NASHVILLE, TN – The 2025 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl will feature Josh Heupel’s Tennessee Volunteers taking on Bret Bielema’s Illinois Fighting Illini from Nashville, TN, on Tuesday night. The game will be played inside the Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium.
After both teams finished the season with 8-4 records, each was selected from its respective conference to play in the Music City Bowl. For Tennessee, it’ll be a home-state game with the Volunteers possessing a huge section of the fanbase in the midstate.
While opt-outs and portal departures are common in today’s day and age, both Tennessee and Illinois will have their starting quarterbacks back at the helm for the game. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar will be the returning signal caller for the Vols and Luke Altmyer will lead the Illini’s offense. Predictions have suggested that this could be a high-scoring game, and these quarterbacks are two big reasons why.
Tennessee (8-4, 4-4 SEC) Season Results:
- Game 1: No. 24 Tennessee (45) vs Syracuse (26) – W [Atlanta]
- Game 2: East Tennessee State (17) at No. 22 Tennessee (72) – W
- Game 3: No. 6 Georgia (44) at No. 15 Tennessee (41) OT – L
- Game 4: UAB (24) at No. 15 Tennessee (56) – W
- Game 5: No. 15 Tennessee (41) at Mississippi State (34) OT – W
- Game 6: Arkansas (31) at No. 12 Tennessee (34) – W
- Game 7: No. 11 Tennessee (20) at No. 6 Alabama (34) – L
- Game 8: No. 17 Tennessee (56) at Kentucky (34) – W
- Game 9: No. 18 Oklahoma (33) at No. 14 Tennessee (27) – L
- Game 10: New Mexico State (9) at No. 23 Tennessee (42) – W
- Game 11: No. 21 Tennessee (31) at Florida (11) – W
- Game 12: No. 14 Vanderbilt (45) at No. 19 Tennessee (24) – L
CURRENT SCORE: 1st Quarter – Illinois 0, Tennessee 0
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More from RTI: Tennessee Football at Florida – Game Day Availability Report
Pregame
Tennessee wins the toss, will kick to start the game.
Tennessee captains: TE Miles Kitselman, DL Dominic Bailey, DB William Wright, DB Jalen McMurray, QB Joey Aguilar
FIRST QUARTER
Illinois Drive 1: Turnover on Downs – UT 0, UI 0
- Tennessee’s defense comes up with a stop on 4th and 7 from the UT 33-yard line. Tre Poteat in coverage.
- 8 plays, 42 yards – TOP: 3:45
Tennessee Drive 1: *In Progress*