Illini now

Illinois Projected to Miss College Football Playoff in New On3 Bowl Predictions

On3's Brett McMurphy has the Illini set to meet Ole Miss in the year-end Music City Bowl in Nashville
Pranav Hegde|
Dec 30, 2022; Clearwater, FL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema speaks during the Clearwater Beach Day for the 2022 ReliaQuest Bowl Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Dec 30, 2022; Clearwater, FL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema speaks during the Clearwater Beach Day for the 2022 ReliaQuest Bowl Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In this story:

Illinois Fighting Illini

It’s officially July, and that means the start of the college football season is just weeks away. With anticipation building, analysts across the country have begun rolling out their preseason predictions. For what it's worth, On3's Brett McMurphy has the Illini missing out on the College Football Playoff, instead facing off against Ole Miss in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

Although a bowl bid is almost never a bad thing, this matchup would come as at least a mild disappointment for Illini fans, who have higher expectations entering the 2025 season. With a strong returning core and momentum after a 10-win campaign, Illinois has hopes of pushing for the newly expanded College Football Playoff. A trip to Nashville, though respectable, would fall short of those goals.

A matchup with Ole Miss would come with a compelling storyline: Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer facing his former team. Altmyer began his college career in Oxford, Mississippi, before transferring in 2023 to Illinois, where he gradually became the centerpiece of the Illini offense and a respected leader in the locker room.

This past offseason, Altmyer turned down opportunities to return to the SEC, choosing instead to finish what he started in Champaign. A showdown with Ole Miss in the Music City Bowl would be more than just another game – it would be personal. Specifically, it would be a chance for Altmyer to prove he made the right decision and cap off his college career with an emphatic statement.

The game would also serve as a reminder of how tough the road to national contention is for programs accustomed to being on the outside looking in. Illinois is good, but the Music City Bowl isn’t the College Football Playoff – and that’s the standard coaches, players and fans have set.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Four-Star Athlete Jacob Eberhart Includes Illinois Among Top Five Finalists

Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Raises Concerns Over Player Tampering

Alabama Beats out Illinois Football on Recruiting Trail Yet Again

Published
Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

Home/Football