Tennessee pursuit of Illinois QB Luke Altmyer resurfaces at Music City Bowl
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Illinois is well aware of the rumors that Tennessee football tried to add quarterback Luke Altmyer last offseason, and it will undoubtedly be a storyline in their Music City Bowl matchup.
Illinois coach Bret Bielema acknowledged it when asked during a Dec. 7 press conference announcing the bowl bid. He’s not sure if his team will be motivated by UT allegedly trying to get Altmyer into the transfer portal in the spring before it instead got quarterback Joey Aguilar.
“I can’t speak for Luke. Honestly, I’ve never spoken about that conversation (of Altmyer’s transfer options) in any way, shape or form with Luke,” Bielema said. “One of the things that I’ve really appreciated about Luke’s demeanor, his personality, is that he’s just the same guy every day. And we get one more game with him.”
No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET) in Nashville. It’ll be the first meeting between the programs.
Altmyer may have had the option to play for either team in the 2025 season.
Why Luke Altmyer did not come to Tennessee in spring
After Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA following spring practice, the Vols considered potential quarterback targets if they entered the portal. It was widely reported that Altmyer had the option to do that and become UT’s starting quarterback.
Altmyer would’ve landed a lucrative NIL deal and started for an SEC program. The Starkville, Mississippi, native, played two seasons (2021-22) as a backup at Ole Miss before transferring to Illinois.
But Altmyer decided to stay in the Big Ten rather than go to Tennessee, a decision he talked about to On3.com in June.
“There were opportunities for me to venture onward to the next level (NFL), but also to be able to play in another program. That’s just the reality, the NCAA and the college football world we live in,” Altmyer said. “Being from Mississippi and in SEC country, it’s desirable to play in that conference, in front of people I know, and in stadiums I’ve been in before and grew up watching and loving. It was certainly an attraction and a real thing.
“It was a difficult decision, but I know what’s important. I know what is being created here, and the trust, unity and connection I have amongst my teammates, this community, and my coaches. It’d be foolish to pick up and start over and take a risk when I have a lot of trust that’s been earned and built.”
Joey Aguilar and Luke Altmyer will face off in Nashville
Aguilar and Altmyer are two of college football’s most prolific passers.
The Music City Bowl and the ESPN audience want to see a shootout involving both quarterbacks, and it appears they’ll get their wish.
Aguilar previously said he plans to play in the bowl game. Bielema indicated that Altmyer also will play.
“Just got the text from Betsy Altmyer (Luke’s mom) when I was walking in here, she said she thought half of Mississippi was going to be there in Nashville,” Bielema said. “I was just glad that one of them (Luke) was going to be there from Mississippi.”
A passing game will be a key to victory for both teams.
Aguilar leads the SEC with 3,444 passing yards, the fourth most in a single season in UT history, along with 24 TD passes. He’ll face an Illinois pass defense that ranks 15th among 18 Big Ten teams, allowing 226.5 yards per game.
Altmyer passed for 2,811 yards, 21 TDs and five interceptions this season. He’ll face a Tennessee pass defense that ranks 15th among 16 SEC teams, allowing 248.8 yards per game.
A year ago, Altmyer led Illinois to a Citrus Bowl win over South Carolina. It was his only start against an SEC team as Illinois quarterback until this Music City Bowl game against the Vols.
“I think to have an SEC opponent for him is really pretty cool, right?” Bielema said. “I know that he has grown up obviously in the SEC world down there, started his career at Ole Miss. To go out here as one of the most decorated players in Illinois football history and to have that moment for him is probably the thing I’ll cherish more than anything.”
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Luke Altmyer, Tennessee pursuit of Illinois QB a Music City Bowl topic
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