Considering the Big Ten finish expected of Illinois in the preseason (No. 14 out of 18 teams), a 10-win season culminating in a Citrus Bowl win would seem to make a final-game report card sort of superfluous.

Josh McCray scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to give No. 21 Illinois the lead, and the Illini held on to beat No. 14 South Carolina 21-17 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

It will be easy to forget the final score of Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl — 21-17 Illinois over South Carolina. Yes, No. 20 Illinois (10-3) beat No. 15 USC (9-4), keeping the Gamecocks from winning 10 games for only the fifth time in school history.