‘Expect a lot of scoring in this one’ – ESPN predicts the final score of Music City Bowl matchup between Tennessee and Illinois
The Tennessee Vols will face Illinois in the Music City Bowl on December 30 in Nashville.
The Tennessee Vols won’t have to travel far for their bowl game later this month.
Tennessee will play the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Music City Bowl in Nashville on December 30.
This will be the Vols’ fourth appearance in the Music City Bowl. Tennessee is 1–2 in its previous trips, with losses to North Carolina in 2010 and Purdue in 2021, and a win over Nebraska in 2016.
ESPN predicts the final score of Music City Bowl matchup between Tennessee and Illinois
Tennessee and Illinois will both enter the Music City Bowl with identical 8-4 records.
ESPN, however, believes it’ll be the Vols that leave Nashville with a win on December 30. They have Tennessee beating Illinois 37-30.
“There will be plenty of orange in Nissan Stadium, although much of it won’t be cheering for Illinois, which caps a season that began with CFP hopes, was sidetracked sharply with a 53-point loss at Indiana but still ended with wins in three of the final four regular-season contests,” wrote ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer started his career in the SEC at Ole Miss and can finish it against an SEC opponent in Tennessee, which pursued him as a transfer target this spring after Nico Iamaleava’s exit to UCLA. The Vols never really recovered from their early loss to Georgia and have much to sort out on defense, which ranks 91st nationally in points allowed. Expect a lot of scoring in this one, but Tennessee prevails behind quarterback Joey Aguilar.”
It’s probably too soon to make a realistic score prediction for this game — we don’t know who will or won’t be playing for both teams. But it’s not a surprise that ESPN has the Vols winning. Tennessee, even if some players opt out, has the more talented roster.
Tennessee and Illinois will kick off at 5:30 PM ET on December 30.
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