The Tennessee Vols dug deep and found a way to keep their playoff hopes alive on Saturday in College Station, Texas, rallying from a second half deficit to knock off the Texas A&M Aggies 22-7.
George MacIntyre was 13/17 passing for 109 yards. DeSean Bishop carried the mail as usual, turning 34 carries into 97 yards. Braylon Staley had four catches for 34 yards. TJ Metcalf starred on defense for Tennessee with a team-high eight total tackles and an interception.
Tennessee took the opening kickoff and
wasted no time going down the field. They went 70 yards in 16 plays and took off almost nine and a half minutes off the clock. Unfortunately for the Vols, an odd exchange on third and goal at the one resulted in MacIntyre running with the ball, same as at the end of the South Carolina loss. And MacIntyre was tackled for a loss, and a field goal ensued.
The teams traded punts for the next four series. Then, A&M took over at their own 31, and they put together the only scoring drive they would engineer the entire game. KJ Edwards broke free and kept his feet to the end zone for a 25-yard score. Tennessee put together a 63-yard drive to answer with a field goal, but Tennessee suffered a massive loss on the drive when Mike Matthews suffered a lower body injury and had to be helped off the field without being able to put any weight on his right leg. He was on crutches going to the locker room, where the broadcast said his parents were waiting for him. Certainly not a good sign.
The second half turned into a punt fest, with the first five combined drives resulting in punts. MacIntyre also suffered an injury following a hit and left during the third quarter. He went through his throwing motions during a break in play, but Faizon Brandon came in and executed the offense, which gave Tennessee a bit of a spark as A&M had to account for his running ability.
Tennessee took the lead late in the third quarter at 9-7 on a 32-yard Cooper Ranvier field goal, one of five he attempted and made on the day. And finally, with under ten minutes left in the game, the Vols took a two-score lead on a five-yard WIDE open touchdown pass to DaSaahn Brame. The entire Texas A&M defense bit on the run, and Brandon rolled right and floated it to Brame, who was all by himself.
A&M went for it on 4th and 1 near midfield less than two minutes later, and an ill-advised pass fell incomplete. Tennessee pushed the lead to 19-7 a few minutes later, and after TJ Metcalf intercepted Reed and ran it back 37 yards, the Vols added the final points of the day with one more Ranvier field goal. Backup QB Brady Hart came in, and Dejuan Lane intercepted him near the sideline to end the game.
Up next is LSU next weekend in Knoxville in what is obviously titanic game for Josh Heupel and the Vols.
