Texas A&M football and Tennessee played as scheduled amid the Federal Aviation Administration grounding on Friday. But turns out the biggest thing grounded was quarterback Marcel Reed. With Aggies coach Mike Elko choosing to bench the star quarterback.

Elko made the decision to sit Reed during the 22-7 beatdown at the hands of the Volunteers. Backup Brady Hart eventually stepped in during the fourth quarter.

But Elko's decision marked the first time he's benched Reed. He refused to sit him after a costly interception against Alabama back on Oct. 24. This move becomes the reverse of past words from the coach following Texas A&M's Oct. 3 rout of Arkansas.

“I’m not sure that I’d be a good leader, we’d be a good team, we’d be a good program if the first time our quarterback started to struggle, my immediate reaction was to turn my back on him,” were the words Elko said in his presser that day.

Reed hit nine completions out of 22 attempts. But he racked up just 71 yards through three quarters. All while facing Vols defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who owns a past national title with the 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Article Continues Below

So Reed rises as the latest SEC star quarterback to endure a rough outing against Knowles and the Volunteers. Alabama star dual-threat Keelon Russell struggled in his game Tennessee won 26-10 during October. Kentucky star Kenny Minchey even endured a rough outing too during UK's Nov. 7 loss, taking the 34-6 loss.

Texas A&M's season has unraveled amid high expectations. Reed and Elko once collaborated to deliver a College Football Playoff run last season. Now the Aggies are simply fighting to become bowl eligible even if it means settling for six victories. Saturday presented A&M with a huge setback there.