Illinois rolled into the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve with one of the best regular seasons in the program’s recent history. The opponent for that matchup was a worthy one in South Carolina out of the SEC.

The Gamecocks ended their regular season at 9-3 and on the heels of 6 straight victories. In fact, they were a team that some felt should have been more involved in the conversation for the final College Football Playoff bracket.

That fact makes Tuesday’s performance all the more notable for Illinois.

After falling behind 10-7 in the 2nd half, the Illini took control with their offensive line and push up front over the final 20+ minutes of the game. While the defense made the necessary stops, Illinois ended the game on offense and ran out the clock to secure a 21-17 win for the program.

Here are the key takeaways from a 10-3 finish to the season for the Illini:

Josh McCray, O-line takes over

Illinois produced the only touchdown of the first half with Luke Altmyer and Zakhari Franklin connecting for a passing touchdown. However, it was Josh McCray and the Illini offensive line that went to work after falling behind 10-7 in the 3rd quarter.

The final 3 drives of the game by Illinois covered 9 plays, 12 plays and 7 plays and resulted in 2 touchdowns and the game-ending drive to run out the clock. Aidan Laughery contributed and Luke Altmyer made some key throws, but the real story was McCray.

Across those final 3 drives, McCray produced 6 carries that converted either a first down or produced a touchdown. Four of those carries by McCray came on a 3rd down, and his 2 touchdowns were the difference for the Illini offense.

McCray even saved his best for last, effectively icing the game with a 60-yard pickup off a 3rd-and-2 deep in his own territory. It flipped the field and allowed Illinois to run out the clock.

McCray would receive Citrus Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 114 yards on 13 carries with his 2 touchdowns.

Coaches engage in fiery atmosphere

Some fans continue to argue that certain bowl games are being devalued in this era of expanded Playoff brackets and player opt-outs. However, nothing could be further from the truth for Tuesday’s game.

Not only were the players fighting hard on every play, but the head coaches also mixed it up with a heated exchange in the middle of the field. It all started with a gesture from Bret Bielema.

With Bielema tending to an injured Illinois player near the South Carolina sideline, he made the substitution signal directly at Shane Beamer and the Gamecock bench multiple times. While that gesture alone is fairly innocent, the context within the game must be considered.

On multiple occasions, the Illini used the substitution rules to their defense’s advantage, milking away the play clock multiple times after South Carolina called offensive substitutions. It led to the Gamecocks using early timeouts, including one in the second half that they would have liked to have available on the game’s final drive.

On multiple occasions, the Illini used the substitution rules to their defense’s advantage, milking away the play clock multiple times after South Carolina called offensive substitutions. It led to the Gamecocks using early timeouts, including one in the second half that they would have liked to have available on the game’s final drive.

In the moment, Beamer was so fired up that he had to be restrained by his coaching staff and the officials from charging at Bielema on the field. South Carolina’s head coach would describe Bielema’s gesture as “bush league” after the game, but there was no drama at the postgame handshake.

South Carolina and Illinois are uncommon opponents, so it could be an extended length of time before these 2 head coaches face off yet again. But it’s clear this game meant an awful lot to the teams on Tuesday.

10 wins for the Illini

It’s not hard to see the significance of a season-ending win for the Illini. With a win over South Carolina, Illinois punches its first bowl win under Bielema and the first for the program since the 2011 season.

One final win also gives Bielema’s group 10 on the season. It’s the first 10-win season for Illinois since 2001 and just the 5th in the program’s history.

If not for a step back 5-7 season a year ago, Bielema would arguably be presiding over the best 3-year stretch in team history. As it is, he has the Illini at 23-15 overall since the start of the 2022 season with all signs pointing up entering 2025.

The head coach said it best on the field immediately after the win. Illinois is in a great spot in the world of college football and should open as a fringe contender for the 12-team Playoff heading into next season.