Tag: South Carolina Football

Clemson vs South Carolina: Kickoff time, TV info announced for high-stakes rivalry game

Here’s what time the Clemson Tigers will kick off against rival South Carolina on Nov. 30, and what TV channel the game will be on.

The ACC on Monday announced kickoff times and TV information for Week 14 games, including the Clemson Tigers’ annual showdown with the rival South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 30.

The Tigers (8-2) and Gamecocks (7-3) will kick off at noon ET from Death Valley. The game will be televised on ESPN.

It will be the 121st all-time meeting between the two rivals. Clemson leads the series, 73-43-4. The Tigers won last year’s game, 16-7, at Williams-Brice Stadium and have won eight of the last nine in the series. South Carolina won in its last trip to Death Valley in 2022. Dabo Swinney is 9-6 in his coaching career against South Carolina.

Clemson is ranked No. 20 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings but isn’t mathematically eliminated from the ACC title hunt. The Tigers need to win out and hope for either the Miami Hurricanes or SMU Mustangs to lose one of their final two games.

Clemson rallied late for a 24-20 come-from-behind road victory last Saturday against the Pitt Panthers. Cade Klubnik ran for a 50-yard touchdown with 1:16 to play for the Tigers’ only points of the second half. Khalil Barnes then intercepted a Pitt pass near the goal line as time expired.

South Carolina has had a better year than many expected. Behind freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers, the Gamecocks have won four straight entering Week 13, including a 44-20 upset of then-No. 10 Texas A&M at Williams-Brice back on Nov. 2.

Shane Beamer’s team defeated Missouri 34-30 over the weekend and will host Wofford this Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

The Gamecocks moved up four spots to No. 19 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. Clemson is ranked No. 16.

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Best Photos from Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

View some of the best photos from the Texas A&M to South Carolina on the road

On Saturday night, No. 10 Texas A&M put their winning streak on the line when they went on the road to take on South Carolina. Unfortunately, for the Maroon & White, homecoming was a party for the fans at Williams-Brice Stadium as they cheered to the Gamecocks 44-20 upset win.

It’s hard to go undefeated in SEC play, and you can throw the records out during conference play. South Carolina secured their statement win of the season and bullied A&M on both sides of the ball. There are excuses and ways for fans to cope on social media, but head coach Mike Elko has another cliff to climb on the way to the mountaintop.

This bye week and how they perform against New Mexico State will set the tone for their remaining two SEC games leading into the postseason. Saturday did not turn out how they wanted it, and now the race to the college football playoffs starts.

Despite the loss, here are the best photos from Saturday night’s game.

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Texas A&M dropped 3 spots in the newest Football Power Index rankings

Here are the latest ESPN FPI rankings after Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) failed to remain undefeated in SEC play after falling to South Carolina 44-20 on the road on Saturday night, looking lifeless on both sides of the ball after being tied 20-20 at the half.

However, credit to the Gamecocks for playing with consistent physicality and toughness, while Williams-Brice, in front of a packed crowd at night, could have resulted in nearly every SEC team enduring the same fate.

Either way, head coach Mike Elko and his staff have plenty of work during the bye week to get back to playing winning football, while QB Marcel Reed, who finished 18/28 with 206 yards, one touchdown, and an interception, must improve in the pocket if the offense has any chance at keeping up with the Texas Longhorns at the end of the season.

After the win, ESPN’s Football Power Index update revealed a small rise in the rankings for the Aggies.

Texas A&M football’s FPI ranking, rating

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Texas A&M fell to No. 15 after losing to South Carolina, with a 14.5 FPI rating, the seventh-highest among SEC teams. The Aggies are projected to win 8.9 games and have a 5.3% chance of winning out. Sitting at 7-2 and 5-1, A&M currently has a 19.1% chance to make the playoffs and a 1.8% chance of making the National Championship game.

SEC team in FPI

The top-ranked SEC teams in the upper echelon of the rankings include the Texas Longhorns (26.0), followed by Alabama (3rd, 25.3), Georgia (4th, 23.1), Ole Miss (22.0) at sixth, and Tennessee (20.5) in the eighth spot.

