Get to Know South Carolina:
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Established: 1801
- Enrollment: 38,300
- Mascot: Gamecocks
- Colors: Garnet and black
- Conference: SEC
What You Need to Know:
- Texas A&M is 9-0 (6-0) and ranked No. 3 in the country . This is the first time A&M has started a season 9-0 since 1992 (they went 12-0 that season). A win Saturday would give the Ags seven conference wins for the fist time since joining the SEC.
- South Carolina is 3—6 (1-6) and is playing their 5th straight game against a ranked opponent.
- When A&M has the ball, they’ll take their No. 19 rushing offense and No. 42 passing offense against a Gamecock defense ranked No. 83 against the run and No. 32 against the pass.
- When South Carolina has the ball, their No. 128 rushing offense and No. 104 passing offense will face an A&M defense ranked No. 43 against the pass and No. 31 against the pass.
Betting Lines:
- The Aggies are a 18.5-point favorite
- The over/under is 47.5.
Historical Notes:
- A&M leads the all-time series 9-2, and has never lost to the Gamecocks at Kyle Field.
- The last time the two teams played was a 44-20 South Carolina win.
- The winner of this game theoretically gets the Bonham Trophy, though in actuality the trophy’s permanent home is at the Alamo. But the teams do get a replica.
- Famous South Carolina alumni include Darius “Hootie” Rucker, former Texas A&M President David F. Houston, actor Mike Colter (aka Luke Cage) and attorney Robert Kardashian.
What To Watch For:
- Morning malaise? This is Texas A&M’s first 11 a.m. kickoff of the year (though the Utah State game kicked off at 11:45). Will that throw off their preparation enough to be a factor?
- Gettin’ back at the Gamecocks. Texas A&M lost by 24 a year ago, in a game that very much sent the 2024 into a tailspin. This South Carolina team hasn’t been as successful as that one, but that likely won’t stop the Aggies from feeling like they want to make yet another statement about how this season is different.
- Defensive opportunity. Statistically, the South Carolina offense has been terrible. There’s a reason they’ve already fired their OC and the OL Coach. Given that, make them look like it on Saturday. If you want people to stop critiquing your defense, take a subpar offense and shut them down for four quarters.
Media Blitz:
- Venue: Kyle Field (College Station, TX)
- Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
- TV: ESPN
Weather:
- Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 83F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
