COLUMBIA, S.C. — University of South Carolina football will play Illinois in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET.  

The Gamecocks are No. 14 and the Fighting Illini are No. 21 in the polls. Both teams finished the regular season 9-3 overall.

If South Carolina wins this year’s Citrus Bowl, it will become the fifth team in program history to win 10 games.

“We are extremely excited to return to Orlando and play in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl,” said South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. “It’s a great destination for our fans and I look forward to the Garnet & Black taking over Orlando. I know our players will be ready for the challenge of playing Illinois for the first time and looking for our 10th win of the season.”

This year marks the 79th edition of the game, and the fourth time the Gamecocks have made an appearance.  

“The Citrus Bowl is one of the great bowl games and destinations,” said South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “This is a great reward for our players, coaches and football staff for an outstanding season. I know Gamecock Nation will be excited to watch this team compete one more time against an excellent Illinois team coached by Bret Bielema.”

South Carolina has not been to the Citrus Bowl since the end of the 2013 season, when it defeated Wisconsin 34-24.