Texas A&M (4-3 2-2 SEC) is coming off their bye week after consecutive close losses to Alabama and Tennessee, set to host the struggling South Carolina Gamecocks (2-5, 1-4 SEC) on Saturday afternoon.
Taking center stage week after week, the Aggies floundering offense starts and ends in the trenches, as A&M’s offensive line has continued to digress after solid showings to start SEC play, leaving quarterback Max Johson either on his back or scrambling for his life after every snap.
Looking to show some improvement against a porous Gamecocks secondary and unimpressive pass rush, there’s plenty of improvement to be had, especially in the passing game. Again, with such a talented receiving core led by Evan Stewart, Ainias Smith, Noah Thomas, and Moose Muhammad, there’s no reason the offense should be struggling at this rate.
Ahead of the battle for the Bonham Trophy, we at Aggies Wire have provided several key storylines and five players to watch ahead of the game. At the same time, Our Staff has made our predictions ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
Cameron Ohnysty, Managing Editor:
“Coming off of their bye week, will Texas A&M’s offensive line finally show some level of improvement? South Carolina may be the cure to the Aggies’ offensive woes.
While quarterback Max Johnson needs to get the ball out faster, above-average blocking should be enough to reignite the offense and get back to “feeding the studs” in the passing more consistently. While SC quarterback Spencer Rattler is certainly a threat, the Aggies’ 10th-ranked defense, specifically the pass rush (29 sacks), should feast against the Gamecock’s O-line, ranked 132nd in sacks allowed per game (5.0).
All in all, this should (hopefully) be a much-needed rebound game for the Maroon and White.”
Final Score Prediction: Texas A&M 28, South Carolina 14
Pete Hernandez, Staff Writer:
“After two tough back-to-back matchups against SEC behemoths, A&M comes off a much-needed bye week and is greeted with a softer matchup compared to the last two weeks. Simply put, it’s do or die, and the Aggies HAVE to win this game.
Being two-touchdown favorites seems generous, but then again, SC boasts just the 81st-ranked scoring offense and the 114th-ranked scoring defense. Texas A&M needs to show marginal improvement, and they should get a much-welcomed return to the win column.”
Final Score Prediction: Texas A&M 28, South Carolina 17
Jarrett Johnson, Staff Writer:
“I’m not sure what to think about this team anymore. Every game, they have shown the potential to score at least 30 points but disappear in the second half of games. That could be attributed to several things; however, with the experience the team possesses across the offensive coaching staff, they are still a step behind the elite teams.
Getting back on track, South Carolina is not an impressive team right now. Even though I believe in the concept of “Any Given Saturday,” there is no way in my mind that Bobby Petrino will call an aggressive game, putting his players in the best position to score points.
The defense will handle business as usual, as DJ Durkin has been in his play-calling bag since the Miami game. The defensive line is clogging lanes, keeping the linebackers clean, and helping propel Edgerrin Cooper to an All-SEC type of bounceback halfway through the season. In conclusion, the Aggies will have a lot of yards, and the defense will have a lot of sacks en route to a comfortable victory.”
Final Score Predictions: Texas A&M 30, South Carolina 12
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