Texas A&M gets Tennessee in College Station on Saturday, and the setup around the game is already a little messy. The Aggies are 4-5 and 1-5 in SEC play, and the matchup is set for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff at Kyle Field - though that start time could be pushed back after Friday’s FAA communications outage caused 1,143 cancellations across 18 airports. Tennessee’s travel plans were expected to bring the Volunteers to College Station sometime Saturday, or possibly even earlier.
The game itself tilts toward No. 8 Tennessee, but the Volunteers will be missing backup running back Duane Morris after his Friday suspension. Texas A&M, meanwhile, still does not have junior wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman, who has now missed the last two games and remains out for unknown reasons after not appearing on the last two injury reports.
If the Aggies are going to spring the upset, the path starts with senior quarterback Marcel Reed. He was solid against Alabama and South Carolina, and even in losses, Texas A&M had chances to steal those games if more players had done their part - especially transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton.
Texas A&M’s defense will also have to hold up again, with the biggest assignment being Tennessee star running back DeSean Bishop. A Heisman Trophy candidate, Bishop ranks second in the SEC in rushing yards. If the Aggies can slow him down and force Tennessee into a more one-dimensional offense, Kyle Field could help create the kind of late-game turnovers that swing a game.
And before the action begins, Texas A&M is leaning into the moment with its weekly pre-game “hype” video for the 10th time this season. The message for fans is simple: wear black for Saturday’s game, which will serve as the season’s final blackout.
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&M Faces New Receiver Uncertainty Before Tennessee Showdown
Texas A&Ms buildup to Saturdays meeting with No. 8 Tennessee has already included a little extra uncertainty, even before the teams take the field at Kyle Field. The game is still set for a 2:00 p.m. CT kickoff after Tennessees travel was briefly thrown off by FAA flight groundings, with flights resuming late Friday night and keeping the matchup on schedule.
The Aggies, though, have their own receiver situation to monitor. Junior Ashton Bethel-Roman is listed out because of personal issues, while junior Mario Craver is questionable, leaving Texas A&M with a little less clarity at a position group that can matter plenty in a game of this size. With a top-10 opponent coming in, every available target becomes more important, and the Aggies will be waiting to see how much of their passing game is intact when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]