How to Watch Illinois vs. Tennessee: Music City Bowl Time, TV Channel, Live Stream – December 30, 2025

Updated Dec. 30, 2025 5:28 p.m. ET

FOX Sports

Joey Aguilar and the Tennessee Volunteers and the Illinois Fighting Illini meet for the Music City Bowl. The bowl matchup is December 30, 2025, starting at 5:30 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN. Go to ESPN to watch this contest live.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports. Learn more about the Tennessee Volunteers and the Illinois Fighting Illini.

How to Watch Tennessee vs. Illinois

When: Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee
TV Channel: ESPN
Streaming: FOX One + ESPN Bundle

Tennessee's 2025 Schedule

Date	Opponent	Score
8/30/2025	vs. Syracuse	W 45-26
9/6/2025	vs. East Tennessee State	W 72-17
9/13/2025	vs. Georgia	L 44-41
9/20/2025	vs. UAB	W 56-24
9/27/2025	at Mississippi State	W 41-34
10/11/2025	vs. Arkansas	W 34-31
10/18/2025	at Alabama	L 37-20
10/25/2025	at Kentucky	W 56-34
11/1/2025	vs. Oklahoma	L 33-27
11/15/2025	vs. New Mexico State	W 42-9
11/22/2025	at Florida	W 31-11
11/29/2025	vs. Vanderbilt	L 45-24
12/30/2025	vs. Illinois	-

Tennessee 2025 Stats & Insights

On offense, Tennessee has been a top-25 unit, ranking fourth-best in the FBS by compiling 482 yards per game. The defense ranks 89th (395.5 yards allowed per game).
While Tennessee ranks 20th-worst in the FBS in passing defense with 249.3 passing yards allowed per game, it's been a different story on the other side of the ball, as the offensive unit ranks fifth-best in the FBS (307.2 passing yards per game).
On offense, the Volunteers have been a top-25 unit, ranking sixth-best in the FBS by compiling 40.8 points per game. They rank 92nd on defense (28.8 points allowed per game).
The Volunteers are compiling 174.8 rushing yards per game on offense (49th in the FBS), and they rank 66th defensively with 146.3 rushing yards allowed per game.
On offense, Tennessee has been a top-25 unit in terms of third-down efficiency, ranking ninth-best in the FBS by averaging a 50.3% third-down conversion rate. The defense ranks 85th on defense (40.5% third-down percentage allowed).
The Volunteers have the 27th-ranked turnover margin in college football at +6, forcing 21 turnovers (22nd in the FBS) while turning it over 15 times (54th in the FBS).

Tennessee 2025 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
Joey Aguilar	QB	3,444 YDS (66.8%) / 24 TD / 10 INT 104 RUSH YDS / 3 RUSH TD / 9.5 RUSH YPG
DeSean Bishop	RB	983 YDS / 14 TD / 81.9 YPG / 6 YPC 12 REC / 127 REC YDS / 0 REC TD / 15.9 REC YPG
Chris Brazzell II	WR	62 REC / 1,017 YDS / 9 TD / 84.8 YPG
Star Thomas	RB	529 YDS / 7 TD / 44.1 YPG / 5.6 YPC 10 REC / 98 REC YDS / 2 REC TD / 14 REC YPG
Edrees Farooq	DB	58 TKL / 0 TFL / 2 INT / 2 PD
Edwin Spillman	LB	66 TKL / 3 TFL / 2.5 SACK / 1 INT
Arion Carter	LB	61 TKL / 3 TFL / 1.5 SACK
Joshua Josephs	DL	33 TKL / 3 TFL / 2 SACK

Illinois' 2025 Schedule

Date	Opponent	Score
8/29/2025	vs. Western Illinois	W 52-3
9/6/2025	at Duke	W 45-19
9/13/2025	vs. Western Michigan	W 38-0
9/20/2025	at Indiana	L 63-10
9/27/2025	vs. USC	W 34-32
10/4/2025	at Purdue	W 43-27
10/11/2025	vs. Ohio State	L 34-16
10/25/2025	at Washington	L 42-25
11/1/2025	vs. Rutgers	W 35-13
11/15/2025	vs. Maryland	W 24-6
11/22/2025	at Wisconsin	L 27-10
11/29/2025	vs. Northwestern	W 20-13
12/30/2025	vs. Tennessee	-

Illinois 2025 Stats & Insights

Illinois is putting up 370.3 total yards per game on offense this season (82nd-ranked). Meanwhile, it is allowing 350.7 total yards per contest (50th-ranked).
Illinois is accumulating 239.1 passing yards per game on offense this season (56th-ranked). Meanwhile, it is allowing 226.5 passing yards per contest (80th-ranked) on defense.
In terms of points scored the Fighting Illini rank 53rd in the FBS (29.3 points per game), and they are 55th on the other side of the ball (23.3 points allowed per contest).
The Fighting Illini rank 99th in the FBS with 131.2 rushing yards per contest on offense, and they rank 34th with 124.2 rushing yards given up per game on defense.
Illinois has been struggling on third down, ranking 16th-worst with a 44.7% third-down conversion percentage allowed per game. It has been more productive on the other side of the ball, compiling a 41.7% third-down rate (48th-ranked).
At +4, the Fighting Illini have the 42nd-ranked turnover margin in the FBS, with 15 forced turnovers (73rd in the FBS) and 11 turnovers committed (12th in the FBS).

Illinois 2025 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
Luke Altmyer	QB	2,811 YDS (68.1%) / 21 TD / 5 INT 188 RUSH YDS / 4 RUSH TD / 15.7 RUSH YPG
Hank Beatty	WR	64 REC / 826 YDS / 3 TD / 68.8 YPG
Kaden Feagin	RB	499 YDS / 7 TD / 41.6 YPG / 4.2 YPC 16 REC / 188 REC YDS / 2 REC TD / 20.9 REC YPG
Collin Dixon	WR	33 REC / 538 YDS / 5 TD / 44.8 YPG
Gabe Jacas	LB	39 TKL / 6 TFL / 11 SACK
Matthew Bailey	DB	69 TKL / 3 TFL
Miles Scott	DB	43 TKL / 3 TFL / 1 SACK / 3 INT
Dylan Rosiek	LB	38 TKL / 2 TFL / 1 INT / 1 PD