Tennessee hoping to end season on high note in Music City Bowl

Following a disappointing end to the regular season, the Vols are preparing for one last contest in the 2025 campaign. Tennessee last took to the gridiron on Nov. 29, and got embarrassed at home by in-state rival Vanderbilt 45-24. The Vols allowed 582 yards of total offense while only rushing for (-6) yards in the second half of the game. It was UT's first loss to the Commodores since 2018. The defeat also marked Tennessee's third home loss of the year, the most in a season since Josh Heupel's first season in Knoxville, 2021. Still, the Vols have an opportunity to close the season on a positive note, as they will take on Illinois in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. "We didn't play how we were supposed to play second half and it showed," Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar said to the media earlier this week. "But we're grateful to go out there and play one more game together. And it's a blessing to be out here playing for this team. And our main goal right now is Illinois to go out there to execute what we got planned." Just as the Vols finished 8-4 from the SEC, so did the Fighting Illini out of the Big Ten. Their biggest win of the season came on Sept. 27, when David Olana hit a game-winning field goal to beat then-No. 21 USC in Champaign, 34-32. Illinois finished the regular season as the 54th scoring offense in the country, averaging 29.3 points per game. It was 81st in total offense, posting 370.2 yards per contest. The Illini are led by fifth-year quarterback Luke Altmyer. After spending the first two years of his career at Ole Miss, Altmyer transferred to Illinois ahead of the 2023 season. This year, he has thrown for 2,811 yards, 21 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 68.1 percent of his passes. Altmyer will be facing a Tennessee defense that has struggled this season. The Vols ranked 88th in FBS in total defense, surrendering 395.5 yards per game. They finished 91st in scoring defense, giving up 28.75 points per game. It was a performance that forced Heupel to make a change to his staff by firing defensive coordinator Tim Banks. He will be replaced in the 2026 season by veteran defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. "First off, we love Coach Banks," linebacker Jeremiah Telander said. "I feel like as a player, we didn't do enough to keep him here and make him look good. We love Coach Banks and it's hard to see him go, but like I said, you have to adjust. "Now seeing Coach Knowles, he has a great resume of wonderful defenses and great schemes. We're really looking forward to getting to know his scheme and getting to know him more as a coach and it's going to be great." Who's In? Who's Out? Between players hitting the transfer portal and wanting to prepare for the NFL Draft, bowl season has become synonymous with opt outs. Tennessee is not immune to players declining to play in its bowl game. So far, nine players have decided to not participate in the postseason game. All-SEC wide receiver Chris Brazzell II announced on Dec. 11 his intentions to opt out of the Music City Bowl in order to prepare for the NFL. He led in the SEC in receiving yards (1,017) and touchdown catches (nine). Brazzell is projected to go in the early rounds of the draft. On Dec. 10, cornerback Jermod McCoy announced he would be making the jump to the NFL. He missed all of the 2025 season with a torn ACL suffered over the offseason, but was an All-American in 2024. McCoy is considered a first-round draft pick. Linebacker Arion Carter opted out of the game on Dec. 12, while declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. He was the team's leading tackler this year with 76 tackles. Carter is currently projected to be selected in the middle rounds of the draft. Defensive end Kellen Lindstrom, defensive lineman Jamal Wallace, linebacker Brendan Anes, and defensive back Marcus Goree all have opted out of the bowl game while stating their intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens next month. On Wednesday, On3 reported backup quarterback Jake Merklinger would also enter the transfer portal. He appeared in just four games in 2025 as a redshirt freshman, going 4-of-16 through the air. True freshman George MacIntyre will serve as the backup to Aguilar in the Music City Bowl.