SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Brandon Peters is the only Illinois football player to have started in a bowl game. But he made sure to point out that like all of his teammates, he still hasn't won a college postseason game.

“It’s always a blessing to play in a bowl game,” Peters said on Friday. “But in my time at Michigan, we never won a bowl game. So the end goal now is to finally get one under my belt.”

Peters will have that chance in the Redbox Bowl on Monday. The Illini starting quarterback is “ready to go,” Illinois coach Lovie Smith said on Friday.

Peters missed the season finale loss to Northwestern with a concussion. Peters said he passed the protocol the Monday after the loss and has practiced with Illinois (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) the last two weeks in preparation for Monday’s 3 p.m. (FOX) kickoff against California (7-5, 4-5 Pac-12).

“It’s been frustrating for sure, but I feel great,” Peters said. “I’m fully prepared and ready for this game. So, yeah, I feel good.

“I tried everything in my power to play in that Northwestern game, but (team doctors) said no. I was pretty upset about it. But the process was all the same.”

Peters, a graduate transfer from Michigan who came with a recommendation from former Lovie Smith assistant Pep Hamilton, handily won the starting job during training camp. He completed 130 of 238 passes (54.6 percent) for 1,611 yards for 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The other Illini quarterbacks — Matt Robinson and Isaiah Williams — combined to complete 45 of 87 passes for 513 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

“He’s been good for a period of time,” Smith said. “...There’s no lingering effects from his last concussion or anything like that, and he’s ready to go.”

Peters is one of just three Illini players to have played in a bowl game, along with Western Michigan transfer running back Chase Brown and Miami transfer defender Derrick Smith, who is sitting out due to transfer rules.

Like this season, Peters missed the 2017 season finale for Michigan (versus Oho State) after suffering a concussion in the penultimate game of the regular season (at No. 5 Wisconsin). He returned in time for the Outback Bowl and struggled, completing 20 of 44 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions in a 26-19 loss.

“When you come back, you just kinda got to knock off the rust a little bit,” Peters said.

Peters said he doesn’t have any long-term concerns about suffering two concussions this season “because our medical staff, they did it the right way with all their steps that needed to be done. Now, I feel fine. I feel great.”

Illinois was 6-4 this season when Peters started. He also missed the Michigan game after suffering a concussion in the first half against Minnesota.

“Most of the games, I kinda have no idea where the ball is going, I just kinda see him do something crazy and complete it,” Illinois senior running back Reggie Corbin said. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, BP, go crazy!’ But it’s good to have my main guy back. I tell him every day, ‘When in doubt, just hand it off.’ But I have full confidence in him at the wheel of this team. Couldn’t have a better driver.”

Smith did not give specific updates on other injured Illini, including LB Jake Hansen and WR Josh Imatorbhebhe.

"All of our guys who are injured are getting better," Smith said. "We'll just kinda wait up until game time to see exactly who will all for sure be able to go."