No. 8 Tennessee dominated with defense and special teams to earn a 22-7 Southeastern Conference victory over Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas.
Cooper Ranvier kicked a career-high five field goals for the Vols (8-2, 5-2 SEC) while the defense limited the Aggies to 179 total yards. That included just 62 yards during a scoreless second half when none of Texas A&M’s seven drives lasted more than four plays.
Tennessee sealed the win with fourth-quarter interceptions by Dejuan Lane and TJ Metcalf.
DeSean Bishop had 97 rushing yards and Javin Gordon added 78 on the ground for the Volunteers, who didn’t have second-leading rusher Daune Morris because of a broken leg he sustained in an auto wreck Friday morning. Morris is out for the year.
Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, who took over in the second half after George MacIntyre sustained a right knee injury, threw a 5-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter on his only attempt.
KJ Edwards had a 25-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for Texas A&M (4-6, 1-6), but the Aggies lost receiver TK Norman on the play with a right ankle injury.
Ranvier accounted for the Vols’ offense in the first half, hitting two short field goals after a pair of long drives that went a combined 29 plays and 133 yards.
The Aggies led 7-6 at halftime despite Tennessee’s 12-minute advantage in time of possession. They dropped to 19-2 under coach Mike Elko when leading at halftime.
Late in the third with his team trailing by a point, Brandon — who frequently rotates snaps with MacIntyre — took over at quarterback. He led an 11-play, 66-yard drive before Tennessee settled for another field goal as Ranvier hit from 32 yards for a 9-7 lead.
A roughing-the-passer penalty on third down against Marco Jones kept another Tennessee drive alive early in the fourth quarter. Jones appeared to hit Brandon in the helmet on an incomplete pass.
Later in the drive on third-and-6 from the TAMU 19, Brandon made a good read and pitched to Gordon for a 14-yard gain.
On first-and-goal from the 5, Brandon’s only pass of the day came on play action to a wide-open DaSaahn Brame in the end zone.
After taking over on downs, Tennessee’s short drive ended with another Renvier field goal, making it 19-7 with 6:18 to go.
Brady Hart took over for Marcel Reed at quarterback with just over two minutes remaining in the game and the Aggies down by 15 points. Hart’s drive ended with an interception. Reed finished 9 of 22 for 71 yards and one interception.
The Vols lost wideout Mike Matthews because of a right knee injury midway through the second quarter. Matthews, who entered as Tennessee’s leading receiver, caught a touchdown pass a week ago at Kentucky.
