What must Texas A&M do tonight to rattle the college football landscape with an upset of preseason Eastern Division favorite South Carolina?

Score early.

A first-quarter deficit for the Gamecocks could trigger some finger-pointing in an inexperienced secondary and will provide a boost of confidence for sophomore and first-year Aggies starting quarterback Kenny Hill.

The Gamecocks have scored first 14 times during their current 18-game home winning streak and have beaten three previous ranked teams during the stretch by an average of 21 points per contest.

If Texas A&M falls behind by the first SEC Network commercial break, chatter involving last season’s defensive lapses will ensue.

Improvement is expected on that side of the football, but the Aggies’ offense could alleviate some of that pressure with an early score.