Tennessee vs. Illinois Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Music City Bowl

Tennessee and Joey Aguilar seem poised to air it out against Illinois.

Joey Aguilar and Tennessee are favored against Illinois on Tuesday. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the nation’s most dynamic passing attacks will be on display in the 2025 Music City Bowl. Tennessee is set to face Illinois as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Volunteers will have a chance to bounce back from their final regular-season loss to No. 14 Vanderbilt.

Tennessee has racked up more passing yards (3,686) than all but seven FBS schools. Joey Aguilar posted some impressive numbers against top-notch teams all year and is amid one of his most accurate stretches this season. Illinois has been respectable on offense, but doesn’t appear to have an elite skill that can rival the production of the SEC’s highest scoring team.  That will likely make staying within reach difficult for the underdogs.

Here’s our full betting breakdown ahead of kickoff.

Tennessee vs. Illinois Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Tennessee: -2.5 (-115)
• Illinois: +2.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Tennessee: -140
• Illinois: +116

Total: 61.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Tennessee vs. Illinois How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, December 30
• Game Time: 5:30 PM EST
• Venue: Nissan Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ESPN
• Tennessee: 8-4
• Illinois: 8-4

Tennessee vs. Illinois Key Players to Watch

Tennessee

Joey Aguilar: Aguilar has amassed 3,444 passing yards and 24 passing touchdowns with 10 picks. Tennessee is extremely explosive when he is firing on all cylinders, but his risk-taking has resulted in four multi-interception games this season. Nevertheless. Aguilar has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this season and will enter Tuesday having matched a season high with 44 passing attempts against Vanderbilt in his last performance.

Illinois

Luke Altmyer: Altmyer is a middle-of-the-pack quarterback in the loaded Big Ten, but has posted solid numbers this season. He’s tallied 2,811 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Altmyer is also among the nation’s more accurate signal-callers with a 68.1 percent completion rate. Illinois will need some big plays from him on Tuesday, as he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in two games.

Tennessee vs. Illinois Prediction and Pick

Illinois has a superior record against the spread (7-4-1), but its offense should be questioned ahead of this matchup. The Fighting Illini will have no choice but to put points on the board.

Tennessee’s offense has helped it dominate in the games it’s won. The Volunteers have beaten teams by an average of more than 23.0 points and are averaging 40.8 points per game. Maintaining that average despite having to face three top-15 scoring defenses in the SEC is no small feat.

The Fighting Illini have a bottom-six pass defense in the Big Ten and are scoring more than 10.0 fewer points per game. The underdogs don’t appear to have enough firepower to stay within a field goal in this matchup.

PICK: Illinois -2.5 (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

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