Illinois Football Bowl Projections: Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss Are Possible Foes

If the Illini beat Rutgers and Northwestern the next two weekends, to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando they'll likely go

Nov 16, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) runs with the ball after a catch during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

At 7-3 and ranked No. 24 in the country, Illinois has an opportunity to raise the bar this season.

Winning eight games would tie the 2022 Illini team's mark, representative of the best season since 2007. Winning nine games would tie the record of that 2007 team that went to the Rose Bowl in the high point of former coach Ron Zook's up-and-down tenure.

Winning 10 can happen, too, though it might be a long shot. The 2001 Sugar Bowl team won 10, and this team will do the same as long as it wins out – at Rutgers on Saturday (as a 1.5-point underdog), against Northwestern at Wrigley Field and in an eventual bowl game – which will be quite difficult.

Most wins at Memorial Stadium in a season since 2001.#Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/2Feimf1SwB

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) November 16, 2024

Rutgers and Northwestern are one thing. A potential bowl matchup against an SEC power – which most of the national forecasts are projecting as of Week 13 – would be a different animal entirely.

It seems clear that if the Illini do beat both Rutgers and Northwestern, their reward will be an SEC foe that came close to – but just missed – reaching the College Football Playoff. Let’s look at what’s being projected:

Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31: Overwhelmingly, this is the most commonly predicted destination for the Illini. The Action Network's Brett McMurphy, USA Today's Erick Smith and 247 Sports' Brad Crawford all have them going to the Citrus to face Tennessee. ESPN's Mark Schlabach has the Illini in the Citrus against Texas A&M, CBS Sports' Jerry Palm has them there against Ole Miss, and College Football News' has them there against Texas. Yikes all around.

ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, Florida, Dec. 31: Perhaps anticipating the Illini will lose one of their last two regular-season games, ESPN's Kyle Bonagura has them penciled into this one against South Carolina, which isn't one of the top teams in the SEC but has been far better than expected.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Football Makes AP Top 25 Return Entering Game vs. Rutgers

Big Ten Football Week 13 Power Rankings: Illinois, Rutgers Rising as Saturday Clash Nears

Illinois Football Week 12 Grades: Report Card vs. Michigan State