Three Players to Watch for Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl

If Mississippi State hopes to beat the Fighting Illini in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Bulldogs need to account for a talented rushing attack and an aggressive defense.

The ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, is just three days away, and Mississippi State and Illinois are having fun and working hard ahead of the matchup.

The Bulldogs have bowled, played pool and visited Busch Gardens. The activities outside of football will come to a halt for both teams soon as MSU lines up against a physical Illinois defense that has been one of the top units in the country this season. The Fighting Illini also have an explosive rushing attack, even though talented running back Chase Brown has opted out due to preparations for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Here are three players from Illinois to watch as the Bulldogs and the Fighting Illini battle in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2:

Johnny Newton (DL)

Illinois' defense has been a key component of their success this season, due in part to a solid defensive line. Defensive lineman Johnny Newton leads this talented defense with 13 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks this season, along with 50 quarterback pressures. Newton is also the No. 9 graded defender according to Pro Football Focus.

The talented sophomore also has a plethora of All-American nominations to go along with an impressive 2022 season. Newton is a difference-maker on the gridiron and a player that the Bulldogs will need to account for if they want to find success offensively.

This defensive unit has allowed a third-down conversion percentage of .290 (49 of 169), which ranks eighth in the country. MSU has to flip the script by converting third downs and preventing Newton from reaching quarterback Will Rogers. Winning the battle up-front will be a huge key to victory for MSU.

Tahveon Nicholson (CB)

Illinois also has a talented secondary that pairs well with its solid defensive line. However, the Fighting Illini lost arguably one of the most talented cornerbacks in the country: Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon opted out of the game due to the 2023 NFL Draft, which means Illinois will need cornerback Tahveon Nicholson to step up.

The sophomore defensive back recorded his first career interception, seven pass deflections and 19 total tackles in 2022. The absence of Witherspoon allows Nicholson to step up as CB1 and show off his talent in Tampa.

Nicholson will have plenty of opportunities against MSU's Air Raid offense. Rogers and the Bulldogs' wide receiver corps will have to look out for Nicholson, but the opt-out of Witherspoon could give MSU's offense the advantage in the passing game.

Tommy DeVito (QB)

Illinois' offense took a big hit with the opt-out of running back Chase Brown due to the NFL Draft. Brown led the Big Ten Conference in rushing and ranked fourth in the country with 1,643 rushing yards in 2022. With Brown not participating in the bowl game, the Fighting Illini will turn to quarterback Tommy DeVito to find ways to score against a physical MSU defense.

DeVito leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in completion percentage this season, but he also can be dangerous with his legs. The Illinois signal-caller recorded 70 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns while also throwing for 2,397 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns this season.

The MSU defense has struggled at times when facing mobile quarterbacks, so shutting down DeVito and forcing Illinois to keep everything inside the hashes will be key in this matchup.