Texas A&M Aggies vs. Tennessee Volunteers Week 7 Preview

The Tennessee Volunteers host Texas A&M in Knoxville on Saturday as the Aggies hope to bounce back from a devastating home loss to the Crimson Tide.

The Tennessee Volunteers (4-1, 1-1, SEC) host Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1, SEC) in Knoxville on Saturday as the Aggies hope to bounce back from a devastating home loss to the Crimson Tide.

The Aggies face Tennessee a week after a devastating 26-20 home loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. With all the hype that was associated with that game, it'll be easy for coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff to overlook the Vols.

The Vols currently sit at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Wins over Virginia, Austin Peay, UTSA and South Carolina are marred by a head-scratching loss to the Florida Gators.

Tennessee won double-digit games last year for the first time since 2007, and the program feels like it's finally getting solid again under coach Josh Heupel. It was going to be hard for the Vols to replace former quarterback Hendon Hooker, who's off to the NFL, and Joe Milton has been up to the task this season. Milton has 101 completions on 160 attempts this year for 1,164 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Aggies take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Week 7 / USA Today

Also gone are receivers Cedric Tillman and Jalin Hyatt, but Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton and Squirrel White have stepped up, and the Tennessee offense hasn't missed a beat.

The Vols defense made a leap last season, but more improvement was needed if Tennessee hopes to compete with Georgia in the SEC East. Linebacker Aaron Beasley leads the team with 33 total tackles, while defensive lineman James Pierce Jr. has a team-high five sacks on the year. Defensive back Kamal Haden leads all players with two interceptions, including a pick-6. 

The Volunteers led the nation in total offense last season with 525.5 yards per game, absolutely destroying opposing defenses on a weekly basis. One of the keys to keeping the offense as powerful as last year will be the offensive line. Gone are Darnell Wright and Jerome Carvin, but Tennessee brought in big names from the transfer portal in MIami's John Campbell Jr. and Texas' Andrej Karic.

The Aggies and coach Jimbo Fisher will need a better performance than last week, particularly on defense, to get their sixth win of the season.