Tennessee and Illinois meet in the Music City Bowl

By Canadian Press on December 8, 2025.

Illinois (8-4) vs. Tennessee (8-4), Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: Tennessee by 5.5. Against the spread: Tennessee 5-7, Illinois 6-4-1.

How to watch: ESPN

Key stats

Tennessee Offense

Overall: 482.0 yards per game (4th in FBS)

Passing: 307.2 yards per game (5th)

Rushing: 174.8 yards per game (50th)

Scoring: 40.8 points per game (7th)

Tennessee Defense

Overall: 395.5 yards per game (88th in FBS)

Passing: 249.3 yards per game (115th)

Rushing: 146.3 yards per game (62nd)

Scoring: 28.8 points per game (92nd)

Illinois Offense

Overall: 370.3 yards per game (82nd in FBS)

Passing: 239.1 yards per game (58th)

Rushing: 131.2 yards per game (100th)

Scoring: 29.3 points per game (55th)

Illinois Defense

Overall: 350.7 yards per game (50th in FBS)

Passing: 226.5 yards per game (80th)

Rushing: 124.2 yards per game (35th)

Scoring: 23.3 points per game (56th)

Illinois ranks 122nd in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 44.7% of the time. Tennessee ranks 9th on offense, converting on 50.3% of third downs.

Tennessee ranks 76th in the FBS averaging 55.6 penalty yards per game, compared to Illinois’ 21st-ranked 41.1 per-game average.

Tennessee ranks 128th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 27:24, compared to Illinois’ 50th-ranked average of 30:30.

Team leaders

Tennessee

Passing: Joey Aguilar, 3,444 yards, 24 TDs, 10 INTs, 66.8 completion percentage

Rushing: DeSean Bishop, 983 yards on 163 carries, 14 TDs

Receiving: Chris Brazzell II, 1,017 yards on 62 catches, 9 TDs

Illinois

Passing: Luke Altmyer, 2,811 yards, 21 TDs, 5 INTs, 68.1 completion percentage

Rushing: Ca’Lil Valentine, 549 yards on 123 carries, 4 TDs

Receiving: Hank Beatty, 826 yards on 64 catches, 3 TDs

Last game

Tennessee lost 45-24 to Vanderbilt on Saturday, Nov. 29. Aguilar threw for 299 yards on 29-of-44 attempts (65.9%) with one touchdown and no interceptions. Bishop carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards and scored two touchdowns, adding one reception for six yards. Brazzell recorded 91 yards on six catches with one touchdown.

Illinois defeated Northwestern 20-13 on Saturday, Nov. 29. Altmyer led Illinois with 136 yards on 10-of-15 passing (66.7%) for no touchdowns and no interceptions. Valentine carried the ball 14 times for 74 yards and scored one touchdown. Collin Dixon put up 53 yards on two catches.

The Associated Press