The 2019 Redbox Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 30, 2019, with kickoff at 4:00 p.m. EST (1:00 p.m. local PDT) on Fox. It was the 18th and final edition of the Redbox Bowl, though only the second under the current name, and was one of the 2019âÂÂ20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by Redbox, a DVD and video game rental company.
The game was played between the California Golden Bears from the Pac-12 Conference and the Illinois Fighting Illini from the Big Ten Conference. This was the 11th meeting between the programs; Illinois led the all-time series, 7âÂÂ3.
California entered the bowl with a 7âÂÂ5 record (4âÂÂ5 in conference). The Golden Bears finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Pac-12's North Division. They were 1âÂÂ2 against ranked teams, defeating Washington while losing to Oregon and Utah. This was California's second Redbox Bowl; their 2008 team won the then-Emerald Bowl over Miami (FL), 24âÂÂ17.
Illinois entered the bowl with a 6âÂÂ6 record (4âÂÂ5 in conference). The Fighting Illini finished in fourth place of the West Division of the Big Ten. They were also 1âÂÂ2 against ranked teams, defeating Wisconsin while losing to Michigan and Iowa. This was also Illinois' second Redbox Bowl; their 2011 team won the then-Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl over UCLA, 20âÂÂ14.