Tennessee heads to College Station this weekend with a chance to grab its first win there against Texas A&M, and the matchup is set for Saturday, November 14 at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
The Vols enter the game at No. 9 in the AP Top 25 with a 7-2 record after a 34-6 homecoming win over Kentucky. Their regular season finish now runs through Texas A&M, LSU, which is ranked No. 24, and Vanderbilt.
Texas A&M comes in unranked and riding a two-game losing streak. The Aggies dropped their most recent game, falling 17-9 at South Carolina. South Carolina is 4-5 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
This will be only the sixth meeting between Tennessee and Texas A&M, and just the second in College Station. The Vols have taken three of the five previous matchups, including a 3-0 win in 1957 in Jacksonville, Florida, a 38-7 win in 2004 in Dallas Texas, and a 20-13 victory in 2023 at Neyland Stadium. Texas A&M won the other two, in 2016 and 2020, with the 2016 game going to second overtime.
ESPN has Tennessee as the predicted winner, but the Vols will be doing it without senior defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby, who is out for the rest of the season after suffering a leg injury against Kentucky. Weathersby started all nine games and has been one of Tennessee’s most productive players, finishing with 20 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss.
In Other News...
Tennessee Suddenly Has An O-Line Problem Before Texas A&M
Tennessees offensive line took an unexpected hit Thursday night when starting left guard Nic Moore appeared on the SEC Availability Report as out after not being listed the day before. Moore has been a productive presence at left guard, so his sudden absence adds a real layer of uncertainty heading into a matchup with Texas A&M, where protecting the pocket and keeping the run game on schedule will matter plenty.
The Volunteers are now weighing lineup adjustments to cover the vacancy on the interior, and that kind of shuffle can ripple through the whole front five. For a team trying to stay steady in a conference game of this size, losing a reliable starter at the last minute is the sort of problem that can force changes in both communication and chemistry up front. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Got Pulled Into Oklahomas Coaching Drama
Oklahomas uneven season has stirred up the kind of coaching chatter that always seems to follow a blueblood when the wins dont come easily. The Sooners are 5-4 through nine games, but Brent Venables still has the backing that came with the six-year extension he signed in August, and the program has already shown a willingness to adjust on the fly by changing play-caller duties during the season. Under Jason Wittens guidance, Oklahoma also picked up a notable win over No. 24 Florida, a reminder that the conversation around the program is more complicated than a simple hot-seat debate.
For Tennessee fans, the interesting part is not the Sooners record so much as the way the coaching rumor mill inevitably reaches into other programs. Josh Heupels name has surfaced as a possible fallback candidate in the broader speculation, even if there is nothing concrete tying him to Oklahoma or suggesting any movement away from Knoxville. It is the kind of cross-country noise that comes with success, and for the Vols it is another sign that Heupels profile keeps rising well beyond the SEC East. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Heads Into Texas A&M With A New Concern Up Front
Tennessees trip to Kyle Field brings the usual SEC road-test pressure, but the Volunteers are also dealing with a fresh issue up front. Starting left guard Nic Moore is out because of injury, a notable blow for an offensive line that already has to handle one of the leagues toughest environments, while defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby is also sidelined.
There is at least one bit of good news for Tennessee with tight end DaSaahn Brame available, but the availability report on both sides still matters as kickoff approaches. Texas A&M has its own list of concerns, including wide receivers Terry Bussey and Kelshaun Johnson and offensive lineman Trovon Baugh, leaving both teams to sort through personnel questions before a game that could hinge on who is healthiest in the trenches. [Read more 🡒]