LSU (16.0) rose two spots during the Tigers bye week, and South Carolina’s big win over Texas A&M garnered the Gamecocks three spots to No. 18. Here are the rest of the SEC teams in the rankings:

  • Florida (25ht, 10.5)
  • Missouri (26th, 10.3)
  • Oklahoma (17th, 10.3)
  • Arkansas (29th, 8.5)
  • Vanderbilt (34th, 7.8)
  • Mississippi State (69th, -0.7)

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Notable Pro Football Focus grades after Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Here are just some of the interesting PFF grades after Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) will head into the bye week questioning what went wrong vs. South Carolina on Saturday night. The Aggies were blown out of the building, falling 44-20, their biggest season loss thus far after reeling off seven consecutive wins.

This loss wasn’t an aberration, starting and ending with A&M’s porous run defense, aided by 25 missed tackles and a poor performance in the secondary that kept the Aggies behind in the second half after entering halftime tied 20-20 after scoring two touchdowns.

Behind redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed, A&M’s offense moved the ball well in the first half. Still, after starting running back Le’Veon Moss left the game due to a knee injury, OC Collin Klein failed to find any imagination per the play calling, resulting in a scoreless second half.

Going into the bye week, getting back to the basics is key, especially on defense. At the same time, Klein will need to mix up the playcalling, specifically if Le’Veon Moss will be out for an extended period of time.

After the game, Pro Football Focus released the latest grades from the matchup. Here are the most notable grades on both sides of the ball for every Texas A&M contributor:

Offense:

Senior wide receiver Jabre Barber led the Aggies with seven receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown in one of his best performances in Maroon & White, earning a team-high 784 offensive grade and 77.6 passing grade. He was the only consistent option in the passing game on Saturday night.

QB Marcel Reed, who finished 18/28 for 206 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and 46 rushing yards, was unsuccessful in the eyes of PFF, earning a low 51.3 offensive grade, a 47.3 passing grade, and an average 60.4 running grade.

Running back Amari Daniels, who finished with a team-high 83 rushing yards, including a 55-yard touchdown, continued his strong pass-blocking season (76.9) while finishing with a team-high 73.1 running grade.

On the downside, Texas A&M’s O-line was collectively bad in pass protection, as every starter except left tackle Trey Zuhn earned Pass Pro in the mid-20s, high 30s, or even single digits.

Defense:

As I previously mentioned, the Aggies missed 25 tackles defensively, the most since missing 19 against Notre Dame. While this has been an up-and-down issue throughout the season, it’s fixable, especially during the bye week.

Player-wise, PFF revealed that an impressive 15 Aggies earned a defensive grade above 60, while linebacker Solomon DeSheilds earned a team-high 72.4 overall.

In terms of pass-rush success, star defensive end Nic Scourton was average by his standards, earning the second-highest pass-rush grade (67.4) behind Cashius Howell’s prolific 90.9 grade, even though the Aggies failed to produce a sack and just six tackles for loss.

Coverage-wise, the secondary held up after allowing several explosive plays but struggled overall. However, nearly every cornerback or safety earned coverage grades at or above 60.

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New No. 1 in the latest SEC standings after Week 10

Texas A&M no longer holds sole possession of first place in the SEC standings after falling to South Carolina

Of course, Texas A&M’s 44-20 loss to South Carolina is a large blemish on what has been a very successful season. Poor defense, including 25 missed tackles against the Gamecocks, resulted in a drubbing inside a packed and loud Williams-Brice Stadium.

However, the season isn’t in jeopardy. The Aggies still have a firm grip on their postseason destination. They are tied atop the SEC standings at 5-1 and have three regular-season games remaining after this week’s bye. This control should reassure fans that the season is far from over.

Even so, offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s lack of imagination, seen on nearly every second-half drive, didn’t help Marcel Reed. The quarterback struggled in the pocket while the running game was shut down after Le’Veon Moss’s early knee injury. Texas A&M’s offense under Klein has become a talking point and will continue to be until improvement comes.

