Tennessee vs Illinois Prediction and Pick LIBERTY MUTUAL MUSIC CITY BOWL Picks, College Football Picks

During the 2025 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl, which will take place at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, the Tennessee Volunteers will compete against the Illinois Fighting Illini. This postseason showdown is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 30th, 2025, at 5:30 PM, and it will be broadcast on ESPN. The fact that both teams come into this game with identical regular season records of 8-4 demonstrates how competitive they have been throughout the year before this game. As a member of the Southeastern Conference, Tennessee is currently rated 23rd in the Coaches Poll and will be competing in this game tomorrow. They finished the season with a record of 4-1 away from Neyland Stadium, demonstrating that they had a great performance on the road. In their most recent postseason participation, the Volunteers were defeated by Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff. With a record of 6-1 at home, Illinois, which is a member of the Big Ten Conference, has demonstrated its strength. In the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the Fighting Illini were victorious over South Carolina, which marked the conclusion of the previous season. Their potential to compete with a team like Tennessee is demonstrated by the fact that they have maintained a steady performance throughout the season.

Over the course of this season, the Illinois Fighting Illini have demonstrated an offensive game that is well-rounded. In terms of points, they have a total of 352, which places them 47th in the nation. A significant part of their success has been their passing game, which has accumulated 2,869 yards and ranks 54th.

Rushing has been an area in which Illinois has made progress, as evidenced by their 1,599 yards on the ground, which places them in the 93rd position. The squad ranks 43rd in the league with 249 first downs, which indicates that they have a constant ability to move the chains. First downs have also been a major asset for the team.

Illinois’ defensive performance has resulted in a total of 279 points allowed, placing them in the 94th position nationwide. Their pass rush has been effective, as seen by the fact that they have recorded 24 sacks, which places them in 18th position. As a result of their opportunistic secondary, they have a ranking of seventh with six interceptions.

Recovery of fumbles has been a particularly strong point for Illinois, as evidenced by their sixth-place ranking with nine recoveries. As a result, this indicates their capacity to take advantage of the errors committed by their opponents and generate additional possessions for their attack.

Luke Altmyer, the Illini’s quarterback, has been a driving force; his 2,811 throwing yards rank 34th nationally. He has been a driving force for the Illini. At the same time as he has maintained a solid presence in the pocket, he has thrown 21 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.

In the running game, Kaden Feagin and Ca’Lil Valentine have accumulated more over one thousand yards on the ground between them. Both the offensive onslaught and the defense have been kept guessing thanks to their contributions, which have been important in maintaining a balance.

In terms of points scored, Tennessee’s offensive squad is a formidable opponent, as they have a total of 489 points, which places them seventh in the nation. Their passing offense is especially impressive, as they currently rank fifth with 3,686 yards completed. As a result of their powerful passing assault, they have accomplished 310 first downs, which places them in fourth place in this area.

Despite the fact that it is not as dominant as the passing game, the running game still makes a considerable contribution, ranking 46th with 2,152 rushing yards. The fact that they possess such a wide range of offensive powers makes them a formidable adversary for any defense. The ability of the Volunteers to score has been consistent, as demonstrated by their victory over Florida by a score of 31-11, in which they outgained the Gators on the ground by more than 100 yards.

Tennessee’s defense has been a cause for concern, despite the fact that the offense has been quite strong. They have allowed 345 points, which places them 123rd in the nation. On the other hand, the Volunteers have been successful in putting pressure on quarterbacks, as they have ranked seventh with 35 sacks. Additionally, their defensive unit has been opportunistic, as seen by the fact that they have recovered ten fumbles and secured ten interceptions, respective rankings of fifth and eleventh.

The recent defeat they suffered at the hands of Vanderbilt, in which they conceded 45 points, demonstrates the importance of making defensive adjustments. In order for the Volunteers to make the most of their offensive capabilities in the upcoming games, they will need to strengthen their defense.

Joey Aguilar is the quarterback that stands out as the most successful for Tennessee. He has accumulated 3,444 throwing yards, which places him first on the squad and seventh in the league. The 24 touchdown touchdowns that Aguilar has thrown have been a significant contributor to Tennessee’s offensive success. The team’s rushing attempts have been led by DeSean Bishop, who has rushed for 983 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Bishop has been the primary threat on the ground through his performance.

Chris Brazzell II is the leader in the receiving corps when it comes to receiving yards with 1,017 and touchdowns with nine. The performance of Brazzell, in conjunction with Braylon Staley’s 806 yards and six touchdowns, provides Aguilar with dependable targets downfield. These guys are essential to Tennessee’s game plan and will play a significant role in the games that they have coming up.

In their most recent matches, Tennessee has demonstrated a remarkable level of resilience, as evidenced by their victories over Florida and New Mexico State. Over the course of their game against Florida, in which they dominated both the passing game and the running game, their offensive diversity was on full display. Their defensive shortcomings, on the other hand, were readily apparent in the defeats they suffered at the hands of Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, where they allowed 45 and 33 points, respectively.

Tennessee’s defense has a difficult time containing high-scoring teams, which is shown in their performances, which indicate that the club relies on their offense to outscore its opponents. Taking action to address these defensive deficiencies will be absolutely necessary for Tennessee if they wish to keep their winning record.

After finishing the regular season with an 8-4 record, the Tennessee Volunteers enter the Music City Bowl ranked 23rd. They have reached this point in the season. Their defensive performance has been less spectacular, as they have allowed 345 points and are ranked 123rd in the nation. This is despite the fact that they have scored 489 points and are ranked seventh in the nation. It is possible that this inconsistency in defense may have an effect, but it is also possible that Tennessee will not completely take over the scoring responsibility.

Another team that concluded the regular season with an 8-4 record was Illinois, which finished with the same record. Their recent victory over Northwestern, which was a close contest, by a score of 20-13, exemplifies their defensive capabilities. Their defense ranks 94th due to the fact that they have only allowed 279 points throughout the entire season. This could be a factor in keeping the game close and low-scoring against Tennessee.

Both teams have not been able to consistently meet the total points line of 61.5 throughout the course of their games this season. The total points line is set at 61.5. Taking into account Illinois’ recent performance as well as the fact that Nissan Stadium is located outside, the conditions may slow down the speed of the game even further, which would lend credibility to the argument that the game would end with fewer points scored.

In light of these considerations, the forecast is skewed toward a result that is lower than the total, with a preliminary score of Tennessee 28 and Illinois 21 being projected as the final score.

✅ Our Tennessee vs Illinois Prediction: Tennessee

 

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