Tennessee (8-4) and Illinois (8-4) meet in the Music City Bowl. The Volunteers are 2.5-point favorites, and the total for this game is 61.5 points. Tennessee's offense is a large reason why the total is that high, and that offense is also the unit I think decides this game.
Tennessee vs Illinois Odds
Matchup Page: Tennessee vs Illinois, Dec. 30, 5:30 pm ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Volunteers | -2.5 (-115) | -140 | OVER 61.5 (-110) |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | +2.5 (-106) | +116 | UNDER 61.5 (-110) |
Odds as of December 24th, 2025 at FanDuel
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New customers only. Deposit min. $10. Place first bet of min $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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Tennessee vs Illinois Pick
Tennessee ML, -140 at FanDuel
Neither team has been especially dominant in their respective last 10 games. Both programs are 6-4 SU, though Illinois has a better ATS record at 5-4-1 compared to Tennessee's 3-7 ATS mark, according to our college football database. The Fighting Illini have been a bit more inconsistent from a scoring perspective, though. Illinois has scored as few as 10 points during that stretch. The Volunteers have scored at least 24 points in all but one of those 10 games, and the 10th game saw them score 20 points.
Looking at season averages, Tennessee has put up 40.8 points per game. That ranks sixth in the nation. Illinois has only scored 29.3 per game, ranking 53rd. The Fighting Illini do have a small edge in scoring defense, allowing 23.2 versus Tennessee's 28.8 per game.
I'm confident that Tennessee's offense will be able to make up that defensive deficit. The Volunteers have tallied over 100 more scrimmage yards per game than Illinois has, and they've only given up 45 more yards per game than the Fighting Illini.
Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is the player who's likely primed for the biggest game. Brazzell led the SEC with 1,017 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. Running back DeSean Bishop is also a big playmaker for the Volunteers, posting 983 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Despite my confidence in the offense, I'm shying away from picking the over with the total being over 60 points. The Volunteers have had games with totals of at least 60 points six times this season, and the over is just 3-3 in those matchups.
*Pick made Dec. 24th at 12:47 pm ET
Tennessee vs Illinois Prop Pick
Props haven't yet been released for the Music City Bowl. Check back later for our best Music City Bowl prop pick.
Tennessee vs Illinois Betting Trends
- Tennessee is 6-4 SU and 3-7 ATS in its last 10, per our college football database.
- Illinois is 6-4 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in its last 10, per our college football database.
- Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II has had 62 or more receiving yards in all but two games this year.
