Six Illini who could use the Music City Bowl as a stepping stone to larger impacts in 2026
247Sports••general
Key Points:
- Bowl games in the opt-out era provide opportunities for younger, less proven players to showcase their talents and advance their careers, a trend evident in Illinois football under coach Bret Bielema.
- In the 2022 ReliaQuest Bowl, Matthew Bailey and Xavier Scott made their first career starts, eventually becoming key defensive players for Illinois.
- Last year, Hank Beatty’s breakout performance in the bowl game led to an All-Big Ten Third Team selection and a standout season as the team's leading receiver, attracting NFL attention.
- In the recent Music City Bowl, several Illinois players stepped up to secure a 30-28 win over Tennessee, marking the Illini’s second consecutive bowl victory against an SEC opponent.
- Six
