When Illinois takes the field against Tennessee in the 2025 Music City Bowl on Tuesday, they’ll be looking to make a little history-back-to-back bowl wins for the first time since 2010-11. But to get there, they’ll have to outlast a Tennessee team that, while favored, is walking into this matchup with some major personnel gaps and a defense in transition.
Let’s break down what’s at stake and what it’ll take for the Illini to come out on top.
Tennessee’s Talent Drain
Tennessee is still the betting favorite, but they’re not coming in at full strength. The Vols will be without their top wide receiver, Chris Brazzell, who racked up over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns this season before opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. That’s a major loss for quarterback Joey Aguilar, who now has to lean more heavily on his other playmakers.
And the hits don’t stop on offense. Defensively, Tennessee has been rocked by key departures.
Edge rusher Joshua Jacobs-who led the team in sacks and is projected as a late first-round pick-is out. So is Colton Hood, a Third-Team All-SEC cornerback, and Arion Carter, the team’s leading tackler and a Second-Team All-SEC linebacker.
To make things even more complicated, the Vols will be operating under an interim defensive coordinator after head coach Josh Heupel fired Tim Banks earlier this month. Jim Knowles, recently hired from Penn State, won’t take over until 2026. So Tennessee’s defense will be adjusting on the fly.
Illinois Has Its Own Challenges
Illinois isn't walking in with a clean bill of health either. They’ll be without offensive tackle JC Davis, edge rusher Gabe Jacas, and safety Matthew Bailey, who’s recovering from shoulder surgery. That said, the Illini are in a position to capitalize on Tennessee’s instability-if they execute.
So how do they do that? By being a **P.O.E.T.
** No, not literally writing verses, but playing with Pass rush, Opportunism, Efficiency, and Tenacity. Let’s dig into each.
P: Pass Rush
The Illini defense has to make Joey Aguilar uncomfortable. Sure, Brazzell is out, but Aguilar still has weapons.
Staley Braylon leads the team in receptions and is second in yards and touchdowns. Mike Matthews is another target to watch-he’s got 770 yards and four scores on the year.
That means Illinois can’t afford to let Aguilar settle in and find a rhythm. The pass rush has to be disruptive, even with their top sack artist unavailable.
Joe Barna will be the next man up, and Daniel Brown should see increased snaps, but this is also a moment for Leon Lowery and Alec Bryant to step up. If they can collapse the pocket and force Aguilar into quick decisions, it could tilt the field in Illinois’s favor.
O: Opportunistic
Turnovers are always game-changers, but in bowl games-where momentum swings can be amplified-they’re even more critical. Illinois needs to turn takeaways into points.
Recover a fumble? Punch it in.
Pick off a pass? Make it count.
These are the moments that can deflate a team and silence a stadium.
They’ll also need to take advantage of Tennessee’s young secondary and the lack of continuity on defense. With an interim coordinator and several new faces on the field, there will be soft spots in coverage. Illinois has to find and exploit them-whether that’s through pre-snap reads or in-game adjustments.
E: Efficiency, Elimination of Mistakes, Effort
This one’s a triple threat.
Efficiency starts with quarterback Luke Altmyer, who’s shown he can manage the offense and make smart decisions. But it has to extend to the rest of the unit-receivers running clean routes, backs hitting holes decisively, and linemen avoiding penalties.
Which brings us to Elimination of mistakes. You can’t drive 60 yards downfield and then kill the momentum with back-to-back holding penalties.
And defensively, you can’t force third-and-long only to give up a free first down on a late hit or pass interference. These are the kinds of miscues that can swing a close game.
And finally, Effort. This has to be a full 60-minute performance.
No coasting with a lead, and no panic if they fall behind. Bowl games are often won by the team that keeps grinding when the other starts looking at the clock.
T: Tenacity
Tenacity is about more than just effort-it’s about mindset. Illinois has to be the aggressor from the opening whistle. That means setting the tone physically, staying aggressive on both sides of the ball, and responding to adversity without blinking.
Tennessee is a talented team, even with the opt-outs. But if Illinois comes out swinging and keeps the pressure on, they can dictate the pace of the game. Whether it’s a big hit on defense, a gutsy fourth-down call, or a long touchdown drive, the Illini need to be the team that keeps throwing punches-not waiting to counter.
The Opportunity Ahead
This is more than just a bowl game-it’s a chance for Illinois to make a statement. A win would give them back-to-back bowl victories for only the second time in program history. And they’ve got a real shot, especially with Tennessee’s roster in flux.
But it won’t come easy. It’ll take a full-team effort, smart execution, and the kind of edge that turns good teams into winners. If Illinois can play like a P.O.E.T.-with Pass rush, Opportunism, Efficiency, and Tenacity-they just might walk out of Nashville with a trophy and a little piece of history.