Citrus Bowl preview: Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini

South Carolina is on the cusp of its best season in recent memory. With a win on Tuesday, the Gamecocks will record a 10-win season for the first time since 2013.

Standing in their way is an Illinois squad that finished the 2024 regular season as one of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference.

Before the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl kicks off at 3 p.m. on ABC, here’s what the Fighting Illini bring to the table.

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How they got here

Four teams from the Big Ten – Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State and Indiana – made it to the College Football Playoff this season. While there was some distance between Illinois and these teams in the Selection Committee’s final rankings, the Fighting Illini finished the season fifth in the 18-team conference. Illinois garnered a 9-3 overall record and a 6-3 mark in conference play.

Two of those defeats came at the hands of those aforementioned four teams. The Fighting Illini fell 21-7 to Penn State and 38-9 to Oregon. Their worst loss, however, came just one week after their matchup against the Ducks. Illinois faced Minnesota while the Golden Gophers were playing their best football of the season, and their game resulted in a 25-17 loss for the Fighting Illini.

Illinois’ collection of wins during the 2024 campaign includes one shutout (45-0 over Eastern Illinois in its season opener) and three wins over teams ranked in the AP poll at the time they played – then-No. 19 Kansas, then-No. 22 Nebraska and then-No. 24 Michigan. The Fighting Illini also closed their regular season on a three-game winning streak, earning victories over Michigan State, Rutgers and Northwestern.

Where they sit in the rankings

Illinois is ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. The Fighting Illini are currently No. 21 in the AP poll after receiving 317 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll pegged Illinois as the No. 21 team in the country with 275 votes. The Fighting Illini were also ranked No. 20 by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee in its most recent rankings.

ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI) ranks Illinois No. 44 with a 5.4 FPI. Its projected record is 9.3-3.7. In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, the Fighting Illini check in at No. 36.

Illinois sits 28th in the Massey Ratings. It ranks 41st in offense and 45th in defense.

ESPN gives the Fighting Illini a 27.7 percent chance to win on Tuesday. Illinois heads into the contest as 10-point underdogs, according to ESPN BET.

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Players to watch

Luke Altmyer (Junior, quarterback) – The Fighting Illini’s offense runs through Altmyer, who showed improvement in his second season as the team’s starting signal caller. This year, he has completed 198 of his 325 passing attempts (60.9 percent) for 2,543 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Altmyer has also performed better in Illinois’ nine wins, where he has recorded 19 of his touchdown passes and just two of his interceptions.

Zakhari Franklin (Senior, wide receiver) – Franklin will be forced to step into the Fighting Illini’s top wideout role after leading receiver Pat Bryant opted out of the Citrus Bowl. Outside of Bryant, Franklin has been the team’s most dangerous threat in the passing game, having totaled 613 receiving yards and three touchdowns across 51 receptions. He ranks second on the team in all three statistical categories.

Gabe Jacas (Junior, outside linebacker) – Jacas has served as Illinois’ most disruptive force along its defensive line. By the end of the regular season, he ranked in the top 25 nationwide in forced fumbles (tied-21st at the time, with three) and sacks (tied-24th, with eight), in addition to leading the Fighting Illini in tackles for loss (10) and quarterback hurries (10). Jacas earned All-Big Ten Third-Team honors for his efforts.

Path to victory

History will be made, regardless of South Carolina’s result in this contest. Tuesday’s game will mark the first time the Gamecocks have faced Illinois in a competitive game in program history.

But for South Carolina to clinch a 10-win season, its offense must operate like business as usual – even without one of its top playmakers.

Rocket Sanders announced his intentions to declare for the NFL Draft via social media on Dec. 19 but did not make it clear whether he was opting out for the Gamecocks’ bowl game in his post. When South Carolina’s depth chart was released on Dec. 26, Sanders was not listed on it, hinting that he might not appear in the Citrus Bowl. Shane Beamer confirmed the next day that this would be the case.

As a result, a greater amount of responsibility will be placed on the remaining players in the running back room – namely, Oscar Adaway III, Juju McDowell, Jawarn Howell and Matthew Fuller. LaNorris Sellers, who possesses game-changing abilities as both a passer and runner, is another player who figures to involve himself in the Gamecocks’ ground attack. But maintaining production in the run game will help the team’s offense chug along as it has in recent weeks.

Shutting down Altmyer and Franklin will be South Carolina’s top priorities on defense. Clayton White mentioned on Dec. 28 that Altmyer, like Sellers, has the ability to influence the game as a dual-threat. He also described Illinois’ wide receiver corps, even without Bryant, as “really good.”

Outside of Franklin, no Fighting Illini pass-catcher has accumulated more than 250 receiving yards this season. By limiting Illinois’ passing game, it will be forced to rely on its running backs, who will have to match up against the Gamecocks’ stout run defense.

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