Is Texas A&M actually ready for South Carolina? The Texas A&M Aggies face the South Carolina Gamecocks this weekend in one of the biggest rivalries in all of college football. I’m being sarcastic, of course. But there is a trophy on the line, and A&M’s shot at it depends on something it hasn’t done against this team in two years: start fast.

For about six of the last eight quarters between these two teams, South Carolina has been the better team, and it hasn’t been close. The only exception is the second half last year, when A&M pulled off a miracle at Kyle Field and stormed back from a massive deficit for the largest comeback in school history. That half deserves credit. It doesn’t erase the other six quarters.

And nothing has changed much on either side. There’s no drastic overhaul in personnel or coaching. It’s the same cast and crew.

South Carolina is catching fire at the worst time for Texas A&M

You may say, Tegan, South Carolina just lost its running back. You’re right, and that does work in A&M’s favor. Gamecocks running back Matt Fuller is out for the rest of the season. That puts more of the offense on quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and Sellers has been volatile.

The problem is that, right now, Sellers is one of the hottest quarterbacks in the entire country. This feels like 2024 2.0, when South Carolina caught fire late and made a super late college football playoff push. The Gamecocks are coming back home after a road blowout against a good Oklahoma defense. That’s not a team you want to see on a heater. So putting more on Sellers’ shoulders isn’t the gift it would have been a month ago for the Aggies’ defense.

The Aggies have to punch first in this game

Coming off a bye week, the name of the game for A&M is simple: create turnovers and get off to a fast start. Against South Carolina, the Aggies have done neither.

In each of the last two meetings, A&M’s start against the Gamecocks was the slowest of its entire season. Last year, that slow start nearly cost them before the comeback. Two years ago, the Aggies dug a hole they never climbed out of. Part of that was Le’Veon Moss going down with an injury early in the game, which took the wind out of the offense. Still, the pattern is there.

In my ideal world, A&M would have spent the past two weeks getting Brady Hart ready to take over. Clearly, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko feels confident in Marcel Reed and believes Reed gives this team the best chance to win. I don’t know what magic happens over a bye week. If it shows up, you’ll take it every time.

But A&M’s best path is about as straightforward as it gets. You punch South Carolina in the mouth early. It has to be a shock to the senses. It has to be 10-0 with the defense forcing another 3-and-out. Obviously every coach wants that script. Against a team this hot, though, A&M needs to be a cold plunge. Make the Gamecocks stumble early, and then play with a lead.

Because if the Aggies fall behind? I don’t see a world where they come back. This team doesn’t have the same DNA it had last year.

Why I’m worried about this game

I’m an A&M fan, and you know I try to stay positive about this team in every way I can. I don’t think being negative for the sake of being negative helps anybody.

I’m still worried about this game. A&M has a bye week behind it and a quarterback its head coach trusts. South Carolina has a quarterback playing like one of the best in the country and a recent run of results that says it’s the better team in this matchup.

This is supposed to be the projected easiest game left on A&M’s schedule. It’s going to be a tall task. If the Aggies don’t own the first quarter, I don’t think they’ll own the last one either.