By: NATE DEVILLE

As the dust settles from the 2025 regular season and conference championship weekend, bowl season is now officially underway.  

The Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC) have been selected to take on Illinois (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. EDT) at Nashville's Nissan Stadium. 

“We appreciate the opportunity to send our seniors out with one final game in our home state,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “The opportunity to prepare and compete against an outstanding Big Ten opponent the caliber of Illinois is one we look forward to.” 

Clashing with the Fighting Illini for the first time in program history, the Volunteers will get the opportunity to close out the season in nearby Nashville with plenty of traveling Tennessee fans. 

“Vol nation has been unwavering in its loyalty and support of our players," Heupel said. "It's something we never take for granted. We are excited to go play in front of them one more time in 2025 in Nashville."

This game will be the fourth time that the Volunteers have played in the Music City Bowl, while it marks the first such venture for Illinois. 

In its last Music City Bowl appearance, in 2021, Tennessee lost to Purdue, wrapping up Heupel’s first season with the Vols. 

Heupel has led Tennessee to a bowl game in each of his five seasons as head coach. 

In other past Music City appearances, Tennessee recorded a win against Nebraska (2016) and a loss to the Tar Heels of North Carolina in 2010. 

After a disappointing defeat to Vanderbilt concluding the regular season, the Volunteers will have the chance to finish their 2025 campaign right against a quality opponent in Illinois. 

The Southeastern Conference will be well-represented in this year’s College Football Playoff, as five schools were chosen for the 12-team bracket. 

After a convincing SEC championship game victory over Alabama on Saturday, Georgia secured the No. 3 spot with a first round bye. 

In the midst of the chaos that has occurred in Oxford in the past couple of weeks with the departure and replacement of Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss' strong 11-1 regular season record was enough to propel them into the playoffs, landing the No. 6 seed and a matchup with Tulane.  

Texas A&M earned its first college football playoff berth, as it secured the No. 7 seed and will play host to the Hurricanes of Miami on Dec. 20. 

SEC on SEC warfare will be featured in this year's CFP first round as the No. 8 seed Oklahoma Sooners host the No. 9 seeded Alabama meet for a Week 12 rematch that saw a playoff shifting upset by OU. 

Despite strong finishes to the regular season, both Texas (9-3) and Vanderbilt (10-2) failed to make this year’s CFP cut.  

Vanderbilt will face Iowa in the ReliaQuest bowl on Dec. 31 in Tampa, Fla. 

Texas will meet the Michigan Wolverines in Orlando, Fla. for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec 31.