The #20 Illinois football team has accepted an invitation to play in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Specifically, Illinois will play #15 South Carolina on Dec. 31. The Illini qualified for the 21st bowl game in program history. Including the second New Year’s bowl in Florida in the last three seasons. Previously, they made the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl. Illinois will return to the Citrus Bowl for the first time since the 1989 season. Namely, Howard Griffith and Jeff George led the Fighting Illini to a 31-21 College Football Betting victory over Virginia in the 1990 Citrus Bowl.
Citrus Bowl South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
| Date and Time: | Tuesday, December 31, 2024, 3 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL |
| TV Coverage: | ABC |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | -10 -108 | 47½ -115 | -350 |  |
| Illinois | +10 -112 | 47½ -105 | +280 | |
| ||||
Citrus Bowl Overview
Concurrently, the Citrus Bowl features schools from the Big Ten and the SEC and takes place in Orlando, Florida. It began in 1947 as the Tangerine Bowl and was called the Florida Citrus Bowl. Next, in 1982, it became the Capital One Bowl.
Nico Iamaleava, a prized recruit for Volunteers coach Josh Heupel, stepped in for senior Joe Milton. Correlate that Milton opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. The 19-year-old threw for 151 yards, and his 27 rushing yards included three scores. In sum, Dylan Sampson rushed 20 times for 133 yards for the Vols. Hence, Tennessee’s defense did the rest against the Iowa offense that came in averaging 16.6 points per game and 238.8 yards.
The Hawkeyes finished with 173 yards of offense. Deacon Hill threw for 56 yards, was intercepted twice, and lost a fumble. Also, the Vols sacked him six times, resulting in 24 lost yards.
Illinois Fighting Illini Team Overview
Last game, the Illinois Fighting Illini won 38-28 against the Northwestern Wildcats as 9.5-point road favorites. The game went over the sports betting total of 43. Illinois has a record of 9-3 straight up, 8-3-1 against the spread, and 5-7 over/under the total. Illinois ranks 91st for total offense, 83rd for passing, 79th for rushing and 63rd for scoring. Defensively they rank 71st overall, 74th against the pass, 73rd against the rush, and 40th for points allowed. Also, Illinois ranks 30th for fewest turnovers lost and 43rd for takeaways.
South Carolina Team Overview
Last game, the South Carolina Gamecocks won 17-14 against the Clemson Tigers as 2.5-point road dogs. The game went under the College Football Betting total of 49. South Carolina has a record of 9-3 straight up, 9-3 against the spread, and 7-5 over/under the total. South Carolina ranks 48th for total offense, 73rd for passing, 34th for rushing and 42nd for scoring. Defensively they rank 15th overall, 46th against the pass, 14th against the rush, and 14th for points allowed. Also, South Carolina ranks 100th for fewest turnovers lost and 30th for takeaways.
Citrus Bowl SBG Free Picks
Illinois’ trip to Orlando will be a homecoming for 17 Illini that hail from Florida, including nearly a dozen starters. Illinois’ 17 players from the Sunshine State represent the most of any Big Ten program. In this situation, South Carolina brings SEC pedigree and plenty of momentum.
Citrus Bowl SBG Best Bet: South Carolina Gamecocks.