Overview
- Kickoff is 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Nissan Stadium for the programs' first-ever football meeting and Illinois' first Music City Bowl appearance.
- Tennessee is without SEC receiving leader Chris Brazzell II plus Colton Hood, Joshua Josephs, Arion Carter and Jermod McCoy, while Illinois misses Big Ten sack leader Gabe Jacas, left tackle J.C. Davis and defensive back Matthew Bailey.
- The Vols average 482 yards and 40.8 points per game, and sportsbooks list Tennessee as the favorite as analysts project a high-scoring matchup given depleted defenses.
- Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar is within range of single-season program marks, needing roughly 242 total yards and 376 passing yards to surpass Peyton Manning’s records.
- Luke Altmyer plays what is described as his final Illinois game after accepting a Senior Bowl invitation, with a win offering Tennessee a fourth straight nine-win season and Illinois a rare back-to-back nine-win run.