What to watch as Gamecocks host No. 10 Texas A&M

COLUMBIA Its here again, one of those games where South Carolina can notch an impressive win and re-charge the hope that this is the start of an era where these become common.

Its here again, one of those games where South Carolina has to fight a notorious history of not showing up for games that can break it out of its forever-shackled-to-the-starting-block history.

Which road will it be at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, as No.

10 Texas A&M visits Williams-Brice Stadium? Robert Frost continues to write about the Gamecocks.

What to watch as USC starts a month that will decide its postseason: Its going to be tough enough to beat the Aggies, playing with a Yell Leaders craw of confidence after losing their season-opener; they have not lost since.

But USC has come out either too hyped or not hyped enough in some of these opportunity games, often helping the other team.

Personal fouls.

Procedure penalties.

Whatever that was against Ole Miss, which has been described as one really bad game by the USC coaches but also one that concerned them enough that they had to take a hard look at prep for this week.

It is the same situation.

Win by a lot of points, hit a bye week, host a Top-25 team at home right after ...

the only difference is A&M isnt coming off a loss, like Ole Miss was.

There should never be an acceptance of losing, but losing because you played clean and hard, and the other team was just better, is much more preferable than losing because you helped beat yourself.

The Gamecocks defense is back in a familiar spot, preparing for two quarterbacks.

Connor Weigman is the passer and Marcel Reed, who sparked A&Ms win over LSU , is the runner.

It seems that Reed will be the guy but Mike Elko is being coy about it; why telegraph a plan when you dont have to? USC, already with a fearsome defense used to telling the offense, Relax, bud, I got you is going to have to adjust what it does to remain elite.

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Cant keep thinking Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart are the bread and Reed the pastrami in a future sandwich.

Still got to contain him.

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Its great practice for what USC will face with Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt next week.

Really need to win at least one of those games.

LaNorris Sellers didnt turn the ball over at Oklahoma.

That was welcome relief, especially after the Gamecocks recovered four turnovers and scored off every one of them.

Against LSU last week, the Aggies scored 17 points by starting on short fields after Tiger turnovers.

That came in handy in a 15-point win.

Some teams have great offenses to start the year, others find solutions midway.

South Carolina ...

just stays.

Maybe that changes this week, but who knows? The Gamecocks offense did look good against Oklahoma in the first half, quickly throwing the ball, finding gaps in the middle of the field and steadily rushing in the vein of, Theyll break sometime.

But in the third quarter, with a big lead, they stopped.

Everything.

There is the caveat of not doing anything foolish to give the Sooners a chance to chip into that big lead.

But posting far less than 100 yards in the entire second half despite seven possessions? Gamecocks focused on Texas A&M, but know final 5 games will stamp season The second bye week that just ended was going to be line-drawing time, especially after a vicious three-game stretch that began with Ole Miss.

But USC played very well at Alabama (turnovers killed the comeback) and it beat Oklahoma (keyed by the defense).

So there was no real need to make drastic changes this week.

No need at all.

Texas A&M 24, South Carolina 14.

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