The No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3) and No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini (9-3, 6-3) will end their seasons in Orlando at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Can the Gamecocks continue their hot streak? Here is what to watch for, everything you need to know, and all the burning questions heading into New Year’s Eve.
Citrus Bowl – Keys to the Game
Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer confirmed Friday that Mike Shula will call the plays for South Carolina in this game. The decision comes two weeks after Shula was informed he will be promoted to offensive coordinator next year. He will take over for Dowell Loggains, who announced his departure to serve as Appalachian State’s head coach.
Shula is familiar with the system because he spent the year working with Loggains as an offensive analyst. Chances are, Shula will not make any major changes to the offensive play-calling scheme. However, it is certainly something to keep an eye on during the game.
Who is sitting out for SC?
Players often sit out of bowl games if they plan to play football at the professional level or have entered into the NFL draft. If these players get hurt in the last game of the season, it could be detrimental to their draft stock, resulting in a later pick and a smaller signing bonus. Here are the two players for the Gamecocks who plan to be sidelined for the Citrus Bowl.
Defensive End: Kyle Kennard
Star defensive end Kyle Kennard led the team in sacks with 11.5 and also had three forced fumbles this season. He brought home SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors two weeks ago. A projected late first-round pick, he was a crucial piece of the Gamecocks’ defense during the season and South Carolina will certainly miss him up front during the bowl game.
Running Back: Raheim “Rocket” Sanders
Raheim Sanders was critical to the dramatic turnaround of the Gamecocks offense this season. After transferring from Arkansas, he dropped nearly 20 pounds and worked to recover from injuries that sidelined him for more than half of the 2023 season.
The Gamecocks’ decision to increase his workload was risky given his injury history, but it paid off. While likely not a top pick in the draft, he still hopes to play in the NFL and can’t afford an injury in this game.
Demetrius Knight’s inspiring opt-in decision
As for one senior, there was only one answer when it came to whether to sit or play in his last game as a Gamecock. That’s linebacker Demetrius Knight, best remembered by Gamecock fans for snagging the game-winning interception to beat Clemson 17-14 in the final game of the regular season.
🤯 #Gaemcock LB Demetrius Knight picks off #Clemson QB Cade Klubnik to END the Palmetto Bowl in a Carolina, 17-14, win!!!
WOW what an ending!!!!@abc_columbia pic.twitter.com/abfnjYF3Wu
— Chaz R Frazier (@Chazf_tv) November 30, 2024
When Knight was asked about opting into the Citrus Bowl, he told The Post and Courier, “I’m going to go out there and let it ride for my guys one last time … I have kids, and I didn’t want my daughter and my son to be like, ‘Oh, why didn’t you play in the last game?,’ and I’m like, ‘I didn’t feel like it or I felt like I would get injured.’ I don’t want to give them an excuse; I want to show them how to finish what you start.”
Knight, the leader in solo tackles this season with 55, is clearly itching to go out onto the field with his teammates one last time. However, can he work though his emotions to make an impact like he has all season?
Who is sitting out for Illinois?
Wide Receiver: Pat Bryant
The only Fighting Illini who has chosen to not play in this game is star wide receiver Pat Bryant. Bryant has 54 grabs for 984 yards on the year, which earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors this season. He also tied the school record for touchdown receptions in a single season with 10. Most NFL media outlets project him as a mid-fourth round selection in this year’s draft.
South Carolina: Who to watch for
Quarterback: LaNorris Sellers
LaNorris Sellers was the SEC Freshman of the Year this season, and the lifeblood of the offense. His confidence in the passing game and maturity when running the ball himself made it a relatively easy choice for the award. As for the Citrus Bowl, he needs to be smart with the ball. The beginning of the season was a learning opportunity for Sellers, who became much smarter and safer with the ball in the second half of the year.
