Following the conference championship games and the conclusion of the college football regular season, the final rankings and bowl games have been announced.

On January 2nd, Illinois and Mississippi State will go head-to-head in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Formerly the Outback Bowl, the game will be hosted at Raymond James Stadium, in Tampa, Florida.

Mississippi State is coming off a 8-4 season, capped with a win over their rival, Ole Miss, in the Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs had somewhat of an up and down season, taking their losses to LSU, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia, some of the top teams in the SEC.

Similar to Mississippi State, Illinois is coming off a rollercoaster of a season, resulting in an 8-4 record. Illinois was 7-1 entering the month of November, but rattled off three straight losses to Michigan State, Purdue, and Michigan. Illinois bounced back in their final game of the season, with a 41-3 win over Northwestern.

Both programs will be looking to cap off their seasons with a win in the ReliaQuest Bowl, hopefully sending their team into the offseason on a high note.

The ReliaQuest Bowl kicks off at noon and will be televised live on ESPN2

Photo credit: Mississippi State Athletics(cover). Cameron Robertson/FAAZ Sports(gallery)