Tennessee Volunteers overcome sluggish offense, jet lag to take down Texas A&M and keep CFP hopes alive

Tennessee beat Texas A&M on the road, keeping its College Football Playoff hopes alive after a sluggish offensive start and a quarterback injury. The win matters because another defeat could have left the Volunteers’ playoff chances in serious doubt.

Tennessee’s defence limited Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed to 71 passing yards and held the team to 179 total yards and one touchdown. The Volunteers rushed for 196 yards and controlled possession for more than 42 minutes; they arrived at their hotel shortly before 1am after travel disruption. They next face LSU, then Vanderbilt, with an undefeated finish to that stretch putting them in a strong position for the playoff.