The Illinois Fighting Illini once ranked in the top-10 this season, but the team’s relatively disappointing season ended on a high note in Nashville on Tuesday.
Illinois (9-4) edged Tennessee 30-27 in the Music City Bowl with a last-second field goal by kicker David Olano from 29 yards out. It marked the Illini’s second straight bowl win over an SEC program for the first time in program history, the first back-to-back 9-win seasons for Illinois, and 19 wins in two seasons â a program best.
Last year, Illinois went 10-3 under head coach Bret Bielema and entered 2025 with high expectations after a bowl game win over South Carolina. The Illini had a No. 12 ranking to start the season and rose to No. 9, but Illinois came tumbling down afterward with a blowout loss against now No. 1 Indiana.
Bielema has turned around an Illini program that hasn’t enjoyed much success throughout the program’s 134-year history. Illinois had a 9-12 record in bowl games before Tuesday and an overall record of 640-631-49.
The Illini last won the Big Ten in 2001, and all but three of Illinois’ Big Ten titles came before 1983. Illinois also has a 74-year national championship drought, with the last coming in 1951, and the Illini have five claimed national titles overall between 1914 and 1951.
This year’s Illini ranked as high as No. 21 in the College Football Playoff poll, and the Illini’s recent bowl win could help propel the team to a stronger showing in 2026. Beilema has a 37-26 record with the Illini in five seasons.
Illini Spoil Play of the Day
Illinois truly played spoiler against Tennessee (8-5), which only traveled less than three hours from campus in Knoxville to Nissan Stadium.
Behind a Volunteers-friendly crowd, Tennessee swung the momentum late in the fourth quarter when Joakim Dodson took a kickoff 94 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, 28-27. Dodson bobbled the ball initially, and he then darted up the sideline as the Illini got caught off guard by his initially miscue.
Otherwise, the night belong to Illinois, which led most of the way and by as many as 10 points, 24-14 in the third quarter. Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer put his team ahead by that score on a 2-yard touchdown run.
Ultimately, a fourth-down run by tight end Jordan Anderson for 13 yards saved the day for the Illini in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. It set up field goal position for the Illini, and it came after wide receiver Hank Beatty’s failed attempt to grab the first down as he went out of bounds short of the first down marker.
Illinois ran the ball at will for the game with 39 attempts for 221 yards and a touchdown. Running back Aidan Laughery led the way with 77 yards on 13 carries.
Luke Altmyer Caps Career in a Big Way, NFL is Next
Altmyer finished his collegiate career in style as the senior went 20-33 passing for 196 yards and a touchdown.
Next, Altmyer could find himself in an NFL uniform next season as he is considered a late-round prospect. He has 7,728 yards passing and 59 touchdowns versus 24 touchdowns for his career between three seasons with the Illini and two seasons with Ole Miss.
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