Live Report: Citrus Bowl Eve Highlights as Illinois and South Carolina Prepare for Showdown
Happy Citrus Bowl Eve to everyone celebrating! With final walkthroughs completed, the stage is set for the highly anticipated clash between the #15 South Carolina Gamecocks and the #20 Illinois Fighting Illini. Both teams wrapped up preparations at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, and there’s plenty to unpack from the last two days leading up to the game.
Game Details and Key Facts
- Kickoff: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 3 PM EST
- Broadcast: ABC, with Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline reporter)
- Spread: South Carolina -9.5
- Over/Under: 47.5
- ESPN Analytics: South Carolina has a 72.4% chance of victory
This year marks the first time since 2016 that the Citrus Bowl is being played on a date other than Jan. 1 or Jan. 2.
Bowl Game Festivities
While the Citrus Bowl takes center stage, another event—the Pop-Tarts Bowl—has been making waves for its unique flair. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema couldn’t resist commenting on the Pop-Tarts Bowl’s quirky finale, where a Pop-Tart mascot was “sacrificed” to celebrate the game’s conclusion.
“Even the Pop-Tart Bowl the other night culminated, as I said yesterday, by the sacrifice of a Pop-Tart, which I thought was pretty awesome to watch and witness,” Bielema shared on Monday.
It’s hard to argue with that level of spectacle!
Shane Beamer on the College Football Playoff Format
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer raised an interesting point about the unintended consequences of the expanded College Football Playoff.
“If you make the playoff and lose in the first round, your season is over, and it’s just an away game,” Beamer explained.
“You leave on Friday, play the game, and come home. That’s it. Great for them, don’t get me wrong—I would have loved to have been in the playoff—but the fact that we get to come down here, spend a week in Orlando, have fun, and create memories is special.”
Beamer also reflected on his favorite bowl game experiences, emphasizing how these events bring teams together and create lasting memories.
“It’s one of the things that makes college football so great. I just hope and pray that as college football continues to evolve, bowl games won’t be affected in an adverse way.”
Bret Bielema on College Football’s Changing Landscape
Bret Bielema offered some thoughtful insights into the current state of college football, particularly the impact of NIL deals, player transfers, and graduation rates.
“We’re a good football team with good players, but I believe in graduating kids,” Bielema said. “When kids transfer from school to school, it throws off their graduation rates, and some make decisions that forego graduating entirely.”
Bielema also expressed concern about the long-term effects of the current trends in college football:
“It’s all great right now, and NIL is great. The chance to play in the NFL is awesome, but I think about kids 10, 15 years down the road. They’re going to be doing a ‘30 for 30’ on the time we’re living in now, and that upsets me as a head coach.”
Despite these challenges, Bielema remains optimistic and energized by the unique dynamics of today’s game.
“To have a kid on your team today who might play for another team in your opener is just a crazy world, but it also makes it fun.”
Final Thoughts
As the countdown to kickoff continues, both teams are ready to put everything on the line in what promises to be an electrifying Citrus Bowl matchup. Stay tuned for live updates as the Illinois Fighting Illini and the South Carolina Gamecocks battle it out for postseason glory!
