KNOXVILLE, Tenn. October 14, 2023 – Tennessee’s Dee Williams downed a punt on the 1-yard-line and returned the ensuing Texas A&M punt 39 yards for a touchdown to help lift the No. 19/17 Volunteers past the Aggies, 20-13, in front of a sellout Checker Neyland crowd of 101,915 on Saturday afternoon.
Williams’ special teams jewels enabled the Big Orange to grab its first lead of the game with 6:47 to go in the third quarter, 14-10. A pair of fourth-quarter Charles Campbell field goals gave the home team enough points to hold off an A&M offense that was limited to three points over the final 30 minutes by the Vol defense.
Defensive backs Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Kamal Hadden came up with key interceptions to thwart Texas A&M drives in the fourth quarter and keep the Aggies off the board in the final period.
With a 10th-consecutive packed house at Rocky Top looking on, UT (5-1, 2-1 SEC) rushed for 232 yards against an A&M defensive unit that was allowing only 84.0 per game. Running back Jaylen Wright led all ball carriers with a season-high 136 yards on 19 carries, averaging 7.2 per attempt. It marked his fourth 100-yard effort this season.
The Big Orange stop-troops, meanwhile, limited the Aggies (4-3, 2-2 SEC) to only 54 yards rushing on the evening and only one touchdown, matching the lowest total by Texas A&M in any game over the last four seasons. Linebackers Aaron Beasley and Elijah Herring paced the UT defense with five tackles apiece. Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. racked up a sack and five of the Vols’ 11 quarterback hurries. Defensive end Tyler Baron contributed Tennessee’s other sack in the game and added a hurry as well.
Source: UT Sports – Eric Trainer
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