South Carolina vs Illinois Citrus Bowl Prediction, Preview, & Odds – 12/31/2024

The South Carolina Gamecocks are set to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Citrus Bowl on December 31, 2024, at 3:00 pm EST. The betting odds from DraftKings Sportsbook see the Illinois Fighting Illini as 9.5 point underdogs. The total for this game has been set at 48. It will be an exciting matchup to watch as two competitive teams face off on the field. Stay tuned for this game that is sure to be filled with great plays and intense moments.

Before kickoff in the South Carolina vs Illinois matchup in the Citrus Bowl, continue reading to get our preview of this contest from Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Along with our keys to this game, you will find our best bet for this game, which we have come up with using our in-depth knowledge of the college football betting landscape along with our projections using our sophisticated college football betting model.

Can South Carolina Keep Hot Streak Going?

The South Carolina Gamecocks go into the college football bowl schedule with a record of 9-3, having finished just one game out of a spot in the SEC Championship Game. The Gamecocks won their final six games of the regular season, including their regular season finale against the Clemson Tigers. Now, the Gamecocks will look to finish strong against Illinois with a chance at 10 wins on the line.

Against a Big Ten opponent, South Carolina will bring a defense that looks like that of a Big Ten team, as the Gamecocks are allowing just 17.8 points per game. They could be without defensive end Kyle Kennard, who has opted out of this game. But with or without Kennard, the Gamecocks defense will be expected to get plenty of stops against the Fighting Illini here.

Illinois Looks to Get Fourth Straight Win

The Illinois Fighting Illini have won three games in a row going into the Citrus Bowl. They come into bowl season ranked 20th in the country, though there are some concerns with the strength of schedule for Illinois coming into this matchup after they beat Michigan State, Rutgers, and Northwestern to end the regular season. Here, they will face a much tougher test against South Carolina, as they look to end their season with a 10th win.

Illinois is not heavily impacted by the transfer portal or opt-outs going into this game. They have a couple of wide receivers missing for this contest, but that won't be the end of the world. Still, even a mostly full strength Illinois team will need to prove itself on offense against a South Carolina team that is very good at getting stops against quality competition.

South Carolina vs Illinois Best Bet

Our best bet for South Carolina vs Illinois is for the South Carolina Gamecocks to win and cover the spread in the Citrus Bowl. The Gamecocks are playing some of the best football in the country going into bowl season and we expect them to keep it up against an Illinois team that isn't great offensively. Look for the Gamecocks to win their seventh game in a row to conclude their season and for them to get to 10 wins at the expense of the Illini.