It was not the season that Tennessee fans had hoped for. The Volunteers just fired their defensive coordinator, Tim Banks, after a lackluster 8-4 campaign. Linebackers coach William Inge will serve as the interim defensive coordinator for the Music City Bowl.
The glass-half-full approach to playing in a middle-tier bowl is that Josh Heupel can use this extra practice time to evaluate which holes he needs to plug in his roster. Come January, the staff will need to move swiftly, evaluating portal targets.
Playing Illinois will at least be a unique matchup, as these two programs have never faced each other. Again, trying to find the optimistic side in this, we at least get to see a new matchup, and it will be an accessible game for most Volunteers fans to watch live.
Let's take a look at the game details, key Illinois stats, and instant reactions for the Music City Bowl.
Music City Bowl Game Details
Date: Tuesday Dec. 30th
Time: 5:30
Location: Nashville, TN (Nissan Stadium)
Channel: ESPN
odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook
Spread: Tennessee -5.5
O/U: 61.5
Moneyline: Tennessee -210 | Illinois +172
Illinois scouting report
Head Coach: Bret Bielema
Yards per game: 370.3
Passing yards per game: 239.1
Rushing yards per game: 131.2
Points per game: 29.3
Yards allowed per game: 350.5
Passing yards allowed per game: 226.5
Rushing yards allowed per game: 124
Points allowed per game: 23.2
Instant reactions for the Music City Bowl
This is an Illinois team that finished the regular season 8-4. They are led by veteran quarterback Luke Altmyer, who started his career in the SEC at Ole Miss. The biggest win on their resume was a home win, 34-32, over USC. They are a gritty Midwest squad that plays a physical brand of football. Josh Heupel will have his work cut out for him, as Altmyer will surely look to end his career on a high note.
The Fighting Illini use multiple backs out of the backfield. Bielema looks to possess the ball by pounding the rock and wearing out their opponents. Tennessee's rush defense was poor in 2025, so this is an intriguing angle to watch for.
Defensively, Illinois was average across the board, not excelling in any specific area. They are solid in the trenches at stopping the run, but overall, they're your prototypical blue-collar defense. As long as Tennessee continues to do what it does on offense, the Vols should be just fine. The bowl has a chance to be a very formidable game, as the numbers set up a compelling matchup.
Stay tuned to All for Tennessee as we keep you updated on news about the Music City Bowl, opt outs, and plenty more.