It was an historic day in Orlando on Tuesday as Illinois knocked off South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
The victory was Illinois’ first in a bowl game since they won the Fight Hunger Bowl in 2011, but it also helped the team tie a program record and make some other history in the process.
According to College Football Reference, Illinois tied their single-season record in winning their 10th game of the season on Tuesday, a feat they’ve achieved four other times.
The most recent 10-win season for the Illini came in 2001 when they went 10-2, dropping the Sugar Bowl against LSU in New Orleans.
The Illini also went 10-2 in the 1983 and 1989 seasons, winning the Citrus Bowl over Virginia in the latter campaign. Before that, Illinois had last won 10 games during the 1902 collegiate season.
What’s more, Tuesday’s win over South Carolina marked the first time in program history that Illinois has defeated an SEC school in a football game, with the Illini having dropped their previous six games against teams from the conference.
Currently, Illinois is slated to play their next game against an SEC opponent in 2026 when they begin a series of games against the Missouri Tigers. Illinois and Missouri have clashed frequently on the gridiron, but not since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012.
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