Texas A&M football has reached the point where moving the ball isn't nearly enough. The Aggies need touchdowns, and they'll have to find them against one of the nation's nastiest defenses Saturday when No. 8 Tennessee visits Kyle Field.

The Aggies (4-5, 1-5 SEC) are coming off a 17-9 loss at South Carolina that perfectly illustrated their season-long offensive frustration. Texas A&M accumulated 457 yards, including 206 rushing, but couldn't score a single touchdown.

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Kicker David Olano accounted for all nine points.

That's unacceptable for an SEC offense featuring experienced quarterback Marcel Reed and a collection of talented skill-position players.

Now the Aggies face a Tennessee defense that has registered 39 sacks in nine games, averaging an incredible 4.33 per contest.

Defensive linemen Tyree Weathersby and Xavier Gilliam have combined for 13 sacks, although Weathersby reportedly suffered a season-ending knee injury against Kentucky.

His absence could give Texas A&M's offensive line some breathing room, but Gilliam and the remaining Volunteers pass rushers are still dangerous.

Reed completed 25 of 43 passes for a season-high 251 yards against South Carolina. Those numbers look respectable until you consider the scoreboard.

The Aggies couldn't finish drives, and Reed failed to deliver the late-game plays necessary to overcome the Gamecocks.

Tennessee's secondary presents another major challenge, allowing just 172.1 passing yards per game. The Volunteers will undoubtedly attempt to force Reed into uncomfortable passing situations.

That makes Rueben Owens II critically important.

Owens rushed for 137 yards on 19 carries against South Carolina, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt. Freshman KJ Edwards added 37 yards and has accumulated 397 rushing yards this season.

Texas A&M has averaged 161 rushing yards per game, while Tennessee is surrendering 124.4.

If the Aggies establish the ground game, they can potentially neutralize Tennessee's pass rush and keep the Volunteers' offense watching from the sideline.

But stopping Tennessee's offense won't be easy, either.

Freshman quarterback George MacIntyre has thrown for 853 yards since taking over, while running back DeSean Bishop has amassed 1,066 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

Tennessee (7-2, 4-2 SEC) arrives following a convincing 34-6 victory over Kentucky, with its College Football Playoff hopes very much alive.

For Mike Elko, Saturday's homecoming is about more than avoiding another loss.

The Aggies need two victories in their final three regular-season games just to become bowl eligible.

Texas A&M is promoting Saturday's matchup as an "Operation Blackout" game. But the biggest concern isn't what color the crowd wears.

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It's whether an offense that's repeatedly wasted scoring opportunities can finally find the end zone.

Saturday's showdown begins at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Source: Yahoo Sports