The Fighting Illini (8-4) are headed to Tampa, Florida to face Mississippi State (8-4) from the SEC in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Kickoff is set for 12 pm ET on January 2, 2023 at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game is televised on ESPN2.

Orange and Blue News previews the game, including players to watch and a prediction.

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LINKS: ILLINOIS ROSTER | DEPTH CHART | SCHEDULE | GAME NOTES | STATS

RELATED: RELIAQUEST BOWL CENTRAL | KEYS TO THE GAME | GET TO KNOW MUS | RELIQUEST BOWL A JUMP START FOR 2023

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2023 RELIAQUEST BOWL

ILLINOIS (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4, 4-4 SEC)

Jan. 2, 2023 // 11 a.m. CT / 12 p.m. ET // ESPN2 Raymond James Stadium // Tampa, Fla.

TELEVISION BROADCAST The 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl will be nationally televised on ESPN2. The game will be streamed live via ESPN Plus. Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Tiffany Blackmon (reporter) have the call.

RADIO BROADCAST The Fighting Illini Sports Network will carry the radio broadcast with its pregame show beginning at 10 a.m. CT. The broadcast can be heard on the 55 stations on the Illini Sports Network. Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Martin O’Donnell (analyst), Michael Martin (sideline), and Steve Kelly (pregame/halftime/postgame) have the call. The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, SiriusXM, SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com.

Mississippi State and Illinois last met in 1980, a 28-21 Bulldog victory, and the two have never played one another in the postseason. The Bulldogs are 1-1 against the Fighting Illini in the all-time series with both meetings coming in Champaign.

Illinois had its first 8-win season since the Rose Bowl team in 2007 went 9-4. Illinois finished 5-4 in the Big Ten, the Illini’s first finish above .500 in the Big Ten since the 2007 team went 6-2.

Illinois ranked in the top 10 in 17 major defensive categories during the regular season: 1st in the nation in interceptions (22), 1st in passing efficiency defense (89.8), 1st in passing touchdowns allowed (8), 1st in yards per pass attempt (5.4), 1st in takeaways (30),

Three top Illinois players will not play in the bowl game. Running back Chase Brown, safety Sydney Brown, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon all opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft.

Illinois is short three coaches. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters accepted the head coaching position at Purdue. Outside linebacker coach Kevin Kane and running backs coach Cory Patterson left to join Walters' staff in West Lafayette.

Former defensive coordinator Zach Arnett was named Mississippi State's 35th head football coach on Dec. 15, following the sudden passing of Mike Leach. Arnett will make his head coaching debut on Jan. 2 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

TOMMY DEVITO, QUARTERBACK. With the running game short handed, Illinois could turn to the short passing game. DeVito is playing in his last game in the Illinois uniform, and he needs to be solid.

JOSH MCCRAY, RUNNING BACK. McCray is healthy for the bowl game and he should be he featured back with Brown sitting out. Reggie Love should also get a healthy dose of carries and we may see one of more of the freshmen.

ISAIAH WILLIAMS, WIDE RECEIVER. Williams can match the athleticism that MSU has in the back end of its defense. He can also augment the running game in the absence of Brown with jet sweeps and other designed runs.

JERZHAN NEWTON, DEFENSIVE TACKLE. Getting pressure on MSU quarterback Will Rogers up the middle is a key for the Illinois defense. Newton is the Illini's top inside passer rusher, along with Keith Randoph.

JARTAVIUS MARTIN, DEFENSIVE BACK. Martin and free safety Kendall Smith are the only regular starters available for the bowl game. He can play multiple positions, including the cornerback spot vacated by Witherspoon.

WILL ROGERS, QUARTERBACK. Rogers needs two passing touchdowns to tie his own school record set last year (36). Rogers has also broken Dak Prescott's school record this season with 30 career 200-yard passing games. With 287 passing yards, Rogers would become the first QB in SEC history with multiple 4,000-yard passing seasons (4,739 in 2021).

EMMANUEL FORBES, DEFENSIVE BACK. An-All SEC cornerback this season as a junior, Forbes declared for the NFL Draft but will play in the bowl game. Forbes intercepted six passes this season to bring his career total in three seasons to 14. Of those interceptions, six have been returned for a touchdown − an FBS record.

NATHANIEL WATSON, LINEBACKER. Watson is the top tackler in the SEC. He has led MSU in tackles in seven games and led the SEC with 108 stops this season, which ranks 28th nationally. He now has 10 career double-digit tackle games, which is tied for the sixth-most by a Bulldog since 1988.

JETT JOHNSON, LINEBACKER. Johnson has led MSU in tackles in six games and is second on the team with 103 stops this season, which is tied for third in the SEC. Johnson posted a career-best 13 tackles against Memphis (Sept. 3), and he has five double-digit tackle games this season and seven in his career.

LIDEATRICK GRIFFIN, WIDE RECEVIER / KR. griffin leads the nation in yards per kick return (32.3). Griffin's career average (33.3) is tops among active FBS players and would exceed the school record by 6.6 yards.

This is a difficult matchup for Illinois and major challenge for a depleted Illinois secondary. Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers puts the ball in the air nearly 50 times per games. There could be a lot of points put on the board, and a shootout doesn't favor Illinois.

The Bulldogs put together long drives with its short passing game. Illinois has been able to wear teams down this season, but the tables are turned against Mississippi State. The Illini can slow them down if they can get pressure on Rogers, but the stage is set for him to have a big day.

The Illinois running game vs. the physical and fast Mississippi State linebackers also favors the Bulldogs. Without Brown, Illinois is more of a power running team. If you can't make the MSU LB's miss, they swallow you up.

Mississippi 31 Illinois 20

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The Illini Guardians is using the collective power of the Illini Nation to keep our University of Illinois teams thriving! Go to IlliniGuardians.com or click on the promo below and subscribe today!

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