Tennessee vs Texas A&M: Last Minute Predictions for Vols and Aggies
Tennessee vs Texas A&M looks like a potential football shootout between two SEC teams. Here are the last-minute predictions for the Volunteers and Aggies.
Can the Vols pull out another improbable victory? Can the Aggies prove they are for real this year? Tennessee vs Texas A&M will answer skeptics’ biggest questions about one of these teams.
Through five games, the book on Butch Jones’s team has been that they are lucky and good. Meanwhile, people are skeptical about Kevin Sumlin’s third straight 5-0 start since they did that the past two years before collapsing.
With both teams undefeated, this isn’t a game with incredible magnitude since they are in opposite divisions. A loss only means they have to win out to control their own destiny.
However, winning out could be hard, so they’d both like to play with a bit of house money. That makes this game crucial.
So Sumlin and Jones both desperately want to win this game, the first match-up between the two schools since Texas A&M entered the SEC in 2012.
With Myles Garrett dinged up and two receivers for the Aggies along with the Vols’ injuries on defense, this game could get a bit tricky. Health and the 12th man at Kyle Field are huge factors. Here are our last minute predictions for the Tennessee vs Texas A&M game.
1. Trevor Knight will combine for over 300 yards.
Sorry Vols fans, but Tennessee’s defense is going to have a hard time with the Aggies and Kevin Sumlin’s offense today. Trevor Knight is an explosive passer, and while Tennessee does have a loaded defensive front, the injuries at linebacker will be a huge problem. Without Jalen Reeves-Maybin or Darrin Kirkland Jr., it’s going to be hard for the Vols to contain Knight all game. The injuries will also cause another problem.
2. Texas A&M will go for over 200 yards rushing.
Yes, the Aggies have an explosive running back in Trayveon Williams. Combining him with Knight is going to be too much for even the Vols’ elite defensive line to contain all game. Sure, they’ll get a push, but the linebackers will have a hard time filling the gaps. So as a result, the Aggies will pick up tons of big plays on the ground. However, there is some good news for the Vols.
3. Corey Vereen will have two sacks.
Despite Knight making big plays, the Vols will have plenty of chances to get at him. Texas A&M is missing its starting right tackle, and the Aggies will be heavily focused on Derek Barnett. Those two things call for a big day from Corey Vereen. On top of that, Vereen does have the speed to run down Knight a few times, and with his tendency to step backwards in the pocket, he will take some losses. Vereen will cause them in a breakout game.
4. Tennessee will also rush for over 200 yards.
They don’t even have Jalen Hurd today, but the Vols are the perfect match-up to get lots of yards against the Texas A&M Aggies. Sure, they have great edge rushers, but Myles Garrett is a little dinged up. Meanwhile, they’re still a bit weak in the middle. That’s perfect for Joshua Dobbs, who is a north and south runner as a quarterback. And it makes Alvin Kamara deadly with his speed. This is Kamara’s chance to be a breakout running back.
5. One band will play within the first minute of the game.
Given everything we’ve said and the match-ups that come with this game, Tennessee vs Texas A&M will be defined by big plays all day. And that’s going to happen early. Whether it be a huge sack, a big special teams play, a turnover, or a quick offensive touchdown, somebody is going to celebrate early. You will hear one team’s fight song before the clock in the first quarter gets under 14 minutes. Book it.