On New Year’s Eve, when Illinois takes the field in sunny Orlando, Florida, to face South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl (2 p.m. CT, on ESPN), it will be a day of firsts for Illini football.

It's safe to assume that Illinois, having already celebrated its Rededication Game in October against Michigan, the helmet choice ... turnaround of Illinois football over the past four seasons.

For their 2021 homecoming game against Illinois, the Nittany Lions broke ... The best college football helmet of all time? The gray, scarlet, black, white and occasionally stickered-up helmet ...