Final Thoughts and Predicting Texas A&M Football vs. Tennessee
This is a game where both fanbases have a slight sense of dread ahead of the action. Tennessee fans are very worried about the front seven their offense will face and a slow start off of the bye; Texas A&M football fans are concerned with a letdown from an emotional game against Alabama the week prior and the possibility of being destroyed in the downfield passing game yet again—as well as the aforementioned road woes the Aggies have experienced.
There is no doubt that Texas A&M football is the more talented team. The issue is they don’t always play like it. The Vols, though, don’t really have a notable advantage at quarterback—Milton is somewhere between the Aggies’ own Max Johnson and Arkansas’s KJ Jefferson as far as his quality—and have struggled in the area where the Aggies are weakest. This could turn out to be much more of a defensive battle than a lot of fans expect; it could also alternately become a shootout. It’s hard to predict, given that Tennessee has yet to be really tested outside of a trip to Gainesville against UF—but are they even actually a good team? The Gators are certainly not a great rushing team, but they pushed the Vols around up front. Graham Mertz isn’t significantly better than Max Johnson, but they were able to pass with more success against Tennessee than they were Vanderbilt.
I hate to harp on these kinds of things, but this really will come down to how well the Aggies can play at the positions where they have the most questions. If the offensive line can hold up in protection and give Max time when he needs it, they’re golden. Heck, if they can establish the run game, maybe Max won’t even need that much time! If the DBs can keep what is really an unimpressive wide receiver corps for the Vols in check, the Ags will be in a good spot. I pick with my heart too much, and I think that’s what’s happening here again, but it doesn’t matter: I’m going with the Aggies to start turning things around here and beat the Vols, 31-27.