Halftime recap: Texas A&M’s defense holds, propels Aggies to 10-7 lead vs. Tennessee

Led by an inspired effort from the defense, once again, Texas A&M held a close 10-7 lead over Tennessee through the first half.

Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC) held a 10-7 lead over No. 19 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) through two quarters, and once again, they have their defense to thank for the close score.

The Aggies’ backend unit knew they would be tested in Week 7, and that challenge was heightened with some injury news during the pre-game. As The Eagle‘s Travis Brown noted, defensive back Bryce Anderson was not suited out during warmups.

Nonetheless, A&M’s defense managed to hold its own despite giving up 126 yards on the ground through the first two quarters. Tennessee was held to just one scoring drive, and thankfully, missed a 51-yard field goal that would have tied the game 10-10 heading into halftime.

On the offensive side of the ball, Max Johnson was solid through the first two quarters, going 7/11 for 107 yards. Aside from the need to get the ball out quicker on a few plays, Johnson stood poised in the pocket despite porous pass protection from the offensive line. The senior southpaw was also responsible for the Aggies’ lone touchdown of the first half, this time on the ground.

With a mere 17 points combined from both of these football teams, they each left points on the field despite an inspired effort from their defenses. For A&M, in particular, leaky pass protection from the Maroon and Goons stalled what could have been a scoring drive down the stretch of the second quarter.

The Aggies’ right tackle inadvertently stepped on Johnson’s right ankle, forcing a turnover on downs on what was a fourth-and-short situation. For the second straight week, and what has become a high-level trend this season, A&M’s offensive line remains a big issue.

The second half between the Aggies and Vols will kick off shortly from inside Neyland Stadium on CBS.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.