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.

The orange helmets depict ivy creeping up the sides and along the top of the navy blue Block I that is on the sides of the helmet. The Illinois vs. Northwestern football game is scheduled to start ...

Personally, I like them. The truth is that there's not a whole lot Illinois can do with its helmet considering their logo is a block I, but this is certainly better than the word Illini on the ...

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.

In other words, what is college football's best helmet? Alabama's vision in crimson red? Notre Dame's golden dome? Michigan's study in blue ... game against Illinois, the Nittany Lions broke ...