Texas A&M vs. Tennessee: The Matchups That Will Decide the Game

The Texas A&M Aggies will have some favorable matchups throughout the first half of the regular season, where in six of the first seven games of the year, the Aggies will likely be heading in as heavy favorites.

However, that will change as the Aggies take on a gauntlet down the stretch of the season. In four of the last five games of the regular season, Texas A&M squares off against teams projected to be among the top in the SEC, with the Tennessee Volunteers in the mix.

Texas A&M will host Tennessee in the third-to-last game of the season as the Volunteers look to reassert themselves as one of the top teams in the SEC. The Volunteers should pose an intriguing threat to the Aggies; that will certainly come down to matchups. Here's a look at two of those matchups that could decide the game.

Play Calling Battle Between Mike Elko & Josh Heupel

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It's not many times that a game pits two play-calling head coaches against each other, with many head coaches around the country giving up their play-calling roles and trending towards the CEO type of head coaches.

However, when the Aggies host the Volunteers, the game will have two head coaches who call their own plays on opposite sides of the ball. Texas A&M has its head coach, Mike Elko, calling its defense, while Tennessee has its head coach, Josh Heupel, calling the Volunteers' offense.

Both head coaches are viewed as some of the brightest minds on their side of the ball and have the track record to prove it.

Heupel has created one of the top offenses year in and year out in the SEC that works with multiple quarterbacks, while Elko has created a defense that has steadily improved and took a jump when he took over player-calling duties in 2025.

A lot of the matchup is obviously between the players and what happens on the field; however, dictating much of what will happen will be Heupel and Elko, who will directly face off on the call sheets.

Tennessee's Passing Offense vs. Texas A&M's Secondary

Texas A&M Aggies cornerback Dezz Ricks (2) looks on during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As mentioned, Tennessee has had one of the top offenses in the country since Heupel took over the team, and that trend continued in 2025.

The strongest part was the passing offense, which ranked No. 2 in the SEC and averaged almost 300 yards per game, 13.04 yards per completion, and totaled 3,807 passing yards with 26 touchdowns.

And the Aggies have a system more than capable of containing the high-flying Tennessee air attack, as Texas A&M recorded the third-best passing defense in the SEC in 2025. The Texas A&M secondary allowed 176.62 passing yards per game, 10.73 yards per completion, and 17 touchdowns.

Both teams are strong in the air, making the battle between Tennessee's passing attack and Texas A&M's secondary one of the defining matchups in the ballgame.

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