Tennessee Volunteers (5-0 SU, 2-3 ATS) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS)
College Football Week 6
Date/Time: Saturday, October 8, 2016 at 3:30PM EST
Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
TV: CBS
By Loot, NCAA Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting Odds: TENN +7/TAM -7
Over/Under Total: 56
In a huge SEC matchup from College Station, the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday. Both teams are 5-0 and the winner of this game will climb up the rankings just that much more. Tennessee is becoming the cardiac team of 2016, following yet another comeback win on Saturday. This last one will be hard to top, as Georgia took the lead with a TD with ten seconds left that looked to be the sealer. But a Hail Mary bomb with time running out from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings snatched a win from the jaws of defeat, 34-31. Texas A&M, meanwhile, had a far more-routine time of it on Saturday, with a 24-13 road win over South Carolina.
Tennessee really has been a thrill to watch this season, It started with an overtime win over Appalachian State, before the Vols were able to win in calmer fashion with wins of Virginia Tech and Ohio. Against Florida in week 4, Tennessee fell behind 21-3 and ended up winning 38-28 with a huge turnaround. The script unfolded the same way against Georgia, with the Bulldogs getting off to a 17-0 lead. When Georgia's Jacob Eason hit Riley Ridley for a 47-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left, it looked to be a wrap. For Tennessee to find another way to win was truly a revelation. Still, with so much drama packed into five games and now in a demanding stretch of games, will Tennessee be deflated at all coming into College Station? It was an invigorating moment for Tennessee to pull a big win out on Saturday, but will there be a hangover? Having to go back-to-back against Georgia and A&M on the road is a tough stretch, especially coming off the Florida win. And after this, 'Bama is waiting! What a tough stretch for the Vols.
One of the reasons these games have been so chaotic is the wide range of play seen on both sides of the ball for the Volunteers. Just like they did against Florida, the Tennessee offense was unable to hit the ground running against Georgia, but when they did start clicking, they were again explosive, led by Joshua Dobbs, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. Leading the receiving game was Jauan Jennings, who caught the Hail Mary. Jalen Hurd (questionable) and Alvin Kamara each caught TD passes. But it's not so much the individual parts, though they have an abundance of talent on this offense. It's their ability to respond to crisis situations, which they've done three times already this season. And leading the way is the clutch Dobbs. And for a Tennessee team trying to rejoin the national conversation after a long absence, that trait could carry them a long way.
The defense has also been up-and-down for Tennessee. It's part of the reason the comeback wins have been so dramatic. This defense can be a bit iffy and they certainly have not started games strongly. At the same time, when it's time for the comeback to ensue, they have been able to tighten the grip and allow the offense to start piling on the points without having to worry about the other team's total rising. Still, the vulnerability they have shown through the air and on the ground could cost them moving forward—specifically this week against the 5-0 Aggies. And with star LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin questionable, they could have lost some of their playmaking ability.
The Aggies are looking to avoid a repeat of the last two seasons when they also started 5-0, only to finish at a lukewarm 8-5 and fading late. They get a stiff test here against a rising Vols bunch that is already battle-tempered heading into week six. With three easy conference wins in a row, the Aggies have faced some stiff competition, beating UCLA in overtime, with wins over Auburn, Arkansas, and then South Carolina on Saturday. The win over Auburn was also on the road. College Station should be bumping on Saturday, with the winner of this game being the best team in the SEC that isn't Alabama.
A&M got a good game from South Carolina on Saturday in Columbia, but they were able to grind out a win. Quarterback Trevor Knight was not terribly accurate, nor has he been all season, but he was good enough and he used his legs to good affect, with 84 yards and a TD. Trayveon Williams is the main man in the run game and he didn't disappoint on Saturday with 98 yards and a score. The usual suspects in the passing game were on display, albeit in a somewhat subdued offensive performance, with Christian Kirk leading the way with 12 catches. Josh Reynolds had some good receptions, with seldom-used Jeremy Tabuyo getting involved with 89 yards receiving. They're looking forward to the return of receiver Ricky Seals-Jones, who is questionable.
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The A&M defense, missing some key guys, allowed a big 75-yard run on the Gamecocks' first possession on Saturday, before settling down and getting down to business. Strong safety Armani Watts was very disruptive and had a pick. The line was impactful, despite missing impact pass-rusher Myles Garrett (questionable), who they are hoping returns this week. Still, to give up 53 points in three SEC games with two on the road isn't too shabby and with coordinator John Chavis in his second year, this part of the team will end up determining if the Aggies are upper-tier or not. They have one of the best lines and secondaries in the conference.
It's hard to not look at A&M at home with an easy path to get here as a team that might be due to perform more. And if they jump off to the big lead, will the Volunteers have enough spring in their legs to come back? This just seems to set up better for the Aggies in this matchup. Things just lined up a bit better for them heading into this game. But with the big spread against a team that seems impossible to put away, we're going to take another spin with Tennessee.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Tennessee Volunteers plus 7 points. Tired of your credit card not working for sportsbook deposit? End that problem today by signing up and betting the Volunteers vs. Aggies game at Bovada Sportsbook where your credit card WILL work and where you'll receive a generous 100% sign-up bonus!
