Texas A&M Aggies Enter As Field Goal Underdog vs. No. 19 Tennessee
One of two things will happen Saturday when the clock strikes zero at Neyland Stadium.
Either Texas A&M will pick itself up off the mat and prove one heart-breaking loss doesn't define the season, or the program will enter its bye week looking forward to next year, hoping change is on the horizon.
The Aggies need a victory over No. 19 Tennessee more than hikers need water after spending days in the sweltering Sahara heat. A&M held its own Saturday against No. 11 Alabama, but shot itself in the foot on multiple occasions, primarily due to coaching decisions made by Jimbo Fisher.
The 26-20 loss will stings, not because the Aggies (4-2, 2-1 SEC) fell once again to a Nick Saban team, but because they knew it was a winnable game. And it was. Even with a three-touchdown day by Jalen Milore, A&M hung around until the fourth quarter.
But little difference ultimately factored into the outcome, like a punt on fourth-and-1 instead of pushing forward for the extra yard at midfield. Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC), which was penalized 14 times, capitalized on positive drives and never wavered at the chance to create scoring opportunities.
“In our locker room, you saw a hurt locker room,” Fisher said Monday. “You saw a disappointed locker room. You didn’t see a dejected or ‘quitting’ locker room. … Our kids have character and heart, and they will play their tails off."
The atmosphere of Kyle Field certainly factored into Alabama's mishaps Saturday. The Aggies can expect the same volume at 3:30 p.m. EST at Neyland Stadium, perhaps the loudest stadium by sound level meter (SLM) measurements.
Vegas certainly believes the hostile atmosphere of Neyland will lean in favor of the Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 SEC), placing them as a 3-point favorite heading into Wednesday. Tennessee is also coming off a bye week, so it should be well-rested to continue offensive success.
Texas A&M Aggies tight end Jake Johnson (No. 19) scores a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
“When you’re on the road in this league, it’s hard, and Tennessee is one of those hard places,” Fisher said. “Hopefully, with maturity and leadership — and we’re a little bit older this year — hopefully, those things will help.”
The Volunteers have turned the corner entering Year 3 of the Josh Heupel era. No, it's not Peyton Manning-Phillip Fulmer 2.0 with Joe Milton under center, but Tennessee continues to take positive steps back to where weekend wins feel like 1998.
Entering Saturday, Tennessee ranks 21st in total offense (466.2 yards per game) and 22nd in scoring (36.2 points per game). The run game, headline by the duo Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright, ranks second nationally in yards per play (6.2).
The Aggies mesh well against Tennesse's ground game, having blanketed running backs in conference play. A&M ranks ninth nationally in run defense (84 yards per game) and hasn't allowed a player to rush for more than 59 yards per contest.
A&M also leads the nation in sacks (26) and tackles for loss (57).
"Defensively, they're playing as good as anyone in the country," Heupel said during his weekly presser Monday. "Offensively, they have a veteran quarterback [Max Johnson] and skill players who can make a bunch of plays."
