Lots of questions, very few answers.

South Carolina’s demoralizing 52-28 loss to Texas A&M snapped an 18-game home winning streak and was Steve Spurrier’s worst home defeat ever. The preseason love for the Gamecocks as the East Division favorite evaporated nearly as fast as the team’s youth-laden secondary in the first half.

  • 99 PLAYS FOR 680 TOTAL YARDS, 39 FIRST DOWNS AND 52 POINTS: The numbers are frightening. Kenny Hill’s dissection of South Carolina’s defense may have been surprising for the national audience, but Kevin Sumlin believed in this group from the start and was confident the Aggies could have their way with a secondary replacing three starters. South Carolina’s tackling was so bad at times, it reminded me of the night Darren McFadden ran wild against the Gamecocks in Arkansas during the 2007 season.
  • MIKE DAVIS A NON-FACTOR: After missing the first series, South Carolina running back Mike Davis left the game in the first half after picking up just 15 yards on six carries. Davis did not return with bruised ribs and his status is day-to-day. One of the most intriguing storylines coming in was how Texas A&M would stop the run and the Aggies did so beautifully.
  • GAMECOCKS PLAY CATCH-UP: Texas A&M never trailed and after pushing ahead by 10 points in the second quarter, it appeared Steve Spurrier’s game plan changed into a ‘get it all in a hurry’ mindset. The Head Ball Coach panicked and the Gamecocks faced several third-and-longs.
  • DYLAN THOMPSON’S BIG NIGHT GOES UNNOTICED: The fifth-year senior quarterback set career-highs with 366 yards passing and four touchdowns, but his big outing won’t make the front page.
  • DEFENSIVE LINE MISSES CLOWNEY, QUARLES: Texas A&M’s star-studded offensive line kept South Carolina’s three and four-man sets out the backfield with hardly any pressure throughout the contest. The Gamecocks replaced Jadeveon Clowney, Kelcy Quarles and Chaz Sutton at the line of scrimmage and it showed.