South Carolina falls to Illinois in hotly-contested Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Ending 2024 with a bang. South Carolina couldn’t overcome the Illinois Fighting Illini, falling 21-17 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
As predicted, both defenses started the game off in impressive ways. An early red zone stop for Illinois forced the Gamecocks into a field goal.
Midway through the quarter, South Carolina forced a fumble at the 1-yard line after giving up a 59-yard to Hank Beatty.
At the end of the first, Luke Altmyer connected with senior Zahkari Franklin for a 15-yard touchdown, giving the Illini a 7-3 lead going into the second.
The Gamecocks struggled to convert in the red zone early in the game. In the second, South Carolina attempted a trick play that was well-defended by Illinois, forcing a turnover on downs.
At the end of the second quarter, Alex Herrera doinked a 41-yard field goal, keeping the score 7-3 at the half.
The second half started much like the same. On 3rd and 9, Sellers was sacked by safety Mac Resetich to force the third punt of the afternoon.
After getting the ball back, South Carolina’s Oscar Adaway III ran for a 36-yard touchdown to give South Carolina a 10-7 lead early in the third.
Illinois and South Carolina traded turnovers throughout the quarter.
Jalon Kilgore intercepted a deep to give the offense the ball back after Adaway III’s touchdown.
On the next drive, Illinois' Ezekiel Holmes forced a fumble against Jawarn Howell, giving Illinois a great field position.
Illinois cashed in quickly. Josh McCray ran 3 yards for an Illinois touchdown to take a 14-10 lead late in the third. The junior back was crucial for the Fighting Illini, proving to be the workhouse they needed to keep drives alive.
However, South Carolina responded. LaNorris Sellers threw it deep to Daleveon Campbell, who bobbled it for a 60-yard catch close to the Illinois endzone.
Emotions flared after the big play. Illinois Coach Bret Bielema taunted Shane Beamer with a substitution signal; a problem the Gamecocks head coach had with the referees all game. Both sidelines had to be separated during the timeout, firing up both teams.
And right after, Sellers flicked the ball to Joshua Simon to take a 17-14 lead in the fourth.
Illinois and South Carolina traded blows late in the game. Josh McCray bounced off tackles to give the Illini a 21-17 lead for his second touchdown of the day.
After a hotly-contested final stretch, the Gamecocks had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. On fourth down, Sellers missed a throw to Joshua Simon, giving the Fighting Illini the ball inside the 10-yard line.
In the most important play of the game, Josh McCray busted through the defense for 60 yards to the SC 25-yard line, sealing the deal for the Fighting Illini.
South Carolina fell to Illinois, 21-17
Postgame Analysis
The Gamecocks struggled to put pressure on quarterback Luke Altmyer throughout the game. Without star EDGE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina only sacked Luke Altmyer once; a stark contrast from the regular season. Although South Carolina was a top-20 defense against the run, the Fighting Illini punished the Gamecocks on the ground totaling 183 yards for the game.
Illinois running back Josh McCray was arguably the MVP of the game. The junior led both teams in rushing with 113 yards, including the game-clinching 60-yard run late in the game.
While LaNorris Sellers made timely throws in the pocket, the dual-threat quarterback ran for just 19 yards in the Citrus Bowl. Sellers’ running was an effective offensive weapon all season. The redshirt freshman ran for 166 and 106 yards in the Gamecocks’ wins against Clemson and Texas A&M respectively. Illinois did a great job of containing Sellers in the pocket, minimizing his chances to scramble.
South Carolina will look to improve next season, as many starters will be returning for 2025. Be sure to tune in to WIS to keep up with the latest Gamecocks news all year.
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