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Illinois Football Bowl Projections: Potential Matchups With Alabama, LSU, Tennessee

The Illini, who have Minnesota up next, have the Citrus Bowl and Music City Bowl among possible destinations
Steven Greenberg|
Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema watches the game against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema watches the game against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniLSU TigersTennessee VolunteersAlabama Crimson TideLouisville CardinalsArkansas RazorbacksSouth Carolina Gamecocks

At 6-2 overall after a rough 38-9 loss at top-ranked Oregon, No. 24 Illinois is in a five-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten at 3-2. That means the list of postseason possibilities is long.

But the Illini remain in a great position to end up high in the standings of a sprawling, 18-team conference. They have four November games – Saturday against Minnesota (11 a.m. CT, FS1) at home, two weeks later against Michigan State at home, at Rutgers and against Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago – and will be favored in each of them. Going 7-2 in league play would separate them from the pack in dramatic fashion.

In Week 10, the Big Ten has Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State pegged for the College Football Playoff in nearly all projections. Indiana is 8-0 and deep in the mix, too. The Big Ten’s non-playoff bowl ties: the Citrus (vs. the SEC), ReliaQuest (SEC), Duke’s Mayo (ACC), Music City (SEC), Pinstripe (ACC), Guaranteed Rate (Big 12) and Quick Lane (MAC).

Here’s where some of the leading prognosticators have the Illini pegged right now:

Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31: This is where ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and 247 Sports’ Brad Crawford have the Illini headed. And the opponents? Wow. Schlabach predicts it will be LSU, Bonagura predicts Tennessee, and Crawford goes with mighty Alabama. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Easy for us to say.

Music City Bowl, Nashville, Tennessee, Dec. 30: CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm projects an Illinois-Arkansas matchup, and College Football News has it Illinois-South Carolina.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Charlotte, North Carolina, Jan. 3: The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy has the Illini facing Louisville in a reunion with Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm, who was 5-1 against Illinois at Purdue.

ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, Florida, Dec. 31: Illinois vs. LSU, anyone? That’s how USA Today’s Erick Smith has it.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Can Illinois Football Win 10 Games? Here's a Better Question ...

Illinois Football vs. Minnesota: Illini's Quest for 10 Wins Gets Real This Week

Big Ten Football Week 10 Power Rankings: Oregon Soars, Illinois Tops ‘Others’

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Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Greenberg is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s. He covered University of Wisconsin football and basketball in the early 1990s before spending nearly 20 years as a magazine editor and writer. A former managing editor, features writer and college football columnist for The Sporting News, he has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Bleacher Report and joined the Sun-Times in 2013.

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