Texas A&M’s Friday night availability report brought a fresh wrinkle to an already messy week in College Station: junior wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against No. 8 Tennessee.
Bethel-Roman had not appeared on the injury report earlier in the week, which made his late addition stand out even more. He has not played since the Aggies’ road loss at Missouri because of “personal issues,” and coach Mike Elko has not shared any further details.
The Aggies will also be without transfer offensive lineman Trovon Baugh. Junior receiver Mario Craver remains questionable, with a 50% chance to play.
Texas A&M enters the matchup at 4-5 overall and 1-5 in SEC play, and the offense is still searching for answers. The Aggies have gone three straight SEC games without scoring a touchdown, something they have not done since 1971. Starting quarterback Marcel Reed has not been the only issue in the recent losses to Alabama and South Carolina; first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins has also drawn blame for the lack of creativity in the play calling.
Saturday’s game will be the first time since 2016 that Texas A&M has hosted Tennessee at Kyle Field. The Volunteers’ travel plans briefly looked uncertain on Friday after the FAA grounded thousands of flights because of communication issues, but flights resumed late Friday night.
Tennessee is expected to arrive in College Station late, and the 2:00 p.m. CT kickoff will still go on as scheduled.
Texas A&M and Tennessee are set to kick at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday on ESPN.
In Other News...
Texas A&M's Offensive Collapse Forced A Move Fans Feared
A rough night in Knoxville ended with Texas A&M making the kind of quarterback move fans could see coming once the offense stalled again. Late in the fourth quarter against Tennessee, Mike Elko turned to freshman Brady Hart and benched starter Marcel Reed after a difficult outing that left the Aggies searching for answers as the game slipped away.
Reed finished 9 of 22 for 71 yards with an interception, a line that reflected how little rhythm the offense found when it needed it most. The loss dropped Texas A&M to 4-6, and with the season moving into its final stretch, the quarterback situation suddenly feels like one more major decision hanging over the program. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&Ms Biggest Home Game Briefly Had One Huge Concern
Fridays travel headache briefly put a wrinkle in one of Texas A&Ms biggest home dates, as Tennessee was delayed by a nationwide FAA ground stop that kept the Volunteers from leaving Knoxville on their planned schedule. Once the ground stop was lifted, Tennessee intended to head back to the airport and make the trip to College Station that same night, keeping the focus on getting in position for Saturdays matchup.
For the Aggies, the good news is that the game is still set for 2 p.m. CT as scheduled, so the disruption appears to be more of a logistical scare than a change to the actual kickoff. Still, any delay on the eve of a major SEC game adds a little extra uncertainty to the buildup, especially when a visiting team is trying to get settled and ready on a tight turnaround. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&Ms Blackout Game Just Got Even More Intriguing
Texas A&Ms blackout game against No. 8 Tennessee already had the feel of a big-stage SEC night, and now the logistics around it have added another layer of uncertainty. The kickoff time could be delayed because of an FAA communications outage that has led to widespread flight cancellations, a reminder that even a marquee home game can get caught up in everything happening around it.
On the field, the matchup still comes down to the pieces both teams do have available. Tennessee will be without backup running back Duane Morris because of suspension, while Texas A&M remains without wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman for unspecified reasons. For the Aggies, senior quarterback Marcel Reed and a defense that will be tested by Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop loom as the key factors if the night finally gets rolling on schedule. [Read more 🡒]