Ad Disclosure
Taking a position-by-position look at South Carolina at Texas A&M, here’s who has the edge in Saturday’s showdown between the Gamecocks and Aggies:
QUARTERBACK — Push: Until recently, Texas A&M might’ve gotten the edge over nearly every team in conference at this position. But as of midweek, it’s not even clear which Aggies quarterback will be taking snaps this weekend. Coach Kevin Sumlin has opened up competition at the position after a pair of disastrous outings by sophomore Kyle Allen.
The Gamecocks have been forced to deal with their own instability at quarterback due to injuries to Connor Mitch and freshman Lorenzo Nunez. Perry Orth, who has thrown for 472 yards with three touchdowns and two interception in his last two starts, will get the nod this weekend.
RUNNING BACKS — Push: Both running games have been hot and cold this season, with the Aggies struggling mightily on the ground in back-to-back losses to Alabama and Ole Miss. Prior to that, only Arkansas had truly slowed down Texas A&M’s 240-pound senior Tra Carson.
South Carolina’s inconsistency has been largely due to the absence of Brandon Wilds. As proven against Vanderbilt, the Gamecocks running game is dramatically different when the senior is healthy. He missed three games with a rib injury before returning to rush for 119 yards on 24 carries against the Commodores.
WIDE RECEIVERS, TIGHT END — Texas A&M: The Aggies may not have a single receiver with the versatility of South Carolina’s Pharoh Cooper, but they make up for it with a wealth of talented depth.
Freshman Christian Kirk has swiped the spotlight this season and emerged as one of the most dangerous weapons in the conference. He ranks second in the SEC in receiving yards (625) and has returned two punts for touchdowns. Josh Reynolds is second on the team with 24 catches for 458 yards.
Cooper does a little bit of everything for the Gamecocks, totaling 587 receiving yards, 88 rushing yards and throwing an occasional pass.
OFFENSIVE LINE — South Carolina: The offensive front isn’t a strength for either team, and though South Carolina’s numbers are better, the disparity is a little misleading. Texas A&M has given up more sacks (21) than any team in the conference. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks have given up just 12. But the Aggies have also thrown 69 more passes than South Carolina, explaining much of the difference.
The Gamecocks also hold a marginal edge in the running game, gaining 168 yards per game and 4.6 per carry, compared to Texas A&M’s 147 and 4.1.
DEFENSIVE LINE — Texas A&M: Fronted by SEC sack leader Myles Garrett, the Aggies have a talented collection of defensive linemen. Even so, they have been susceptible to power running games. Texas A&M and South Carolina are tied for last in the conference against the run, each giving up 1,401 rushing yards through seven games. Where the A&M front shines is making plays in the opponent’s backfield. Garrett is the obvious headliner, but Daeshon Hall and freshman tackle Daylon Mack have also been highly disruptive in spurts this season.
South Carolina ranks 12th in the conference with 5.3 tackles for loss per game.
LINEBACKERS — South Carolina: Because of the Gamecocks’ struggles this year, Skai Moore isn’t getting the conference-wide attention his performance deserves. He’s tied for third in the conference at nearly 10 tackles per game and tied for second with four interceptions. T.J. Holloman has taken over at the middle linebacker after missing the first two games of the season due to injury.
Injuries have left the Aggies thin at linebacker. Starters A.J. Hilliard and Shaan Washington have experience, but there is little healthy depth behind them.
SECONDARY — Texas A&M: The impact of defensive coordinator John Chavis has been especially evident in Texas A&M’s ability to defend the pass this season. Last year, the Aggies ranked 13th in the conference, allowing 234 passing yards per game. This season, they’re third in the league, giving up just 191. The Texas A&M pass rush deserves some of the credit, but Chavis’ system demands that defensive backs make plays, and the Aggies secondary has obliged. Safety Armani Watts leads the team with almost 10 tackles per contest.
South Carolina has struggled in pass coverage, ranking 13th in the SEC in pass defense efficiency, but performed better against Vanderbilt. The Commodores completed just half their passes for 177 yards while the Gamecocks picked off three passes.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
