The 79th annual Citrus Bowl featured Illinois from the Big Ten Conference and South Carolina from the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The game began at approximately 3:00 p.m. EST and aired on ABC.
After starting with a 3–3 record in their first six games, they finished with a six-game winning streak.
The Gamecocks faced six ranked teams, losing to LSU, Ole Miss, and Alabama while defeating Texas A&M, Missouri, and Clemson.
Illinois faced five ranked opponents, defeating Kansas, Nebraska, and Michigan while losing to Penn State and Oregon.