The championship game race became clearer around the rest of the SEC as Georgia, Tennessee and Ole Miss won. Here are the updated SEC standings ahead of the Week 11 slate:

2024 SEC Football Standings after Week 10

  1. No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC)
  2. No. 15 Texas A&M (7-1, 5-1 SEC)
  3. No. 7 Tennessee (7-1, 4-1 SEC)
  4. No. 5 Texas (7-1, 3-1 SEC)
  5. No. 14 LSU (6-1, 3-1 SEC)
  6. No. 24 Vanderbilt (6-3, 3-2 SEC)
  7. No. 16 Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 SEC)
  8. No. 11 Alabama (6-2, 3-2 SEC)
  9. South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 SEC)
  10. Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC)
  11. Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC)
  12. Florida (4-4, 2-3 SEC)
  13. Oklahoma (5-4, 1-4)
  14. Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC)
  15. Kentucky (3-6, 1-6 SEC)
  16. Mississippi State (2-7, 0-5 SEC)

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How far did Texas A&M fall in the newest AP Top 25 Poll?

Texas A&M as dropped five spots in the newest AP Poll after losing to South Carolina

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) is no longer undefeated in SEC play. However, the Aggies still have plenty of goals to accomplish heading into the bye week after falling to South Carolina 44-20 on Saturday night.

Looking lifeless in the second half, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed had his moments, but running back Le’Veon Moss’s first-half knee injury looked too much to overcome mid-game.

At the same time, the Aggie defense missed 25 tackles on the night, leading to nearly 300 yards on the ground for the Gamecocks. Entering the bye week, head coach Mike Elko and his staff must fix the issues that plagued the Aggies throughout the night, even though South Carolina is much more physical than the final three teams on Texas A&M schedule.

Around the rest of the country, Clemson’s CFB Playoff dreams may have been dashed after falling to Louisville while Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee all took care of business in Week 10.

After falling to the Gamecocks, Texas A&M, who entered Week 10 at No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll, dropped five spots to No. 15. What’s confusing is that LSU, coming off a bye week, rose to No. 14 even though the Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23 in Week 9.

Here is the newest AP Top 25 Poll after Week 10:

  1. Oregon (9-0)
  2. Georgia (7-1)
  3. Ohio State (7-1)
  4. Miami (FL) (9-0)
  5. Texas (7-1)
  6. Penn State (7-1)
  7. Tennessee (7-1)
  8. Indiana (9-0)
  9. BYU (8-0)
  10. Notre Dame (7-1)
  11. Alabama (6-2)
  12. Boise State (7-1)
  13. SMU (8-1)
  14. LSU (6-2)
  15. Texas A&M (7-2)
  16. Ole Miss (7-2)
  17. Iowa State (7-1)
  18. Army (8-0)
  19. Clemson (6-2)
  20. Washington State (7-1)
  21. Colorado (6-2)
  22. Kansas State (7-2)
  23. Pittsburgh (7-1)
  24. Vanderbilt (6-3)
  25. Louisville (6-3)

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How far did Texas A&M drop in the newest US LBM Coaches Poll?

Texas A&M unsurprisingly dropped in the newest US LBM Coaches Poll after losing to South Carolina

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) is no longer undefeated in SEC play. However, the Aggies still have plenty of goals to accomplish heading into the bye week after falling to South Carolina 44-20 on Saturday night.

Looking lifeless in the second half, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed had his moments, but running back Le’Veon Moss’s first-half knee injury looked too much to overcome mid-game. At the same time, the Aggie defense missed 25 tackles on the night, leading to nearly 300 yards on the ground for the Gamecocks.

While the loss was certainly disheartening, the Aggies go into their second bye week of the season with their postseason goals intact. Still, they will likely need to win their final three games against New Mexico State, Auburn (on the road), and the Texas Longhorns to earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoffs.

Around the rest of the country, upsets took a break this week while the SEC race saw Ole Miss, Tennesse, and Georgia take care of business. The Bulldogs are now tied with Texas A&M at 5-1 in conference play.

How far did the Aggies drop? Here are the latest US LBM Coaches Poll Top 12 rankings:

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon Ducks 9-0 1,349 (53)
2 Georgia Bulldogs 7-1 1,267 (1)
3 Ohio State Buckeyes 7-1 1,245
4 Miami Hurricanes 9-0 1,194
5 Texas Longhorns 7-1 1,138
6 Tennessee Volunteers 7-1 1,039
7 Penn State Nittany Lions 7-1 982
8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 7-1 961
9 BYU Cougars 8-0 918
10 Indiana Hoosiers 9-0 916
11 Alabama Crimson Tide 6-2 772
12 Ole Miss Rebels 7-2 657
13 LSU Tigers 6-2 653
14 Boise State Broncos 7-1 615
15 SMU Mustangs 8-1 603
16 Texas A&M Aggies 7-2 518
17 Clemson Tigers 6-2 513
18 Iowa State Cyclones 7-1 511
19 Army Black Knights 8-0 404
20 Washington State Cougars 7-1 284
21 Kansas State Wildcats 7-2 201
22 Missouri Tigers 6-2 192
23 Pittsburgh Panthers 7-1 178
24 Colorado Buffaloes 6-2 124
25 Vanderbilt Commodores 6-3 85

