The 3-3 Texas A&M Aggies have been a disappointment in 2022, while the 4-2 South Carolina Gamecocks have been using Beamer Ball 2.0 to be better than expected at this point in the season.
By Steve Wright
Follow @14powerscom
Here are the three keys for the Aggies to move to a winning record:
Is Haynes King Ready?
Haynes King picked up an injury against Alabama that took some time to heal. The Aggies, at one point, seemed to be leaning towards playing untested freshman Conner Weigman, but the rest that King was able to get in over the Aggies’ bye week has him ready to go. King is back in because Max Johnson is injured, which suggests the Texas A&M quarterbacks are taking too many hits. Improved line play will be important here, as will be finding more work for running back Devon Achane. King, though, will likely have to make some clutch plays down the stretch for the Aggies to win.
Continued Growth
Jimbo Fisher has put together monster recruiting classes at Texas A&M and has wasted no time getting those players onto the field. The Aggies have played 20 true freshmen so far in 20222, a number that will likely rise as we play through October and November. That blast of youth has led to its share of problems, like missed blocking assignments and blown coverages on defense. Those growing pains, however, should prove fruitful down the line. The Aggies are 8-0 all-time against the Gamecocks and have smoked South Carolina for three years straight. This is a game where the growth on the field has to be palpable.
Turn the Gamecocks Over
South Carolina has been far from clean with the ball this season. The Gamecocks have turned the ball over at least twice in every game, even when playing against a string of cupcakes in their home wins. Texas A&M has had turnover issues, too – the four against Mississippi State made that game a non-event down the stretch – so capitalizing on the turnovers (as opposed to giving the ball back) must be a point of focus in this one.
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