Illinois

How to Watch Music City Bowl (Illinois vs. Tennessee): Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

Published

3 months ago

December 27, 2025

Press Room

How to Watch Music City Bowl (Illinois vs. Tennessee): Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

How to Watch the 2025 Music City Bowl (Illinois vs. Tennessee)

Game Time: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday

Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten)

Head Coach: Bret Bielema (5th season)

Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC)

Head coach: Josh Heupel (5th season)

Last game: Vanderbilt 45, Tennessee 24

What Happened the Last Time These Two Teams Played?

ORLANDO, Fla. — Late in the fourth quarter of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, South Carolina had the opportunity to retake a lead and on fourth-and-four from the Illinois seven-yard line. In the most critical moment for the defense, the Illini forced an incompletion in the endzone to hand the ball back to Luke Altmyer and the offense with 3:08 left on the clock.

On third and two on his own 15-yard line, running back Josh McCray took the handoff from Luke Altmyer and ran like his life depended on it for not just the first down, but 60 yards. We’re not sure if he let the defender catch up to him or if he went down to run the clock, but it was the final nail in the South Carolina-shaped coffin.

For the first time in 23 years, the Illinois Fighting Illini football program has won 10 games in a single season, taking down the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, 21-17.

In what often tends to be a somewhat meaningless reconciliation game for programs unable to make it to the College Football Playoff, soon turned into a tension-filled postseason-like contest.

At the end of the third quarter, while tending to an injured Jaheim Clarke in front of the South Carolina sideline, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema taunted South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, to which the latter charged the field and had to be restrained by his staff.

The taunt stems from an argument that Illinois was taking too much time to sub defensively, forcing South Carolina to use their timeouts prematurely. Bielema promptly responded by using the official’s signal for substituting while eyeing down Beamer on the South Carolina sideline.

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Illinois

Decorated Illinois guard Josh Gesky met with Saints ahead of draft

Published

10 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Decorated Illinois guard Josh Gesky met with Saints ahead of draft

Once again, the NFL pre-draft circuit is in full effect, as teams spread out their staff all over the country to try and ensure they view as many pro days as physically possible. With some of the most substantial schools being next up on the schedule, it is going to draw national attention from the media, especially with results from the top prospects and potentially some passing drills from the quarterbacks.

Among the plentiful news coming out of these events is some intriguing meetings from the New Orleans Saints, with one of the most recent being Illinois guard Josh Gesky, who they met with at the school.

Gesky had an extremely impressive 2025 season when it comes to the metrics, allowing only 1 sack and 12 pressures, while only having 1 penalty tied to his name. While his run blocking left a bit to be desired, he has shown promise there in previous years, and it is something he has been solid at in various years.

At 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds, he has great size and has quite a few distinctions during his time at Illinois. He was listed as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023, an Academic All-Big Ten from 2022 to 2025, and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention from 2023 to 2025. These types of things certainly factor into potential draft selections, and with the Saints needing another guard, Gesky could be an option for them in 2026.

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Illinois

How to buy Illinois Final Four gear, hats, shirts, hoodies, more

Published

22 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

How to buy Illinois Final Four gear, hats, shirts, hoodies, more

No. 3 Illinois knocked off No. 9 Iowa on Saturday night in Houston, now they’re advancing to the Final Four in the men’s NCAA Tournament.

The Fighting Illini pulled away late and ended their the Hawkeye’s Cinderella run in the Elite Eight with a 71-59 victory.

SHOP: Illinois Final Four tickets

Illinois fans know this is special, it’s the team’s first Final Four appearance since 2005, so now it’s time to celebrate.

Get the gear the players wore on the court, including Illinois Final Four hats, Illinois Final Four shirts, and more.

Shop ALL Illinois Final Four gear

Illinois Final Four hat

Illinois Final Four shirt

Illinois Final Four game location

Illinois will play its Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Get your Illinois Final Four NCAA Tournament tickets now.

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Illinois Final Four appearances

The last time the Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team made the Final Four was in 2005. They also made it in 1989, 1952, 1951 and 1949.

When is the Final Four?

The 2026 NCAA Tournament concludes with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6. Saturday’s games are scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET respectively, while the National Championship game is set to tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6.