by Rod Pearson
Monday, Dec 30, 2024
Game Time: 3:00 pm ET, Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Venue: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Where to Watch: ABC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: South Carolina -10, Illinois +10; Over/Under: 49.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: South Carolina -10, Illinois +10; Over/Under: 49 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: South Carolina -10, Illinois +10; Over/Under: 49.5 points
Season Record
South Carolina Gamecocks: 9-3 (5-3) (6th place, SEC)
Illinois Fighting Illini: 9-3 (6-3) (5th place, Big Ten)
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Recent Form
South Carolina Gamecocks: won their last game on the road against the Clemson Tigers 17-14.
Illinois Fighting Illini: won their last game on the road against the Northwestern Wildcats 38-28.
South Carolina Gamecocks vs Illinois Fighting Illini Preview and Analysis
South Carolina is entering this game with a 9-3 record overall and they have a 5-3 record in their conference games too. They are 5-2 in their home games, 4-1 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against Clemson 17-14. LaNorris Sellers was the starting QB and he completed 13/21 passes for 164 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. LaNorris Sellers led the team in rushing yards with 166 and 2 TDs. Nyck Harbor led the receivers with 51 receiving yards on 3 receptions. Demetrius Knight II led the defense in that game with 8 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles while Bam Martin-Scott led the defense in sacks with 1. Demetrius Knight II came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Illinois is entering this game with a 9-3 record overall and they have a 6-3 record in their conference games too. They are 6-1 in their home games, 3-2 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against Northwestern 38-28. Luke Altmyer was the starting QB and he completed 10/17 passes for 170 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Aidan Laughery led the team in rushing yards with 172 and 3 TDs. Pat Bryant led the receivers with 70 receiving yards on 4 receptions and 1 TD. Jaheim Clarke led the defense in that game with 8 solo tackles and 4 assisted tackles while Malachi Hood led the defense in sacks with 2. Xavier Scott and Torrie Cox Jr. each came away with 1 interception for them in that one.
South Carolina vs Illinois Prediction
The current betting odds have Illinois listed as a 10 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Illinois has looked good in their games this season with their 9-3 record overall and their 6-3 conference record which has them right near the top of the Big Ten. They have looked really good against some good teams this season and they also have a solid defense that hasn't been giving up many points. Meanwhile, South Carolina has also looked really good in their games this season with their 9-3 record overall and their 5-3 conference record which has them right near the top of the SEC. They ended the regular season with a 17-14 road win over Clemson, the ACC Champions, and they looked really good over the last month of the season. They also have a really good defense that hasn't been giving up many points in their games, but their offense has struggled at times to put up points. They struggled in their last one against Clemson and they have had a few games this season where they just couldn't get a rhythm on offense. Illinois has a solid defense that has kept them in a lot of games and they also have an offense that has been finding ways to score all season so this is a lot of points for South Carolina against a good defensive team. The best way to place a bet here is on Illinois to cover the spread in this game.
South Carolina Illinois Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Tuesday, December 31, 2024 (3:00 pm ET start time) is South Carolina 20 Illinois 17.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this South Carolina Gamecocks Illinois Fighting Illini prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NCAAF predictions and previews.
NCAAF Betting Trends
South Carolina Gamecocks: 6-11 1H ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56. 5-8 1H ATS in non-conference games. 4-1 OVER after a bye week. 5-1 OVER off a road win. 10-3 OVER after playing their last game on the road. 7-4 OVER when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 75%).
Illinois Fighting Illini: 6-1 ATS vs. good passing teams averaging 8 or more passing yards/att. 6-1 ATS when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 75%). 7-1 ATS versus good offensive teams - averaging 5.9 yards/play or more. 5-1 1H OVER when the total is between 49.5 and 56. 5-1 1H OVER after a bye week. 13-7 1H OVER after 1 or more consecutive straight up wins.
Key Injuries
South Carolina Gamecocks: B. Hunt (TE) Out - Lower Leg. V. Jacobs (WR) Probable - Hamstring. M. Smith (TE) Questionable - Upper Body. J. Moore (OL) Questionable - Undisclosed. M. Fuller (RB) Questionable - Undisclosed. N. Barrett (DT) Questionable - Undisclosed.
Illinois Fighting Illini: F. Pinton (K/P) Out - Undisclosed. K. Odeluga (LB) Questionable - Undisclosed. M. Elzy (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. S. Coleman (OLB) Questionable - Undisclosed. K. Patterson (DB) Questionable - Undisclosed. T. Rooks (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. D. Rosiek (LB) Out - Leg. K. Feagin (RB) Out - Undisclosed. A. Hollins (WR) Out - Undisclosed. M. Muragin (OLB) Out - Undisclosed. C. Rusk (TE) Out - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country.” - Shane Beamer after his team’s win against Clemson in their regular season finale.
“I thought today would be a day that could happen. Today some of those turned into big home run hits we've kind of been waiting on all year.” - Bret Bielema after his team’s win against NW in their regular season finale.
Starting Lineups
South Carolina Gamecocks
WR Harbor, Nyck
WR Larvadain, Gage
WR Bennett Jr., Mazeo
TE Simon, Joshua
TE Hunt, Brady
QB Sellers, LaNorris
RB Sanders, Raheim
Illinois Fighting Illini
WR Franklin, Zakhari
WR Dixon, Collin
WR Beatty, Hank
TE Arkin, Tanner
QB Altmyer, Luke
RB Laughery, Aidan
Statistical Leaders
South Carolina Gamecocks
Passing: L. Sellers (2287)
Rushing: R. Sanders (881)
Receiving: J. Simon (450)
Touchdowns: R. Sanders (13)
Illinois Fighting Illini
Passing: L. Altmyer (2543)
Rushing: A. Laughery (522)
Receiving: P. Bryant (984)
Touchdowns: P. Bryant (10)
Coaches:
South Carolina Gamecocks: Shane Beamer (4th season)
Illinois Fighting Illini: Bret Bielema (4th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
