<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0lNyDH_1H3q6a7Y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0lNyDH_1H3q6a7Y00" width="1280" height="720" ><figcaption>Photo by Brian Jones</figcaption></figure>A challenging Texas A&amp;M football season is only getting more challenging.The Aggies (4-5, 1-5) try to conjure up some black magic on a “Black Out” Saturday when they face No. 8 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2) in a 2 p.m. Southeastern Conference tilt at Kyle Field.A&amp;M hopes to keep its fading bowl aspirations intact by snapping a three-game SEC losing streak. But they have to do it against the best team they’ve faced.True, Tennessee is ranked behind No. 3 Alabama, but the Volunteers are better based on head-to-head results.The Aggies are aiming for better results after taking the lead into the fourth quarter in consecutive losses to Alabama and South Carolina.That will likely require their run defense winning head-to-head against Tennessee, which leads the SEC in rushing behind star running back DeSean Bishop.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=13ip7i_1H3q6a7Y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=13ip7i_1H3q6a7Y00" width="854" height="480" ></figure>“(Tennessee has a) Really talented running back,” A&amp;M coach Mike Elko said. “Really physical offensive line. Two elite tackles (David Sanders Jr. and Jesse Perry). I think the quarterback (sophomore George MacIntyre) is getting better every week. More and more comfortable in the system.“(They have) Talent on the outside. Skill at wide receiver. A really good tight end. It’ll be a big challenge for us.”The Aggie may be up for the challenge. They’ve gained confidence by holding four of their last five opponents to 140 rushing yards or less.Last week, they limited South Carolina, which led the SEC in rushing at the time, to just 109 yards.Further, the A&amp;M defense’s Achilles’ heel has been a tendency to allow big plays in the passing game. The Aggies have surrendered 29 pass completions of 20 yards or more. They’ve allowed an SEC-high 17 pass completions of at least 30 yards.But Tennessee has managed only 21 passes of 20 yards or more. That’s second-fewest in the SEC.A&amp;M has the fewest with 18.MacIntyre, who four games ago took over the starting job from Faizon Brandon, has passed for only 853 yards and two touchdowns.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3hsnzd_1H3q6a7Y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3hsnzd_1H3q6a7Y00" width="854" height="480" ></figure>Therefore, expect a lot of running plays because A&amp;M’s best strategy figures to its ground game for two reasons.First, the Aggies have clearly improved in the running game. They’re seventh in the SEC in rushing offense. They’ve exceeded 180 rushing yards in six games.That includes 206 vs. South Carolina last week.“I’m not looking for anyone to pat us on the shoulders or anything,” Elko said. “I do think running the ball over 200 yards against that team the way we did certainly was our best performance of the year.”The Aggies also figure to stick to the running game because they’ve had issues protecting quarterback Marcel Reed, and Tennessee leads the nation with 39 sacks.Defensive lineman Tyree Weathersby, who has a team-high seven sacks, sustained a leg injury in a win over Kentucky last week and will miss the remainder of the season.But the Volunteers have five other players with at least three sacks. Powerful defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam has six.“Gilliam is a phenomenal player,” Elko said. “He’s probably the best defensive tackle in the country. He’ll probably be the first one drafted this year.”Finding a way to block Gilliam and slow down that Tennessee pass rush is just another challenge for the Aggies.</div></body>

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A challenging Texas A&M football season is only getting more challenging. The Aggies (4-5, 1-5) try to conjure up some black magic on a “Black Out” Saturday when they face No. 8 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2) in a 2 p.m. Southeastern Conference tilt at Kyle Field. A&M hopes to...

Challenges increase in 'Operation Blackout' bout

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A challenging Texas A&M football season is only getting more challenging. The Aggies (4-5, 1-5) try to conjure up some black magic on a “Black Out” Saturda

Challenges increase in 'Operation Blackout' bout

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