Tennessee’s trip to College Station was already shaping up as a grind, and Daune Morris being out for the season only makes the path narrower.
The Vols arrive at Texas A&M at 7-2, while the Aggies sit at 4-5 and have dropped four of their last six. Even so, the oddsmakers have kept this one tight, with Tennessee favored by just 2.5 points. That kind of line is enough to make anybody pay attention, especially with a Texas A&M team that has shown it can still make life difficult despite the record.
The Aggies have taken losses, but they have not exactly been getting blown off the field. They’ve held five opponents to 20 points or fewer, and only one team has scored more than 31 against them this season. On offense, the results have been uneven, including single-digit output in three SEC losses, but there is still talent there if Marcel Reed is the good version under center.
For Tennessee, the challenge now gets even steeper without Morris, whose season ended after he was involved in a car accident on Thursday. That’s another blow to a roster already dealing with a growing list of season-ending injuries, and it hits a spot where the Vols have been at their best: the run game.
DeSean Bishop should take on more of the load, with Javin Gordon next up behind him in Morris’ place. That puts even more pressure on Tennessee to keep doing what has worked all year - wear teams down, stay physical, and keep leaning into the ground game over four quarters.
That formula has carried the Vols in wins over Alabama and Kentucky at home, and it nearly worked against South Carolina too before a fourth-down mistake changed the story. Saturday feels like another one of those games where Tennessee will have to win with patience and toughness rather than style points.
Texas A&M has shown it can slow the run. Alabama managed just 68 yards on 28 carries, and South Carolina finished with 107. But Missouri’s Jamal Roberts ripped off 222 yards on 34 carries on Oct. 10, and that’s the kind of production Tennessee will need from Bishop if it wants to leave College Station with a win.
This one has all the signs of a hard-fought battle, and it may be the toughest test left on Tennessee’s schedule. Still, the approach doesn’t change. Keep the pressure on, keep the game on the ground, and trust the Vols’ physical edge to show up late.
If Tennessee can keep Reed contained and the defense stays locked in, the ground game can do enough damage in the second half to get the Vols out of Texas at 8-2 and set up next week’s showdown with Lane Kiffin and LSU.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Mike Matthews Scare It Couldnt Afford
Tennessees offense took another hit Saturday when leading receiver Mike Matthews went down with a lower-body injury in the second quarter against Texas A&M and left the game on crutches. The sight alone was enough to raise alarms for a Volunteers team that has already spent much of the season navigating injuries and trying to keep its attack on schedule.
Matthews has been one of the most important pieces in Tennessees passing game, so any absence would carry real weight for an offense that needs him to stay on the field. For now, the only certainty is that the Vols are waiting on word about the extent of the injury, and that uncertainty hangs over a stretch where every healthy playmaker matters. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has A New CFP Ranking Fight Fans Wont Like
The latest College Football Playoff rankings gave Tennessee another reason to grumble, even after the Vols beat Alabama on the field. Alabama landed at No. 3 while Tennessee checked in at No. 8, a gap that immediately raised eyebrows because the head-to-head result would seem to favor the Vols in any fair comparison.
Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek pointed to Alabamas stronger strength of schedule as the explanation, but not everyone bought it. Former quarterback Chase Daniel said he was confused by the decision and disagreed with the committees logic, while both teams still have quality wins and losses that could keep reshaping the picture as the season plays out. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Suddenly Has A Surprising Team To Root For Saturday
Saturday gives Tennessee a second scoreboard to watch, and it comes from an unlikely place. While the Vols handle Texas A&M earlier in the day, No. 21 LSU will be hosting No. 6 Texas in a matchup that could ripple through the SEC title race and the College Football Playoff picture, with Tennessee's path shaped as much by what happens in Baton Rouge as by its own result.
An LSU win would do more than just add another ranked victory to the conference ledger. It would strengthen the Tigers' standing as an opponent and help clear some of the clutter in the SEC standings, which is exactly the kind of help Tennessee could use as it tries to keep its own playoff hopes and conference math in order. [Read more 🡒]