Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar is suiting up one more time.
The senior signal caller confirmed Tuesday that he’ll play in the upcoming Music City Bowl against Illinois, giving the Volunteers one last ride with the quarterback who’s started every game this season. While Aguilar isn’t projected to be an NFL draft pick, his decision to play isn’t just about draft stock-it's about finishing what he started.
“It’s a game and I’m blessed to go out and play it one more time,” Aguilar told local reporters. “If it’s my last game or not, I’m excited to go out there with this team one more time.
Grateful for the coaches and program and community for accepting me this year. Just one more time to go out there and show out.”
And “show out” is exactly what Aguilar has done for much of the year. In his first-and likely only-season with Tennessee after transferring from Appalachian State, the Antioch, California native threw for 3,444 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 258-of-356 passing.
That’s a 72.5% completion rate across 12 regular season starts. While he didn’t do much damage on the ground, he still chipped in 104 rushing yards and three scores with his legs.
Aguilar’s arm was the centerpiece of Tennessee’s offense, and he delivered some of his best performances against SEC competition. He topped 300 passing yards in four conference games-against Georgia, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Oklahoma-proving he could go toe-to-toe with some of the toughest defenses in the country.
Still, ball security was a lingering issue. Turnovers were a concern when Aguilar arrived in Knoxville, and while he cleaned things up for stretches, the problem never fully disappeared. He had four games this season with multiple interceptions, a stat that underscores both his aggressive play style and the occasional risk that came with it.
With the NCAA’s current eligibility rules, Aguilar is expected to be done with college football after this bowl game-unless there’s a change regarding junior college players, which remains uncertain. That leaves Tennessee with a big question mark at quarterback heading into 2026.
Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and true freshman George MacIntyre are both expected to return, giving the Vols two young options already in the building. And just two weeks ago, Tennessee added five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon during the early signing period, a move that signals the future at the position is already taking shape.
But don’t be surprised if Tennessee dips into the transfer portal again. With Aguilar on his way out, the Vols could look to bring in another veteran presence to stabilize the offense while their young quarterbacks continue to develop. It’s a balancing act-building for the future while staying competitive now-and Josh Heupel’s staff will have some key decisions to make in the coming weeks.
As for the immediate future, Tennessee is currently a 2.5-point favorite over Illinois in the Music City Bowl, with the over/under set at 60.5. The game kicks off Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. ET at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Aguilar’s final game in orange and white may not come with national championship implications, but don’t underestimate the moment. For a quarterback who stepped in, stepped up, and gave Tennessee stability under center, this bowl game is one last chance to lead-and one more opportunity to leave his mark.