One of the most disappointing regular seasons in Tennessee history will end Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium, but not without an opportunity to make an impact on the national landscape.
Texas A&M is No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings and could earn a coveted invitation to the four-team field with a win over the Volunteers and an Ohio State loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten title game. Another opening for the Aggies could occur with Clemson losing for a second time this season to Notre Dame in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
“This game this weekend is going to be an extremely big deal,” Vols senior left guard Trey Smith said. “You saw what happened in the Florida-LSU game this past weekend. Anything can change, and I know A&M knows that as well. They’ll be coming in and playing with their best ‘A’ game to put on a great performance.
“In the same breath, we have to come prepared, because they’re one of the top five teams in the country. They’re a very talented group, especially on the defensive line.”
This is just the fourth meeting between Tennessee and Texas A&M and the first in Knoxville. The Vols defeated the Aggies in the Gator Bowl after the 1957 season and the Cotton Bowl after the 2004 season, and their lone encounter since Texas A&M joined the Southeastern Conference in 2012 was a 45-38 double-overtime thriller won by the Aggies at College Station in 2016.
AP file photo by Sam Craft / Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher, center, has led the Aggies to a 7-1 record so far this seeason and a No. 5 spot in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings.It will be up to Tennessee in making this one close, as Jimbo Fisher’s 7-1 Aggies are 14-point favorites over Jeremy Pruitt’s 3-6 Vols. Texas A&M already has established a program record for SEC wins in a single season.
“We’re playing against a good football team that’s very well coached,” Pruitt said. “It’s a great opportunity. We’ve played against a bunch of good football teams this year. It’s the last game in Neyland, and I know our kids are excited about playing at home again.”
A Tennessee loss would saddle the Vols with their first three-win regular season since 1924, which predates the formation of the SEC by nearly a decade.
Experience at starting quarterback is the most notable difference between the Aggies and Vols, with Tennessee expected to provide freshman Harrison Bailey his third consecutive start with redshirt sophomore J.T. Shrout getting significant playing time as well. Texas A&M will counter with senior Kellen Mond, who is already the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (9,148), touchdown passes (70) and total offense (10,661).
Mond has 90 career touchdowns via passing or rushing and needs three more to match the school standard set by Johnny Manziel, who won the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
The Aggies have allowed just four sacks this season, and they lead the SEC in time of possession with an average of 33 minutes and 58 seconds per game. Texas A&M has won time of possession in seven straight contests.
“They have a talented offensive line,” Tennessee senior defensive end Matthew Butler said. “They work together, and they don’t give up too many tendencies as far as their personal techniques. They play pretty well or they wouldn’t be having the success that they are having.”
Washington signs
Defensive lineman Isaac Washington of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, became Tennessee’s 17th signee of the early period Friday afternoon. The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder is rated the nation’s No. 48 defensive tackle prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.