Texas A&M’s bowl hopes are now slim to none, confirmed after a brutal 22-7 home loss to No. 8 Tennessee at Kyle Field on Saturday. This defeat drops the Aggies to a dismal 4-6 record, with only matchups against Oklahoma and No. 7 Texas left on the schedule. This isn’t just one bad game, folks. It’s the seventh-straight loss for A&M against a ranked opponent, and get this: in those 28 quarters of football, the offense has managed to put up a measly five touchdowns. You read that right. Five. In seven games against ranked teams. That’s a gut punch.
Offense: A Complete Breakdown, Starting At QB
Watching that game, it’s clear the conversation around quarterback Reed needs to be over. He went 9-of-22 for a paltry 71 yards and tossed an interception against Tennessee. Seventy-one yards! It’s beyond necessary, a change at quarterback is well-overdue. We’ve been hearing this for weeks, and yet the coaching staff seems to make it the most complicated decision on the planet. Pulling Reed and trying to ignite a spark feels like the most obvious move. The entire offense struggled to even move the ball, totaling a pathetic 179 yards and turning it over twice. When you put up numbers like that, the blame has to spread, and it goes straight to the architect of the game plan.
Head Coach Elko called it “stupid” to even ask about his long-term faith in offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins before the Tennessee showdown. After that performance, where the game plan clearly wasn’t panning out, Elko might want to rethink that “stupid” comment. It’s evident what they’re doing isn’t working, and the program needs to cut its losses. A certified offensive coordinator needs to be brought in, and it needs to happen sooner rather than later to salvage anything for next season.
A Couple Of Bright Spots, But Defensive Cracks Show
Amidst the offensive disaster, a few players did show up. True freshman KJ Edwards continues to flash. He rushed for 44 yards on just seven carries and punched in the Aggies’ only touchdown of the day. Even with some injuries this year, there’s no question he’s the best athlete in that running back room. He has all the attributes to be one of the SEC’s most dangerous backs, and he absolutely needs to get the majority of the snaps going forward. Edwards is the future, no doubt about it.
Defensively, Daymion Sanford was a beast. Coming back from an injury earlier in the year, the linebacker led the unit against the Vols. Sanford racked up seven total tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. You could see his elite speed, physical tackling, and his ability to lead out there. He’s got all the qualities to be a big-time linebacker at the next level. However, even with Sanford’s effort, the rush defense did show some cracks. Considering how much they were on the field because the offense couldn’t sustain drives, it wasn’t their worst outing, but they definitely struggled to contain DeSean Bishop and Tennessee’s potent rushing attack.
With a 4-6 record and two ranked opponents still on the schedule, the Aggies’ chances of reaching a bowl game are effectively gone. The team faces Oklahoma next, then No. 7 Texas. What’s left to play for? Pride, sure. But more importantly, it’s a chance for new faces like Edwards to get more reps and for the coaching staff to seriously re-evaluate how they’re running this offense before the season completely spirals out of control.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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