Cotton Bowl
Tennessee (9-3) vs. Texas A&M (7-4)
Where: Cotton Bowl, Dallas.
When: 8 a.m. TV: Fox.
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Key stat: Tennessee is 88th in the nation in pass defense (236.0 ypg). A&M is 20th nationally in passing offense (263.0 ypg).
About Tennessee: The rebuilding Vols were the surprise winners of the SEC East, but they did not play well in the final month. They lost at home to Notre Dame, then gave up a boatload of points and yards in beating Vandy and Kentucky and losing to Auburn in the SEC championship game. Third-string QB Rick Clausen likely will have to go the whole way because of injuries. It’s vital that TBs Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs Jr. produce.
About Texas A&M: Junior QB Reggie McNeal had a breakout season, and if he gets time to throw, he will carve up the Vols’ secondary. TB Courtney Lewis is a nice complement to McNeal, who is mobile and dangerous when he gets out of the pocket. The defense is young and gives up way too many yards. The secondary is especially bad (94th nationally in pass defense.)
The buzz: This is the only college football game televised all season by Fox, which recently outbid ABC for the rights to the BCS starting in 2007.