Illinois beats Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to keep Big Ten undefeated this bowl season

Associated Press AP Tue, Dec 30, 2025 • 09:20 PM

Illinois wide receiver Justin Bowick (0) celebrates his touchdown with Hudson Clement (13) and running back Kaden Feagin during the first half of the Music City Bowl on Tuesday. (AP)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — David Olano kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired, and Illinois beat Tennessee, 30-28, on Tuesday night in the Music City Bowl.

Illinois (9-4) posted the first back-to-back nine-win seasons in program history along with winning the first game between these programs.

Olano’s winning kick was his third field goal of the game. Luke Altmyer threw for 196 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score. Leon Lowery Jr. recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, and Illinois had four sacks.

Tennessee (8-5) finishes the season having lost two straight and held to a season-low 278 yards total offense. The Vols also missed out on a fourth straight season with at least nine wins.

The Fighting Illini helped the Big Ten stay undefeated this bowl season, improving to 6-0. The SEC dropped to 2-5 with this loss.

Tennessee trailed by as many as 10 points twice and took a 28-27 lead when Joakim Dodson returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown with 4:58 left. It was the freshman’s first kickoff return of his career.

Illinois never gave the ball back.

DeSean Bishop also ran for 93 yards and two TDs, and Joey Aguilar ran for a TD for Tennessee.

Illinois smothered a Tennessee offense that ranked inside the top 10 nationally for yards per game, averaging 40.8 points. The Vols had scored at least 40 in seven games during the regular season. Illinois finished with 417 yards total offense.

The Fighting Illini went up 17-7 after Joe Barna sacked Aguilar and stripped the Tennessee quarterback of the ball, which bounced into the end zone where Lowery covered it up for the TD with 11:48 left in the third quarter.

Altmyer made it 24-14 with a 2-yard keeper late in the third quarter.

Illinois didn’t have leading tackler Gabe Jacas, the Big Ten sack leader, after the linebacker opted out for the NFL Draft. The defense, ranked 56th nationally holding opponents to 23.3 points a game, turned in its best performance this season.

Tennessee played without three defensive starters. On offense, the Vols didn’t have lineman Wendell Moe, who started 11 games but was on crutches, and Chris Brazzell II, the SEC’s leading receiver, who opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. Aguilar also snapped a streak of 36 straight Division I games throwing for at least 200 yards.