The South Carolina football team looks to improve to 4-1 on the season when they travel to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies (3-1) in an SEC showdown Saturday night.
South Carolina is coming off of a narrow comeback win against Louisiana Tech, while the Aggies are coming off an overtime victory against Arkansas.This should be a tough test for the Gamecocks, who squeaked by a Louisiana Tech team after being shut out until late in the fourth quarter.
What to know about Texas A&M
The Aggies are an explosive team. The offense averages more than 40 points per game and more than 460 total yards. The strength of Texas A&M's offense is its ability to run the football at will, averaging 260.3 yards per game. Trayveon Williams (328 yards), Keith Ford (232 yards), Kendall Bussey (206 yards) and quarterback Kellen Mond (157) are all extremely effective at running the ball. The Aggies have scored 12 rushing touchdowns in only four games this season. The A&M offense will look to run the ball heavily and tire out the South Carolina front.
Conversely, the Aggie defense has been up and down through four games this season. It gave up more than 40 points to both UCLA and Arkansas. The UCLA loss was especially disappointing for the Aggies, who were leading by 34 points before collapsing and losing by one point. UCLA's comeback was the largest in the school's history, and a poor display of defense by the Aggies in the fourth quarter. There are many gaps in the Texas A&M defense, which will give South Carolina the opportunity to put up big numbers on the road.
What to expect from South Carolina
Going into Kyle Field in College Station is a difficult task for almost any opposing team. It is one of the most hostile environments in college football.
A key for South Carolina is overcoming injuries. Offensively, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive lineman Zack Bailey will both be unavailable for this game.
The Gamecocks' motto has been "next man up," and they will need multiple players to step up come Saturday. In Week 3, wide receiver OrTre Smith scored a touchdown in his first career start. He could be a viable option for Samuel.
The Gamecocks will also be without senior linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams for the remainder of the season. The loss of Williams, who is known as a vocal leader on the team, is a big blow for the Gamecock defense, which will already have its hands full on Saturday.