The 2025 edition of the Music City Bowl will feature two teams clad in orange, with the home-state Tennessee Volunteers taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Nissan Stadium. The SEC-Big Ten game will be played in Nashville, TN, on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. ET.
When the game was first announced back in early December, Tennessee jumped out as massive favorites in the contest. FanDuel had the Vols as a 6.5-point favorite over the Illini, but recent movement has dropped that line a significant amount. Both teams are dealing with transfers and opt-outs, but Tennessee is also working with an interim defensive coordinator after firing Tim Banks a few weeks ago.
Tennessee currently sits as a favorite heading into the game next week.
Another interesting bet is the over/under, which is currently at . While it’s a big number, that’s the bet lock that Bleacher Report’s Adam Kramer has his eye on heading into the game.
“While the total is massive on paper, this game screams fun and scoreboard explosions,” Kramer writes. “Illinois wins (bonus lock), and these two teams deliver the best football game of the bowl season.”
Kramer doesn’t note a score prediction, but he is banking on the Illinois money line for the game. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, meanwhile, is taking the Vols in another high-scoring prediction. Rittenberg’s early prediction had Tennessee winning by a score of 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,” Rittenberg writes. “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.”
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Here’s a look at some of the betting numbers for the Music City Bowl clash between Tennessee and Illinois on Tuesday:
Tennessee and Illinois will clash in Nashville on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee Football coverage leading into the game next week.
