The Vols at Texas A&M
As the wins continue to mount for the Tennessee Vols, the match-ups seem to get tougher. Though the Vols have come away with two monumental wins in the past two weeks, their toughest challenges still lie before them. With Florida still to face a surging LSU team under interim coach Ed Orgeron, as well as a pesky UGA, the Vols have to like their chances in winning the SEC East. The Gators and the Bulldogs were their main competition in the race, both of which the Vols have already defeated. Even so, a win this weekend would all but stamp their ticket to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. With college football being a game of unknowns, Tennessee would much rather control their own destiny than rely on chance. They'll have that opportunity this coming Saturday, in arguably their toughest match-up of the season, as they travel to College Station to take on the 8th ranked Texas A&M Aggies.
Looking at what the Aggies have done so far this season, I feel compelled to eat a little crow. I'll admit that I didn't put much stock into the Aggies going into this season, even though most national pundits pegged this as a trap game for Tennessee. Sandwiched in the middle of a brutal four game stretch, most felt the Vols may be looking ahead to long-time rival, Alabama. But senior transfer Trevor Knight has led the Aggies to five straight wins, including victories over UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas, and South Carolina. They have a tremendous amount of talent across the board, and Knight has looked sharp in the process. I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong, and so far the Aggies have proved to be much better than I anticipated.
After taking a look into the stats of each team, A&M certainly seems to have an edge. However, as well as Knight has looked, he still only boasts a completion percentage 54.1%, while Tennessee quarterback, Josh Dobbs (who has been chastised for his poor passing) has a solid 57.9%. Dobbs also tops Knight in his passer rating at 146.5 to Knight's 122.1. Knight has more total passing yards, to be sure, but it's also important to note that 344 of those came against FCS opponent, Prairie View. Dobbs has thrown six interceptions on the year to Knight's three, but he's also thrown 13 touchdowns to Knight's seven, making their touchdown to interception ratio nearly identical, though Knight still holds the advantage in that category.
Trevor Knight bulls his way into the end zone against Eastern foe, South Carolina.
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
When looking at the two quarterbacks, Dobbs is often praised for his running abilities, while Knight is thought to be the more polished passer. Ironically, Dobbs has proven to be the better passer on the season, and Knight the better rusher. On the season, Trevor Knight has amassed 392 yards on 50 carries for an impressive 7.8 YPC average. Dobbs, on the other hand, has rushed the ball 65 times for 267 yards, an average of 4.1 YPC. Knight has rushed for six touchdowns to Dobbs' five. Unlike his passing numbers, which can be skewed by the game against Prairie View, Knight's most impressive rushing game came against Arkansas, when the signal caller rushed for 157 yards on only 10 carries (a staggering 15.7 YPC), taking two in for touchdowns in the process. With Tennessee's two most talented linebackers in question for this Saturday, Knight will no doubt be looking to exploit the Vols on the ground.
Texas A&M defensive end, Myles Garrett sacks Auburn's Sean White.
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Aside from the guys taking the snaps, this game offers up another intriguing match-up at a much more unique position. Texas A&M and Tennessee field arguably the SEC's best two defensive ends, if not the country's. Texas A&M's Myles Garrett has had NFL scouts salivating since his inception into the league. Though not as highly regarded as Garrett, Tennessee's Derek Barnett has proved to be just as successful, if not more so, especially in SEC play. Injuries kept Garrett off the field in A&M's most current win over South Carolina, but the talented end has still managed to accumulate 11 total tackles and three sacks in four games. Barnett has had the better 2016 campaign, making 23 total tackles and four sacks, as well as a forced fumble in the end zone against Georgia that resulted in a touchdown. Both players have the ability to change the course of a game, and both will likely be first rounders in the 2017 NFL draft.
Tennessee's Derek Barnett gets a sack and a forced fumble against Georgia's Jacob Eason. The play resulted in a Tennessee touchdown.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The ground game for both teams showcases some talented rushing duos for both teams. Texas A&M's Trayveon Williams leads his team in rushing on the season, rushing for 487 yards on 54 carries (9.0 YPC), and has put four in the end zone for touchdowns. Back-up Keith Ford has ran the ball 43 times, accumulating 213 yards (5.0 YPC) and three touchdowns. It's been an impressive season on the ground for an Aggie rushing attack that has rushed for a total of 1,293 yards on 192 attempts, yielding an impressive 6.7 YPC, and amassing 15 touchdowns. Tennessee hasn't been quite as dominant, but they haven't been terrible. Vols running back, Jalen Hurd has put up 407 yards on 101 carries putting two in the end zone and averaging 4.1 YPC. Back-up, Alvin Kamara has had 38 touches for 165 yards, an average of 4.3 YPC. Kamara has not scored a rushing touchdown at this time. As a team, Tennessee has rushed for 873 yards on 215 carries for eight touchdowns, and an average of 4.1 YPC.
