The Official #19 Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Game Thread, 3:30 PM ET, CBS

[YankeeVol]

#19/17 Tennessee Volunteers: 4-1 (1-1 SEC)

vs.


Texas A&M Aggies: 4-2 (2-1 SEC)

GAME 6| OCT 14, 2023 | 3:30 P.M. ET | KNOXVILLE, TENN. | NEYLAND STADIUM (101,915)


Weather
Hi: 74 / Low: 53 // Precip: 15%


Line: UT -3
O/U: 54.5


TV: CBS / Watch
Radio: Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville) / Listen / Live Stats
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Ch. 133 or 191 // Online: Ch. 962
Online: CBSSports.com


Texas A&M Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

BROADCAST INFO​

Saturday's contest will be nationally televised on CBS with Brad Nessler (PxP), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter) on the call. Kickoff is slated for 3:40 p.m.

UT fans can listen to Tennessee's official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 70 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 133 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 962), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.

Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 1:30 p.m.

GAMEDAY INFO / TIMELINE​

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee's 2023 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com.

New Wi-Fi at Neyland Stadium
RockyTopWifi, Neyland Stadium's new Wi-Fi system, will be a work in progress throughout the 2023 season. Fans will see Wi-Fi available around the immediate perimeter of the stadium and at each gate to assist with ticket scanning. Those fans seated throughout the lower bowl will see Wi-Fi in most areas, and all fans seated in the premium sections will see Wi-Fi. Fans should note, they will not see RockyTopWifi in every section of the stadium. Join RockyTopWifi from your mobile device settings. No registration is required.

The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.

Marty & McGee – 9-10 a.m. (Ayres Hall Lawn)
SEC Nation – 10 a.m. - Noon (Ayres Hall Lawn)
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 11:30 a.m.
Truly's Tailgate Opens – 11:30 a.m.
Vol Village Opens – Noon
Vol Walk – 1:15 p.m.
Gates Open – 1:30 p.m.
Pride of the Southland Band March – 1:50 p.m. (Pedestrian Bridge)
Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 3:26 p.m.
National Anthem/Flyover – 3:29 p.m. (Two F-15's from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina)
Vols Run Through the T – 3:37 p.m.
Kickoff – 3:40 p.m.

 

[YankeeVol]

NEED TO KNOW​

Neyland Streaks
Tennessee concludes its three-game homestand inside the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon against the Aggies.

The Vols carry a 12-game home win streak into Saturday's contest, their longest such streak since winning 23 straight at Neyland from 1996-2000. UT's current home win streak is the fourth longest in the country behind Georgia (23), Michigan (19) and Utah (17). UT has won six straight SEC games in Neyland Stadium, which is its longest home SEC win streak since claiming a school-record 15 straight SEC home games from 1996-99. Tennessee is 15-3 overall at home under head coach Josh Heupel, outscoring its opponents 824-373.

Saturday's game is also set to be the 10th consecutive sellout at Neyland Stadium dating back to Sept. 17 last season.

D-Line Dominance
The Volunteers' defense has taken another step forward this season, thanks in large part to the dominant play of its defensive line, which has been living in opponents' backfields all year.

Tennessee ranks second in the FBS with 4.4 sacks per game entering Saturday's contest. The Vols have recorded at least one sack in nine straight games. They also rank fourth nationally in tackles for loss per game (9.4) and are allowing a paltry 4.4 yards per play, which is good for second in the SEC and 10th in the country.

Running to Victories
UT's offense has been powered by an elite ground attack that is tops in the SEC in rushing yards per game with 231.2, a mark that is also seventh in the FBS. The Vols average 6.18 yards per carry, which leads the SEC and is second nationally behind only Oregon's 7.06. Tennessee is the only program in the SEC boasting four or more players who rank in the league's top 10 in average yards per attempt. Jaylen Wright is third (7.13), Dylan Sampson is fourth (6.89), Jabari Small is eighth (5.98) and quarterback Joe Milton III is 10th (5.79).

Last Time Out
Tennessee held Spencer Rattler to just 169 yards through the air with no touchdown passes, while Wright rushed for 123 yards to lead the Vols past South Carolina, 41-20, on Sept. 30 in Neyland Stadium. Wright provided the game's first score on a 42-yard run. Cornerback Kamal Hadden provided the game's biggest play when Rattler, pressured by James Pearce Jr., fired a pick six that was returned 28 yards for a touchdown. Pearce Jr. finished with two sacks and two quarterback hurries and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts. UT tallied six sacks as a team, representing its most sacks in an SEC game since racking up seven versus Mississippi State on Oct. 12, 2019. Wide receiver Squirrel White finished with nine catches on nine targets for 104 yards, while Milton was 21-of-32 for 239 yards and one touchdown pass, a 6-yarder to Jacob Warren in the third quarter. South Carolina was just 2-of-15 on third down.

