(WTVY) – A former Enterprise Wildcat showed out in elite fashion on the gridiron on Tuesday afternoon to help the No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini earn a major bowl game victory over SEC side and No. 15-ranked South Carolina.
Junior running back Josh McCray was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl thanks to a standout performance that included 13 carries for a career-high 114 yards and two big second-half touchdowns on the ground that helped the Illini take the lead and ultimately secure the 21-17 win over the Gamecocks at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
McCray, who was a two-time All-State player at Enterprise and committed to the Illini in 2021 as a three-star recruit, finishes his 2024 season for Illinois with 117 carries for 609 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Tuesday’s performance pushed McCray over 1,300 career rushing yards to 1,370 to go along with 14 touchdowns.
The bowl victory for the Bret Bielema-led Fighting Illini is their first since 2011 and also gives the program its first 10-win season since 2001.
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