aggieswire
During Saturday's ESPN College GameDay broadcast, just three hours before the Texas A&M versus South Carolina matchup at 2:00 p.m., the panel made its predictions. Every host, including guest picker and actor/comedian Jason Sudeikis, chose No. 21 South Carolina to beat the Aggies.
Texas A&M entered its Week 9 bye needing rest and recovery after a difficult season: a 4-4 overall record and a 1-4 mark in SEC play. The Aggies are on the road against the Gamecocks following a 31-20 loss to Alabama in Week 8.
South Carolina is seeking revenge after last season's remarkable comeback at Kyle Field. In that game, the Gamecocks held a 30-3 halftime lead but ultimately fell 31-30, a loss that nearly cost coach Shane Beamer his job. The victory solidified Texas A&M's spot in the College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M has not won in Columbia since the 2020 season. Meanwhile, South Carolina started 2-3 but has since reeled off three consecutive wins. The Aggies have secured just one SEC victory and have not won consecutive games since Week 2.
The issues for coach Mike Elko's team begin and end with starting quarterback Marcel Reed's poor play, while the secondary has allowed too many explosive plays. Still, Texas A&M would likely be a two-loss team or better if quarterback play weren't a problem, so Reed's continued starting status has Aggie fans watching all four remaining games with zero expectations.
As TexAgs insider Luke Evangelist noted in his hashtag, the question remains: is Texas A&M poised to play spoiler? Only time will tell.
Originally reported by aggieswire.