The Tennessee Volunteers wrapped up a frustrating 2025 campaign with a narrow 30-28 loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl, closing the season at 8-5. And while the final score stings, the bigger picture is just as sobering: not a single one of those eight wins came against a team that finished the year at .500 or better.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for a program that had higher hopes heading into the year. Tennessee never quite found its rhythm against quality opponents, and Tuesday night’s finale was a fitting, if painful, snapshot of a season defined by missed opportunities and inconsistency.
For quarterback Joey Aguilar, the bowl game may have marked the end of his time in Knoxville. The former Appalachian State transfer stepped into the spotlight this season, throwing for 3,565 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
His numbers were solid, his leadership steady, and his arm gave Tennessee a chance in just about every game. But wins against top-tier competition proved elusive.
Aguilar is pursuing a sixth year of eligibility through a lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s rules for junior college transfers, but he acknowledged after the game that this could very well be the end of his college football journey.
“I just can’t thank Coach, teammates enough for believing in me and trusting me to lead this team,” Aguilar said postgame. “Obviously, there’s a lot I think I could have done better, but it’s been a great year in this short amount of time I’ve been here. Made a lot of relationships with my teammates and coaches that’ll last longer than a 12-game season.
“It goes beyond sports but just super grateful for these guys for believing in me and trusting me to go out there and lead them.”
Aguilar’s words echo the emotional undercurrent of a season that didn’t go according to plan, but still left its mark in other ways. His journey-from junior college to App State to the SEC-wasn’t conventional, but it was full of grit, growth, and leadership. And while the Vols didn’t reach the heights they aimed for, Aguilar’s presence under center gave the program a steady hand during a transitional year.
Now, Tennessee heads into the offseason with questions at quarterback and a clear mandate: figure out how to beat good teams. The Vols have the talent, but consistency and execution against top-tier opponents remain the missing pieces.
As for Aguilar, whether or not he gets another shot in college football, he leaves Knoxville having earned the respect of his teammates and coaches-and having made the most of his one-year stop in orange and white.