Struggling to get revenge on the profit and loss column and with a bowl spot in mind, the South Carolina Gamecocks host No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday. With a renewed sense of purpose as one of the top 10 teams and a potential underdog candidate for an invitation to the College Football Playoff, the Aggies hope to avoid a trap in Columbia against a talented team that is already frustrated this season against Auburn.
The Aggies (4-1) will enter the Williams-Brice Stadium with all the confidence in the world after defeating an Arkansas team by 42-31 last Saturday. Statistically speaking, the Razorbacks overcame the Aggies by compiling 461 total yards for 442, but A&M did the job on the third down with a more physical attack in the lead. A&M converted 7 out of 11 third-drop opportunities, keeping the drives alive which helped in the big win.
The last time we saw South Carolina, it didn’t look like we saw the real Gamecocks. After a 30-22 victory over then No. 15 Auburn, South Carolina, he traveled to Baton Rouge to face LSU and left Death Valley with a 52-24 defeat. The Tigers managed 31 points in the first half and dominated the line, including 276 yards, the best of the season. With a week of farewell to heal persistent injuries and focus on fixing performance problems, South Carolina has the ability to play spoiler against visiting Aggies.
No. 7 Texas A&M in South Carolina
Beginning: Saturday, November 7 at 7 pm Eastern Time
TV: ESPN
Propagation: Texas A&M -10
When Texas A&M has the ball
Against Arkansas, Kellen Mond became the greatest passer of all time for the Aggies during his 260-yard performance and three touchdowns. The senior had one of his best games of the season without interceptions, completing 81 percent of his passes. He was also not fired for the fourth consecutive game. Mond’s sweet spot is to throw about 252 yards per game, which is in line with what South Carolina is allowing (247.8 ypg).
Seeing Mond’s smile, one might guess that someone just said Isaiah Spiller’s name. The super second year is ranked fourth in the SEC in running yards (512), with a hefty average of 6.0 yards per transport. Spiller has three 100-yard games, but was blocked for 82 yards in 21 attempts against the Razorbacks. He punched the end zone just before the break, giving Texas A&M a 14 point lead in the break. The Aggies also have two other game makers on the rise, the tight end Jalen Wydermyer and the slot / running back Ainias Smith. Arkansas had no answer in the middle of the field for Wydermyer, who pulled six passes for 92 yards with two hits. Smith added a quick score and getting to the final count.
Pressing South Carolina’s attack is making your defense drop 30 points per game to your opponent. The Gamecocks’ defensive front began the season with an iron curtain, but allowed more than 200 running yards in consecutive games. Ernest Jones is the man in the middle of defending the Gamecocks, with 55 points in the team’s lead. In high school, Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu are ballhawks and each has recorded two interceptions.
When South Carolina has the ball
When Mike Bobo left Colorado State to become the offensive coordinator of the Gamecocks, he brought transfer quarterback Colin Hill with him. Hill is a useful field general, but he is not the defender capable of taking South Carolina to the next level. There was excitement after his first game against Tennessee, when he pitched for 290 yards, but he has since regressed. He has a tendency to hold the ball for a long time, as he took a beating in every game and fell five times against LSU. If Hill fights Texas A&M, can we see Ryan Hilinski’s sophomore year for the first time this season?
Unless you are a college football fanatic or a SEC fan entirely, Kevin Harris may not be on your radar. But it is one of the nation’s best kept secrets. Harris quietly conducted his business with 535 yards on eight points, both good for second place in the SEC. The second year tailback proved it could have more than 20 sets of carry and has three sets of 100 yards this season. Its external partner is receiver Shi Smith, who is among the conference leaders in receptions (36) and yards (415) and also has three touchdowns.
Texas A&M’s defense has been solid this season, especially considering the competition, but there are holes. This unit blocked teams reasonably well (375.8 ypg), but is still losing almost 30 points (29.4) per game. In addition, the Aggies are not leaving the field on the third downhill, allowing teams to convert more than 45% of the time. Going from strength to strength, A&M did better against the race. His allowed 104.8 yards per game is second only to Georgia in the SEC. Harris could have a long day.
Final analises
As Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher renewed the Aggies squad according to his taste and vision, the offensive line became one of the best in the conference. With the balanced attack between Kellen Mond’s arm and Isaiah Spiller’s legs, A&M can beat teams by four quarters until the opponent’s spirit is broken. For South Carolina, quarterback Collin Hill does not have the gunslinger mentality or attributes to be part of an elite SEC team. November has not been the month of A&M on the battlefield in recent years. Can Aggies avoid another disappointment?
Texas A&M leads the all-time series with South Carolina 6-0. Make it 7-0 after Saturday night.
Forecast: Texas A&M 38, South Carolina 21
Podcast: week 10 forecast and predictions
– Written by Ryan Wright, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network and is an established media professional with more than two decades of experience and is a member of the FWAA. Over the years, Wright has written for various websites and publications and has his own recruiting website, www.recruitingnewsguru.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWrightRNG.