Josh McCray scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to give No. 21 Illinois the lead, and the Illini held on to beat No. 14 South Carolina 21-17 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

Illinois is no stranger to late heroics. The Illini entered Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl leading the nation with four fourth-quarter comebacks. Once again, things would come down to the final 15 minutes as running back Josh McCray had two touchdowns,

The Gamecocks lost a tough battle, falling 21-17 to Illinois in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. South Carolina finishes the season with a 9-4 record, leaving ple