COLLEGE STATION, Texas _ An injury-depleted Tennessee team staged another remarkable second-half comeback, but Texas A&M had the final answer.
Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight scored on a 1-yard run and safety Armani Watts intercepted Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs' pass in double overtime as No. 9 Tennessee lost to No. 8 Texas A&M, 45-38, on Saturday in front of 106,248 fans _ the second largest crowd in Kyle Field history.
In the first conference meeting between the programs, Texas A&M (6-0, 4-0 SEC) snapped Tennessee's 11-game winning streak and prolonged a few vexing others.
The Vols (5-1, 2-1) have lost 24 straight games against top 10-ranked opponents and 12 straight games against SEC West opponents.
But the Vols didn't go down without their usual fight.
After producing comebacks in four of its first five games, Tennessee rallied from a 21-point deficit against the Aggies. But plagued by a litany of turnovers, the Vols couldn't claw all the way back for the win.
Texas A&M's Daniel LaCamera had a chance to win the game with eight seconds remaining in regulation, but missed a 37-yard goal wide left to send the game into overtime.
Malik Foreman made the defensive play of the game for Tennessee late in the fourth quarter, chasing down Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams at the goal line after a 71-yard run to knock the ball into the end zone for a touchback with 1:49 left.
Tennessee drove right down the field to tie the game, 35-35, with 40 seconds remaining on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Joshua Dobbs to Alvin Kamara.
But Texas A&M managed to hold on in overtime to send the Vols off the field with a loss for the first time since Oct. 24 of 2015 against Alabama.
The Vols had tempted fate early in the season with their fumbling issues, and it finally came back to bite them.
Tennessee committed seven turnovers, including five fumbles lost, and Texas A&M scored 21 points off turnovers.
The Vols fumbled three times in the first quarter alone, and Texas A&M converted two into touchdowns.
Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett hit Dobbs to force a fumble, and the Aggies recovered at the Tennessee 26-yard line.
Five plays later, Knight found Christian Kirk for a 13-yard score to give Texas A&M a 7-0 lead.
Kamara took a screen pass 55 yards before Texas A&M's Watts ripped the ball out of Kamara's grasp to give the Aggies possession at their own 7.
The Aggies couldn't capitalize, and Tennessee used a little trickery to tie the game 7-7.
Kamara took a direct snap and pitched to wide receiver Jauan Jennings. The former high school quarterback hit Dobbs with a 4-yard touchdown pass.
Texas A&M answered back with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Knight to Josh Reynolds for a 14-7 lead. The big play on the drive was a 43-yard completion from Knight to Reynolds.
Tennessee's Evan Berry fumbled the kickoff after a hard hit and the Aggies quickly cashed in on a 7-yard keeper by Knight for a 21-7 lead.
Dobbs fumbled on Tennessee's opening drive of the third quarter and it led to a 7-yard touchdown run by Trayveon Williams to give Texas A&M a 28-7 lead.
But Tennessee once again displayed it resiliency.
On the ensuing drive, Kamara helped the Vols cut into the deficit with a 15-yard touchdown run.
After Tennessee linebacker Colton Jumper intercepted a pass, the Vols gave the ball right back on a fumble by John Kelly that the Aggies recovered at their own 2-yard line.
But Kelly got a bit of redemption in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run to pull Tennessee to within 28-21 with 7:06 remaining.
After Knight scored on a 62-yard touchdown run, Kamara kept Tennessee's late-game comeback hopes alive with a 4-yard touchdown run to shave the deficit back to seven points with 2:07 remaining.
Playing its first top 10 matchup in 11 years, Tennessee was without four key starters. Linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr., running back Jalen Hurd and cornerback Cam Sutton missed the game with various injuries.
Tennessee has one more SEC West challenge remaining to complete its grueling four-game stretch. The Vols host top-ranked and defending champion Alabama next weekend at Neyland Stadium.
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