 

[YankeeVol]

SERIES HISTORY​

Series tied, 2-2
The Vols and Aggies meet for just the fifth time when they square off on Saturday. UT hasn't beaten Texas A&M since 2005 after winning the first two meetings in the series (1957 & 2005). The Aggies have won both contests since they joined the SEC, winning a 45-38 double-overtime thriller in College Station in 2016 before coming away victorious, 34-13, in Knoxville during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT TEXAS A&M​

Sixth year head coach Jimbo Fisher and his Aggies enter Saturday's game with a 4-2 record, including a 2-1 mark in SEC play following back-to-back wins over Auburn and Arkansas before dropping a tightly contested game at home to Alabama last weekend.

Texas A&M has been led by a stout defense that ranks among the nation's best in numerous categories, including total defense (10th – 268.8 ypg), rushing defense (9th – 84.0 ypg), tackles for loss per game (t-2nd – 9.5) and sacks per game (3rd – 4.3).

Junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has been the Aggies top defensive player to this point, leading the team in tackles (41), tackles for loss (12) and sacks (6) while also recording two quarterback hurries, a forced fumbled and a fumble recovery. Sophomore defensive lineman Walter Nolan has also been a force inside with 22 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and four sacks.

Despite an injury to starting quarterback Connor Weigman a few weeks ago, the Aggies' offense has performed well under backup Max Johnson. The sophomore LSU transfer has thrown for over 200 yards in each of his two starts and is completing nearly 61 percent of his passes on the year with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Wideouts Ainias Smith (26 rec., 431 yards) and Evan Stewart (27 rec., 403 yards, 4 TD) have been A&M's top receiving threats while the running back duo of Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels have combined for 612 of the team's 869 rushing yards to go along with five touchdowns on the ground.

 

[YankeeVol]

 

[SaipanVol]

first

 

[ETV]

Vols by 14. The defense continues to dominate and will be in the Aggie backfield often.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

V

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

O

 

[TAF]

 

[General Jack]

We gonna whoop whoop that ass.

 

[volmanNC]

L

 

[Voltopia]

S

 

[YankeeVol]

V

O

L

S

Rookies

 

[photovol]

Does A&M have the highest paid NIL players in the SEC?
Can the Vols match up with A&M athletically?
Big questions, I know, but we’ll find out Saturday in Neyland Stadium!
Go Vols

 

[VolBricks]

I love how we are the ranked team and at home and yet every "Talking Head" is picking us to lose this game. I think we have a great chance to win, our DL is playing as good as anyone.

 

[joevol33]

Let's ride

 

[Volfan1000]

SERIES HISTORY​

Series tied, 2-2
The Vols and Aggies meet for just the fifth time when they square off on Saturday. UT hasn't beaten Texas A&M since 2005 after winning the first two meetings in the series (1957 & 2005). The Aggies have won both contests since they joined the SEC, winning a 45-38 double-overtime thriller in College Station in 2016 before coming away victorious, 34-13, in Knoxville during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

Tennessee will start playing Texas A&M every other year starting in 2025.

 

[71VOL]

Cut down on the penalties, solid line play we win..Go VOLS!

 

[ChrisVFL]

Seen some negative posts . 3-0 next three weeks, 2-1 the worst. People tripping. Alabama Has not been special at all. Texas A&M D is allowing 208 yards passing a game and i believe 87 rushing yards a game however our D is ranked ahead of them. Folks believe the FL game was the reason we will go 0-3 the next three weeks. We didn’t play Sampson, missing key pieces on the OLine. I believe Thornton comes on the scene tomorrow. Believe our D keeps us alive in this one. Will take a balanced and complete game but very capable of winning tomorrow. If we lose I’ll take the heat but I believe the bye week helps us here. Last but not least, this game is in Neyland and will be EARTH SHAKING. Go Vols..

 

[UT_Dutchman]

Go Vols!
Put on More Steam!

 

[VOLifornia]

Never too early to get the #GBO Train going!

 

[Tin Man]

The Orange is with us. We will will the Vols to victory.

 

[UTblood4life]