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South Carolina’s best defensive player — actually, the nation’s best defensive player — won’t play in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Illinois won’t have its all-Big Ten receiver.

But aside from the Gamecocks’ Kyle Kennard and the Fighting Illini’s Pat Bryant opting out for NFL Draft purposes, both No. 15 South Carolina and No. 20 Illinois will be loaded and eager to battle for a coveted 10th win Tuesday afternoon in Orlando, Fla.

The Gamecocks (9-3) are riding a six-game winning streak — including three victories over Top 25 opponents — as they shoot for their first 10-win season since 2013. The Illini (9-3) have won three in a row as they vie for their first 10-win campaign since the 2001 Big Ten champions.

Of course, this clash to end 2024 is also about what can happen for both schools in 2025.

“We’re either the first- or second-youngest team coming back in Power 4 football,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “We’re all juniors and sophomores.”

That includes junior quarterback Luke Altmyer, who publicly committed for the 2025 season when he addressed the sellout crowd at Illinois’ home basketball game versus top-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 14. Altmyer clicked on 60.9 percent of his passes during the regular season for 2,543 yards, 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

“In this crazy world that we’re in with the portal and the transfers, he’s the definition of what you’re looking for,” Bielema said.

Meanwhile, redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers has made a similar agreement to return to South Carolina, signing a deal with the school’s NIL collective. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound dual threat racked up 2,274 yards and 17 touchdowns through the air along with 655 yards and seven scores on the ground.

Sellers and the Gamecocks are working with a new offensive coordinator. Former Alabama head coach Mike Shula was upgraded from offensive analyst last week when offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains took the head coaching job at Appalachian State.

“I trust him,” Sellers said of Shula. “He’s coached a lot of guys, had a history with a lot of guys in the NFL.”

As prolific as Sellers has been, South Carolina’s defense has been the superior unit most of the year, allowing just 17.8 points per game.

The Gamecocks will miss Kennard, who led the Southeastern Conference with 11.5 sacks and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player, but they still boast first-team All-American safety Nick Emmanwori. He led South Carolina with 83 tackles and returned two of his four picks for touchdowns.

Without Bryant (54 receptions, 984 yards, 10 TDs) to serve as Altmyer’s go-to guy, the Illini will rely on Zakhari Franklin (51 catches, 613 yards, three scores) to keep drives going. Illinois split its rushing workload between the speedy Aidan Laughery (522 yards, four TDs) and the stout Josh McCray (495 yards, eight scores).

South Carolina doesn’t expect to have its leading rusher available. Second-team all-SEC running back Raheim Sanders (881 yards, 11 TDs) announced on social media his intent to enter the NFL Draft.

That puts more on Sellers’ plate, but he’s facing an Illini defense that allowed 59 points across its season-ending wins at Rutgers and against Northwestern. Illinois also surrendered 35 points in the first half against top-ranked Oregon during its visit to the West Coast on Oct. 26.

–Field Level Media