illinois was 7-0 when Bryant caught a touchdown pass in 2024, including 5-0 in Big Ten games.
The Illinois Defense
• In Aaron Henry’s second season as defensive coordinator, Illinois ranked 40th in the nation in scoring defense (22.1) during the regular season, an improvement of 53 spots in the national rankings year-over-year (93rd, 29.4). • Illinois led the Big Ten and ranked t-12th in the nation in forced fumbles (13). • Illinois’ 24 sacks in Big Ten games tied for fifth in the conference, behind only Oregon (32), Penn State (28), Michigan (27), and Ohio State (27). Indiana also had 24 sacks during conference games. • Illini OLB Gabe Jacas ranks in the top 25 nationally in forced fumbles (t-10th, 3) and sacks (t-25th, 8.0). Jacas tied for the Big Ten lead in forced fumbles and ranked sixth in sacks during the regular season. • Xavier Scott was an All-Big Ten First Team selection and one of 15 semifinalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back. • Illinois has three defensive backs with multiple interceptions: Xavier Scott (4), Torrie Cox Jr. (3), and Miles Scott (2)
The Illinois Special Teams
• Kicker David Olano is 17-for-20 on field goals, including 16-for-18 inside of 50 yards and 12-for-12 inside of 40 yards. • Kicker Ethan Moczulski’s 59-yard field goal vs. Central Michigan, the first attempt of his career, set an Illini program record and tied for the sixth-longest field goal in the nation and longest in the Big Ten during the regular season. • Punter Hugh Robertson has landed 54.1% (20/37) of his punts inside the 20, which is on pace for an Illinois record. • Hank Beatty led the Big Ten and ranked third in the nation with 14.7 yards per punt return during the regular season. • Beatty’s 14.7-yard punt return average is the best in Illinois single-season history for players who have returned 16+ punts. • Beatty’s 294 punt return yards are the fourth-most in Illinois single-season history and 22 yards away from breaking Dike Eddleman’s 77-year-old Illinois record of 323 punt return yards set in 1947.
Illinois’ Successful Memorial Stadium Celebration
• Illinois celebrated the Memorial Stadium 100th Anniversary this season by going 6-1 at home. • The Illini won six games at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2001, when Illinois finished 6-0 at home on its way to the Big Ten title and 2002 Sugar Bowl. • Illinois finished its home schedule averaging 54,750 fans over seven home games, the highest average in a single season since 2009 (59,544). • This season, Illinois sold out Memorial Stadium twice in a single season for the first time since 2009 (vs. #19 Kansas, vs. #24 Michigan). The Illini had two wins in front of sell-out crowds at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2008.
Three Ranked Wins
• Illinois is 3-2 against AP Top 25 teams this season. From the 2008 Rose Bowl game through the 2023 season, Illinois went 3-40 against AP Top 25 teams. • Illinois has three AP Top 25 wins in a single season for the first time since 2007. Only two teams in Illinois history have more ranked wins than this year’s Illini squad: the 1946 and 1983 teams that went 4-0 against AP Top 25 teams. • Illinois had two AP Top 25 wins during September for the first time in program history. • Against Michigan, Illinois won a ranked vs. ranked game at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 1991, when #20 Illinois defeated #11 Ohio State, 10-7 (Oct. 12, 1991). • Illinois has won two ranked vs. ranked games in a single season for the first time since 2001 (Nebraska, Michigan). • The Sept. 15 AP Top 25 poll marked the earliest in a season that Illinois has been voted into the top 25 since 2008.