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Texas A&M star RB carted off with injury vs. South Carolina

With a reported knee injury, Texas A&M star RB Le’Veon Moss was carted off the field in the first half against South Carolina

Texas A&M’s Week 10 road test vs. South Carolina has been all Gamecocks thus far, as the Aggies quickly fell behind 14-0 before two Randy Bond Field goals cut the lead to 17-6 with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half.

However, the Aggies are now dealing with a possibly serious injury to star junior running back Le’Veon Moss, who, after catching a pass from quarterback Marcel Reed, was hit low out of bounds and stayed on the ground for a sustained period of time.

After being helped off the field without putting any pressure on what looked to be his right knee, Moss stayed in the injury tent for the rest of the first quarter while the training staff requested a cart. While any speculation is inappropriate now, it does not look good for the star back.

Through eight games this season, Moss has run for 757 yards and ten touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per rush.

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Nick Saban breaks down Texas A&M’s offense with QB Marcel Reed under center

Should Marcel Reed be the starter for the rest of the season?

Ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 10 road test against South Carolina on Saturday night, it’s become clear throughout the week that this game will come down to the play in the trenches, specifically the play of Texas A&M’s offensive line against the Gamecocks’ stout defensive line.

This should also be flipped, as the Aggies’ deep D-line should be able to generate a ton of pressure against South Carolina’s O-line, which has allowed nearly five sacks per game this season. However, Texas A&M’s impending quarterback decision between Conner Wegiman and Marcel Reed will drastically affect A&M’s offensive game plan.

On Saturday morning, during one of the many pre-game segments on ESPN’s College GameDay, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, alongside Kirk Herbstreit, broke down Texas A&M’s offense under Marcel Reed, head coach Mike Elko and OC Collin Klein, as Reed’s second-half insertion against LSU last Saturday resulted in a 31-6 run, including three rushing touchdowns from the redshirt freshman.

As Herbstreit noted, South Carolina has had a week to prepare for Reed’s dual-threat running ability. It’s all about playcalling, timing, and execution. Utilizing zone-read looks while Reed manipulates defenders’ eyes was the key to four of A&M’s five consecutive scoring drives, as A&M’s red zone offense is still one of the best in the country.

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if South Carolina’s defense is ready for any counter-run looks that led to several open looks for Reed against the Tigers. However, this is all premature before knowing when he’ll see the field against the Gamecocks.

Texas A&M will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on either ABC.

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College GameDay Crew picks Texas A&M vs. South Carolina

ESPN’s College GameDay crew has predicted the winner of Texas A&M vs. South Carolina

Texas A&M’s 7-1 start and 5-0 SEC-leading conference record are on the line on Saturday night. The Aggies will enter a packed and very loud Williams-Brice Stadium against a South Carolina team that’s much better than the Gamecocks’ record shows.

Just a week after the Aggies’ 38-23 comeback win over then-8th-ranked LSU, first-year head coach Mike Elko deserves the bulk of the credit for establishing a team culture built on physicality and relentless effort. At the same time, his insertion of redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed into the lineup against the Tigers practically saved the season.

However, after Reed entered the game for starting quarterback Conner Weigman, who struggled throughout the first half, Elko stated throughout the week that both players would receive equal starting snaps to earn the job, as a decision will likely be revealed hours before the 6:30 p.m. kickoff.

On Saturday, ESPN’s College Gameday crew picked the winner of Texas A&M vs. South Carolina. It was almost a clean sweep for the Aggies, as Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit all picked Texas A&M, mainly due to Reed’s versatility and the Aggies’ recent momentum after beating LSU.

Guest picker actor/comedian Keegan Michael Key was the only one to pick South Carolina. On SEC Nation, every picker outside of Paul Finebaum also selected the Aggies.

Texas A&M will travel to Columbia to face South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on either ABC.

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