On Tuesday, the Illini will meet the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2025 Music City Bowl, and the Vols are favored to win.
Some of the reasons are that Tennessee will be without the services of top WR Chris Brazell, 62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine TDs, who has opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft.
Defensive defections have rocked the defense as well, including edge rusher and sack leader Joshua Jacobs (projected as a late first rounder); All-SEC Third Team CB Colton Hood; and team tackles leader and All-SEC Second
Team LB Arion Carter.
On top of all of that off, the Volunteers defense will be under the direction of the interim defensive coordinator, as head coach Josh Heupel fired DC Tim Banks on Dec. 8. They have already hired Penn State DC Jim Knowles to be the new DC for 2026.
The Illini will be missing pieces as well, including OT JC Davis, edge rusher Gabe Jacas, and safety Matthew Bailey (shoulder surgery).
Overall, this works in Illinois’s favor, but what will it take for Illinois to win? Illinois will have to be a POET. They don’t have to write a haiku or a sonnet, but there are four things they must do.
PASS RUSH: The Illini have to put pressure on Tennessee QB Joey Aguliar. Even though he will be without his top target, Aguliar has some very good receivers to throw to. Staley Braylon is the leading pass catcher with 64 receptions, 2nd in yards (806) and TDs (six) to Brazzell. Expect to see Mike Mathews get more targets, he had 50 catches for 770 yards and four TDs. They can’t let Aguliar settle into a rhythm where he can feel comfortable.
The pass rush has been an issue with Illinois, and now, for the bowl game, they are without their leading QB nemesis. Joe Barna will be the “next man up,” and I also expect to see Daniel Brown in there as well. But this will also mean that Leon Lowery and Alec Bryant will need to step up their game as well.
OPPORTUNISTIC: The Illini have to take advantage of any and all chances they get. Takeaways have to become points. If the Illini recover a fumble or an interception and then score on the next drive, it is a momentum shift, especially if the game is close. It can demoralize an entire team and take opposing fans out of a game.
It is “a point swing,” meaning the points you could have gotten but didn’t, and the points the other team did. Also, they need to take advantage of the opportunities presented by playing against a good — albeit YOUNG — secondary and interim DC. On the offensive side, expose soft spots in defensive coverage or on the defensive side, with them down one of their prime receiving targets; key in on signs where Aguliar might go with a pass.
E: There are actually three E’s. The first is EFFICIENCY. This is something that, for Luke Altmyer, comes naturally, but not for the rest of the team. The second E could also stand for ELIMINATION of mistakes. You can’t march down the field and get to the redzone, then have two holding calls that push you back. The same thing goes defensively as well. You can’t put the offense in a third and long, then allow a deep ball or commit a penalty that gives them a fresh set of downs. The Final E is EFFORT. This game will take a full 60 minutes. You can’t expect to get a big lead and coast, nor can you afford to hang around the sprint by them. This is a top team and a prominent showcase.
TENACITY: This might sound a lot like EFFORT, but it is different. To win the game, the Illini will have to punch first and keep taking the fight to Tennessee. When they get punched, they will have to hit back quickly and decisively. There is no time to be timid and let the game come to them. Whether running, passing, or on defense, the Illini have to take it to the Vols and not let up until the final gun.
If the Illini can put these four things together, they can win back-to-back bowls for the first time since 2010-11 and only for the second time in school history!
