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Illinois Football: Orange on Orange in recent Bowl Game Prediction

Week 13 Bowl game predictions from analyst Bret McMurphy project Illinois football to face an SEC foe in Orlando.

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Illinois Football
Nov 16, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini players face their fans after a 38-16 win over the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Illinois Football Headed to Orlando?

Illinois Football continues to stay in the conversation for high-profile bowl games one win at a time as they approach the final stretch of the 2024 season.

Following back-to-back losses to Oregon and Minnesota, coming out of the bye week energized certainly a welcome sign for Illinois. Saturday afternoon’s commanding 38-16 victory over Michigan State not only boosted momentum but also kept Illinois on track for their first 9+ win season since 2007.

Looking ahead, the schedule wraps up favorably for Illinois. With matchups against an inconsistent (6-4) Rutgers team and a struggling (4-6) Northwestern squad still to come, Illinois has a golden opportunity to finish the regular season strong.

Should the Illini win out, many indications suggest a New Year’s Eve bowl game trip to the Sunshine State.

Week 13 Bowl Prediction For The Illini

According to the latest bowl projections, the Illini may be in for a battle on New Year’s Day. Week 12 predictions from Sports Illustrated foresee Illinois Football making a trip to Orlando to take on the Tennessee Volunteers, in the Cheeze-It Orange Bowl.

Could the Illini make a statement, with an impressive win over an SEC foe in SEC territory?

Illinois Football

November 16, 2024.

Notes On the Vol’s

Head Coach: Josh Heupel

Current Record:  8-2 (5-2 in the SEC)

SEC Rankings: 4th 

Best Win: Alabama

Worst Loss: Arkansas

Tennessee’s recent blowout loss (31-17) to Georgia has undoubtedly cast doubt on their playoff hopes.

While the 8-2 Volunteers boast an impressive 24-17 victory over Alabama, earlier wins against NC State, Florida, and Oklahoma have lost some of their initial luster as the season has unfolded.

Tuesday’s (11/19) release of the third College Football Playoff rankings will be pivotal for Josh Heupel’s Vols. If Tennessee finds themselves on the outside looking in, it is going take more than victories over UTEP and Vanderbilt to climb back into the playoff picture.

All signs point to the Volunteers landing just outside the playoff bubble, potentially setting up an exciting “sea of orange” showdown against Illinois Football in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

 

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Kirkland is an expert source for Illinois athletics news. He is the lead Football analyst at Armchair Illini and has been featured in top media publications like Bleacher Report, Yard Barker, Autograph, Newsbreak, CBS Sports and more.

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