First look: Top story lines, betting odds for South Carolina vs Texas A&M game
Coming off an open week that followed a loss to LSU, the South Carolina football team is home again to host the Top 10 Texas A&M Aggies.
South Carolina (2-3) vs No. 7 Texas A&M (4-1)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia
TV: ESPN
Line: Texas A&M by 7.5
This week’s SEC betting odds, TV times
College football point spreads, according toVegasInsider.com
- 3:30 p.m., Georgia (-3.5) vs. Florida in Jacksonville, CBS
- 4 p.m., Vanderbilt at Mississippi State (17.5), SEC Network
- 7 p.m., Texas A&M (-7.5) at South Carolina, ESPN
- 7:30 p.m., Tennessee (-1) at Arkansas, SEC Network
Three story lines for Gamecocks vs. Aggies
1. The Gamecocks had a week off to try and regroup from their worst performance of the year, a 52-10 loss at LSU. How USC responds and plays against Texas A&M might set the tone for the final half of the season, which include winnable games against Missouri, Ole Miss and Kentucky. Saturday’s game will be the Gamecocks’ second toughest in the second half behind Georgia.
2. South Carolina is winless against Texas A&M, the Gamecocks’ cross-over opponent from the SEC West. The Aggies joined the conference in 2012. Outside of last year’s game (30-6) and the first meeting (52-28) in 2014, the other four games have been decided by 11 points or less.
3. South Carolina’s defense struggled against LSU freshman quarterback T.J. Finley two weeks ago and now will face one of most experienced quarterbacks in the SEC in Kellen Mond. The senior has completed 64% of his passes and has thrown for 1,244 yards and 12 touchdowns this year. In three starts against USC, he has thrown for 733 yards and three touchdowns.
Three Texas A&M football players to watch
1. QB Kellen Mond is rewriting the Texas A&M record books. Earlier this year, the senior became the school’s all-time passing leader. On Saturday against Arkansas, he became the school’s all-time total offense leader, breaking the mark of former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Mond has 10,015 total yards in his career.
2. Cornerback Myles Jones has the size (6-foot-4) and play-making ability that should have his name called in the NFL Draft next year. This season, Jones has 25 tackles and an interception.
3. Linebacker Buddy Johnson is the Aggies’ top play-maker on defense and has led the team in tackles in every game this season. Johnson is on the Nagurski and Butkus Award watch lists and has 54 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
