Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer was confident. Kicker David Olano knew.
The Fighting Illini duo didn’t blink after losing their touchdown lead late in the Music City Bowl, thanks to a 94-yard kickoff return by Tennessee freshman Joakim Dodson.
Altmyer drove Illinois 64 yards with less than five minutes left, and Olano nailed a 29-yard field goal as time expired, lifting them past the Volunteers 30-28.
“It’s not confidence; I just know,” Olano said of Altmyer. “He’s done it for three years now … I knew when we had enough time and Luke had enough time to get us down there. He’s one of the best, if not the best in the country – in the conference as well – to be in that situation.”
Altmyer started and Olano ended their go-ahead trek. But not before Dodson returned a long kick on a bobble for a 28-27 lead.
The quarterback bookended runs of seven yards between Aidan Laughery’s 28-yard burst toward the home sideline. Jordan Anderson broke free for a 13-yard gain on fourth-and-one. Laughery and Kaden Feagin took them to the 6-yard line to set up Olano’s kick.
“He’s the best in conference,” Altmyer added of Olano, who was set up by his quarterback for a 41-yard game-winner against USC back in September. “One of the best in the country, statistically.
“He’s been money all year long, and I’m thinking about that throughout the drive: You know, where do we need to get to where he feels comfortable?”
Illinois went away from Olano through the first half of Tuesday’s game at Nissan Stadium, instead opting for a pair of failed fourth-down conversions inside Tennessee’s 35-yard line.
Mistakes compounded for both teams to start. Bret Bielema’s offensive line committed four false start penalties in its first two series on top of the fourth-down snafus.
Conversely, the Volunteers were flagged for three personal fouls and whiffed inside the red zone in the first half. They allowed a strip sack for a touchdown afterward.
“We didn’t play clean enough in any phase of the game to get a win,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said.
After Braylon Staley and DeSean Bishop hit seasonlong milestones – the former resetting the school’s freshman reception mark and Bishop rushing for 1,000 yards on the year – quarterback Joey Aguilar rushed in from seven yards to cap a long opening series for the Vols.
Facing a shorthanded defense due to injuries and opt-outs, Illinois marched downfield for its first two drives and scored on the second as Altmyer hit Justin Bowick for an 18-yard touchdown.
The Illini worked quickly to the 30-yard line on their third possession. But Tennessee’s defense produced a second fourth-down stop after Altmyer’s shovel pass fell incomplete.
Aguilar then threw high for Staley and Max Gilbert missed a 39-yard field goal just outside the red zone.
Tennessee stiffened again defensively before a 30-yard kick from Olano gave Illinois a 10-7 halftime lead.
The Volunteers squandered their first series of the second half. Aguilar was sacked for a fumble on the second. He lost the ball behind the 20-yard line after being hit by Joe Barna, and Leon Lowery, Jr. recovered the fumble in the end zone for an Illini touchdown.
Tennessee marched 75 yards in nine plays in response. It needed a fourth-and-goal run from the 1-yard line by Bishop but clawed back within 17-14.
The Vols defense allowed running lanes to Altmyer and Laughery, who racked up 43 rushing yards including a keeper for six by the quarterback on the next series.
Bishop took seven more carries eventually to the end zone, with his 12-yard run continuing to keep things in range. The secondary bent but didn’t break once more, and it set up a go-ahead possession with more than five minutes remaining after an Olano field goal from 28 yards.
That is, until Dodson’s return. It was the first kickoff for a touchdown by a Tennessee player since 2021.
“The ball hit the ground. They got around our right edge, I knew there was some leakage there in the middle and their guy created a play,” Bielema said.
“Hey, you’re playing a team with a lot of good players, but it’s not that act that’s gonna end us. It’s gonna be our reaction, and then obviously our offense went out and did that very, very well.”
Altmyer outdueled Aguilar in what was believed to be their final college game. The second-year transfer from Ole Miss was named the bowl game’s Most Valuable Player and went 20-of-33 passing for 196 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 54 yards and a score, backing the Illini’s 221 rushing yards as a team.
Without his top target in Chris Brazzell II, Aguilar completed 14-of-18 passes but only for 121 yards with a fumble and the early rushing score.
Tennessee’s offense was condensed to a season-low 278 yards.
“We just didn’t get it done in the end – offense, defense, special teams, coaches, all together,” Heupel said. “…I challenged our guys that obviously everybody’s disappointed, but this has gotta be something you take with you through the offseason and help use it as motivation.”
