Pregame: Illinois vs Tennessee, Tuesday, December 30th, 4:30pm CT, ESPN
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There is only one guy who isn’t going to gain anything by playing and that’s Gabe.
I think he can move up in the draft with a good bowl game, but it's his career at stake so I support whatever he decides to do.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
That’s um, disturbing??Try to perform with this over the bed….
I am reading elsewhere tha Tennessee fired their defensive coordinator.
Out face?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I disagree. Pretty much said we won’t sell our half of tickets, we were a disappointment given the hype and Tennessee only didn’t meet its lofty SEC expectations because it got derailed by another TRULY elite SEC team in Georgia.
Jermond McCoy missed the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL. Still expected to be a first round pick so not sure why he'd play.
Brazzell's really good, their edge rusher Josephs is really good.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
I wasn’t expecting a Tennessee site to revisit the Bielema-Beamer dust up from last season, but I’m glad it did. This article spells out what happened, fairly for both sides, without that original false narrative that Bielema was taunting Beamer over substitutions.
www.rockytopinsider.com
Why Tempers Flared Between Bret Bielema and Shane Beamer in Illinois' Bowl Game Last Season | Rocky Top Insider
See why tempers flared between Illinois' Bret Bielema and South Carolina's Shane Beamer during the Illinois' bowl game last year.
www.rockytopinsider.com
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Robert and Scott Beatty launched a podcast today. Gonna be 3 episodes per week. Good stuff:
They talk about the season, the bowl game, and a little basketball too.
They talk about the season, the bowl game, and a little basketball too.
LOL, I don't know why, maybe the dark back ground and the beard but I just had a flashback of this:
I have not seen a major college or pro football coach so willingly let the opposing head coach get in his head like Beamer allowed Bielema to do so. The grin from BB shortly afterward after USC was forced to take a timeout was delicious.I wasn’t expecting a Tennessee site to revisit the Bielema-Beamer dust up from last season, but I’m glad it did. This article spells out what happened, fairly for both sides, without that original false narrative that Bielema was taunting Beamer over substitutions.
Why Tempers Flared Between Bret Bielema and Shane Beamer in Illinois' Bowl Game Last Season | Rocky Top Insider
See why tempers flared between Illinois' Bret Bielema and South Carolina's Shane Beamer during the Illinois' bowl game last year.
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
7 Tennessee football players make All-SEC led by Chris Brazzell, DeSean Bishop
Chris Brazzell and DeSean Bishop led seven Tennessee football players who were selected to the 2025 All-SEC coaches team. Here's the full list.
Brazzel is JR
Bishop is SOPH
Heard is JR
Carter is JR
Hood is SOPH
Redmond is FR
I guess it comes down to are they going to enter the draft as JR
I met my sister and brother-in law in Franklin, Tennessee, at Cracker Barrel for lunch today. I proudly wore my approximately 30 year old Illinois jacket.
username
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
7 Tennessee football players make All-SEC led by Chris Brazzell, DeSean Bishop
Chris Brazzell and DeSean Bishop led seven Tennessee football players who were selected to the 2025 All-SEC coaches team. Here's the full list.sports.yahoo.com
Brazzel is JR
Bishop is SOPH
Heard is JR
Carter is JR
Hood is SOPH
Redmond is FR
I guess it comes down to are they going to enter the draft as JR
Brazzel is a top-2 round guy right now. I would be surprised if he plays.
Brazzell for them and Jacas for us are guys that absolutely should not play in this game
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Hey all--I have a question only tangentially related to the game. Bret was well-known for using the late substitution strategy last season and well into this season, but it seems at some point late in the year (definitely by the Wisconsin game), I didn't notice it happening. Has there been anything said about this by the coaching staff and/or the B1G or NCAA?
Don't get me wrong, I love that Bret was using the rulebook to try and gain an advantage, but I'm rather happy not to see it going on anymore.
Don't get me wrong, I love that Bret was using the rulebook to try and gain an advantage, but I'm rather happy not to see it going on anymore.
They still did it. They can only do it when the offense subs though so if they sub less we don’t have the opportunity to do it. Also personnel matters.
I was at Oxford at Ole Miss a couple of weeks ago in Illini garb and thought I might catch some grief. Instead I was told they love Luke (who’s from Starkville) and like IL by extension, so his mother apparently knows best.From ESPN:
“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. 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.
Prediction: Tennessee 37, Illinois 30”
2025-26 CFP, bowl picks: We predicted every postseason game
We made predictions on the final score of every bowl matchup. Check back to see how we fared.www.espn.com
Much of the orange won’t be cheering for Illinois? Rumor has it half of Mississippi is coming to the game to cheer for Illinois. Obviously hyperbole, but I think there will be more Illini fans there than EAPN is thinking.
Illiniblueorange
- Pontoon Beach IL
I know that a pre-game tailgate has not been announced tet but do any insiders have info on what the illini are thinking?
Trying to decide when to head down to Nashville - are there usually events in the days leading up to the game?
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