The Tennessee Vols will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Music City Bowl in Nashville on Dec. 30.

Tennessee is looking for its ninth win of the year after finishing the regular season with an 8-4 record.

This will be the Vols’ fourth trip to the Music City Bowl (Tennessee is 1-2 in previous appearances).

Vols insider gives latest injury updates for Tennessee ahead of Music City Bowl

Tennessee will have most of its roster available for the Music City Bowl, but several players will miss the game due to opt-outs or injuries.

VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs joiend WNML’s SportsTalk on Tuesday and he shared the latest injury updates for the Volunteers.

“You’ve got Wendell Moe, who’s banged up, I don’t think he’s going to go because of injury,” said Hubbs. “You’ve got Jaxson Moi, who’s not going to go because of injury. So there’s a couple of guys there that are out. Then obviously, the opt out guys, with Peyton Lewis, I guess, being the most notable one at this point in terms of guys who have played snaps.

“And then he’s not formally announced anything, but Colton Hood’s not going to play in this game. I don’t expect Joshua Josephs to play in this game, because he’s been a bit banged up. And again, those two guys (Hood and Josephs) have not formally announced anything. Chris Brazzell is not going to play in this game as he’s off to the NFL as well.”

For now, based on Hubbs’ intel, it sounds like Tennessee will be without five starters for the bowl game — Moe, Moi, Brazzell, Hood, and Josephs.

The only other starter whose status is up in the air is offensive tackle Lance Heard, though the expectation (again, for now) is that he’ll play against Illinois (but it’s unclear if Heard will return to UT next season).

Tennessee and Illinois will kick off at 5:30 PM ET on Dec. 30.

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