A&M opens as 6.5 favorites

[Tnphil]

We need our A game for 4 quarters.

[BanditVol]

Yup

[Black Diamond Vol]

That line sounds about right.  Any rational bettor would take A&M in this game.  But as you alluded, at some point this team is going to put it all together for 60 minutes.  And if they can play a full game like they played in the 2nd half against UF, no one can beat them.

[Coupe De VOL]

I think the Vols were closer to putting in a full 60 mins than most people think.  If you take away Hurds inexplicable fumble, the halftime score could have easily been 14-10 or 14-13 Vols.  Hurds fumble was a cruel gut punch and that totally demoralized the D and enabled the Dawgs second TD

[BanditVol]

I think the Vols were closer to putting in a full 60 mins than most people think.  If you take away Hurds inexplicable fumble, the halftime score could have easily been 14-10 or 14-13 Vols.  Hurds fumble was a cruel gut punch and that totally demoralized the D and enabled the Dawgs second TD

Yes. And the other thing is, with the exception of usc jr, tamu gets off to really fast starts. So if we fall behind quickly, like against va tech, we will start playing better far earlier in the game.

Lol.

I'm only half joking...

[Tnphil]

I think the Vols were closer to putting in a full 60 mins than most people think.  If you take away Hurds inexplicable fumble, the halftime score could have easily been 14-10 or 14-13 Vols.  Hurds fumble was a cruel gut punch and that totally demoralized the D and enabled the Dawgs second TD

It was a cruel punch to Hurd too.....He got the ever loving hell knocked out of him.

[Coupe De VOL]

It was a cruel punch to Hurd too.....He got the ever loving hell knocked out of him.

It was, and I felt bad for him.  He has been a leader for this team from day one and has carried himself very well in his career.  He makes this one slip up, and it costs him dearly.  I hope he can bounce back from it mentally.  It was great to see him score later and get some redemption, but I wonder how he took the de facto benching in the 4th Qtr.  "Lower extremity injury"???  Really? 

[Creek Walker]

I know the internet is abuzz with speculation that he was benched, but I don't buy that. If you're going to bench a guy for a boneheaded mistake, you do it right after the mistake -- not after he's come back into the game and scored a touchdown in the second half.

[Tnphil]

I know the internet is abuzz with speculation that he was benched, but I don't buy that. If you're going to bench a guy for a boneheaded mistake, you do it right after the mistake -- not after he's come back into the game and scored a touchdown in the second half.

Yep...got to be something there...Maybe a mild concussion from getting the crap knocked out of him? Got to think on that series we got real conservative on when we could have iced the game and not given UGA the ball back he would have been in there in that situation....Him coming back right after the half when he scored and then never playing again the rest of the game there has to have been a issue other than being in the doghouse. I've read where he ran onto the field and jumped on the pile after out winning score....so whatever it is it can't be much.

[BanditVol]

I know the internet is abuzz with speculation that he was benched, but I don't buy that. If you're going to bench a guy for a boneheaded mistake, you do it right after the mistake -- not after he's come back into the game and scored a touchdown in the second half.

Yeah, I agree.  I think he probably did take a hit to a sensitive area and they just held him as a precaution, and also since Kamara was playing well.