Texas A&M running back, Trayveon Williams.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The most concerning match-up for the Vols entering this game may very well be A&M's talented crop of receivers. Whereas the Vols have faced teams up to this point with only one or two major threats, Texas A&M seems to be overflowing with them. The Aggies have four receivers with over 100 yards on the season, led by senior, Josh Reynolds. Reynolds has 399 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions. After him are Christian Kirk (33 rec. for 272 yds and 3 TDs), Ricky Seal-Jones (10 rec. for 175 yds), and Jeremy Tabuyo (8 rec. for 149 yds). Rounding out the top five for A&M is junior, Speedy Noil who has 6 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown in only two games.
Texas A&M receiver, Josh Reynolds.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Vols currently have two major standouts at receiver in junior, Josh Malone and sophomore, Jauan Jennings. Malone has finally stepped up to be the dominant pass-catcher Vol fans knew he could be, pulling in 15 receptions for 310 yards and five touchdowns. Perhaps the most exciting, while certainly not surprising, is the emergence of Jennings, who has hauled in 12 receptions for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He made a bobbling catch while tight-roping the sideline for a touchdown against Florida to take the lead, and made one of the greatest plays in Vol football history with his Hail Mary grab to beat Georgia this past Saturday. The once quarterback is tremendously talented, and has proven to be one of the Vols most reliable receivers on the season. The Vols have also got the ball in the hands of Alvin Kamara, who has 12 catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Hurd also has two receiving touchdowns on seven receptions for 82 yards, and tight end, Ethan Wolf has a score on six receptions for 67 yards.
Jauan Jennings hauls in a game winning Hail Mary to defeat Georgia 34-31 in the closing seconds of the game.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
If there is anything certain about this game, it's that uncertainty seems reign supreme. After what could only be described as a dumpster fire of an off-season that saw their top two quarterbacks transfer within the same week, Texas A&M has looked like a legitimate challenger in the SEC Western division. A Tennessee team that entered the season with sky high expectations and a top 10 preseason ranking got off to a rocky start, barely escaping Appalachian State in overtime in week one. Though they're 5-0, their win against Georgia just recently put them back into the top 10 for the first time since week one. Slow starts in nearly every game have Vol fans nervous going into College Station. The Aggies field an aggressive defense that will be sure to put pressure on Josh Dobbs throughout the game. The Vols cannot hope to come out slow against A&M. They have come back from double digits in four of their five games, a prospect that is dubious at best against this Aggie D. Though the East is likely theirs barring a catastrophic collapse late in the season, a win Saturday would almost certainly seal the deal, making the following week's game against Alabama one of the biggest in school history. One thing's for sure, though, this team will fight tooth and nail to the final whistle, even if ESPN's probability statistics say the game is out of reach. They've excelled in giving their fans thrilling, if not down right heart stopping performances. I don't anticipate that to stop now. If they play to their potential (something we've yet to see a full game of), there's no reason they can't come out of College Station with a win. But come out flat with another slow start, and it could be a long day in Texas.
Perhaps the most pressing concern, though, has to be the Vols battered defense. With Trevor Knight proving to be a force on the ground as well as in the air, and a rushing attack that ranks 13th in the FBS, the Aggies can hurt you with a myriad of weapons. Everyone from the corners to the linebackers to the guys on the line will need to be at their absolute best. Any breakdown can result in a big play. These Tennessee backups have been battle tested, and must remain focused and disciplined to have a chance. While A&M ranks in at 64th in total defense, they come in at 12th in scoring defense, so Dobbs and the Vol offense must do a better job of protecting the ball. Costly fumbles have derailed dominant drives on more than one occasion. Too many mistakes here and the game could get out of control. We still don't know how special this season can be for Tennessee. The thrilling win over Georgia, as well as exorcising the Florida demon, have already made this a season to remember. If the Vols can pull it out this Saturday, then the sky's the limit.