Defensive End: Dylan Stewart
Just days ago, Dylan Stewart inked an NIL contract with the Garnet Trust to stay in Carolina for at least another year. Gamecocks fans are excited to see how he will lead the defense next year, but they will get a preview of what is to come in the final game of the 2024 season.
Without Kennard on the other side of the line, Stewart will be tasked with stepping into a bigger role. All three of the other starting defensive lineman, and a large group of players from the secondary are graduating this year. Next year, Stewart will be the leader of a group that aims to be just as good as this year’s. As only a freshman, can he show out when the lights are brightest?
Defensive Back: Nick Emmanwori
Head coach Shane Beamer often talks about how much respect he has for the seniors on this team that decided to stick around in Columbia, even after a terrible season last year. One of those players was Nick Emmanwori.
As only a junior, Emmanwori has worked hard enough to become a top-10 projected defensive back in the 2025 NFL draft. He has been one of the main leaders on the unit that budded into one of the top in the nation this year. His presence on the field has also been top tier.
Like Knight, it is clear Emmanwori wants to make his last game in garnet his best one yet. There will be a lot of goodbyes said after this game for Carolina, this one might hit hardest, though.
Illinois: Who to watch for
Quarterback: Luke Altmyer
Luke Altmyer has announced his decision to play in the Citrus Bowl and at Illinois for at least another season. In 2024, he passed for 2,543 yards with 21 touchdowns to just only five interceptions.
This season was certainly an improvement from his only other year as a starter in 2023, where his touchdown to interception ratio was 13:10. His play has had a major impact on the team’s success, as Illinois jumped from 5-7 (3-6) and last in the Big Ten West to a 9-3 (6-3) record, finishing fifth in the conference. For the Fighting Illini to finish their season with a win, they need a great game from Altmyer, which will be tough missing his favorite target.
Safety: Matthew Bailey
As a redshirt sophomore, Matthew Bailey has been outstanding this year. Bailey leads the team in total tackles with 80, and also has an interception and two forced fumbles. In only his third collegiate season, he has taken an unbelievable leap up the depth chart.
His first two seasons at Illinois, Bailey tallied just 15 total tackles as he dealt with injuries (and the decision to redshirt) that caused him to miss all but one game last season. Yet as a freshman, he came up with three interceptions in just seven games.
As the star of the defense this year, can he pull through and lead his squad to shut down what has been a dynamic Gamecocks offense down the stretch of the season? Illinois will need him to if they want to win this matchup.
Running Back: Josh McCray
Josh McCray stands at 6-feet, 1-inch. And at 235 pounds, he gets a majority of Illinois’ goal-line snaps. McCray leads the team in rushing scores with eight because of his work load near the end zone, and for good reason.
His total yard total won’t blow you away because he is a short-yardage back. However, tallying up 495 yards and averaging 4.8 yards per attempt in that role is nothing to shy away from. It is worth mentioning that eight of his nine total touchdowns came at Memorial Stadium this season, so watching him on the road in the Citrus Bowl is a storyline worth monitoring.
Keys to a Gamecocks’ win
Run the ball
The Gamecocks have excelled all year keeping the football on the ground, and it’s worked. Despite being without their star running back, the Gamecocks can’t abandon what has been so effective. The change at play caller shouldn’t change the run-heavy style, either. Even with Shula calling plays, expect a heavy dose of read options and powerful old-school runs from South Carolina.
Sellers must step-up
With Sanders out, Sellers needs to elevate both his rushing and passing attack. He’s been great at keeping the ball himself all year. Yet in this contest, Illinois will expect more of it, which could limit its effectiveness. In the passing game, look for him to step up in the pocket to make running available, but he must remain comfortable to threaten in the aerial attack.
Final thoughts
Overall, the Gamecocks are a more skilled team on paper. They just need to avoid bad mistakes, such as excessive penalties and turning over the football. If South Carolina can get things started early in this matchup, there’s little reason why the Gamecocks can’t win the Citrus Bowl.
