The Texas A&M Aggies take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.
South Carolina is favored by -7 points on the spread with a moneyline of -278. Texas A&M, meanwhile, enters as a 7 underdog and is +225 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 51.5 total points.
Here’s my Texas A&M vs. South Carolina prediction and college football pick for Saturday, November 7.
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Texas A&M vs South Carolina Prediction
- Texas A&M vs. South Carolina Pick: Texas A&M +7 (Play to +7)
My South Carolina vs. Texas A&M best bet is on the Aggies to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Texas A&M vs South Carolina Odds
| Texas A&M Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -115 | 51.5 -102o / -118u | +225 |
| S. Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -105 | 51.5 -102o / -118u | -278 |
- Texas A&M vs South Carolina point spread: South Carolina -7 (-105), Texas A&M +7 (-115)
- Texas A&M vs South Carolina over/under: 51.5 (-102o / -118u)
- Texas A&M vs South Carolina moneyline: Texas A&M +225, South Carolina -278
Texas A&M vs South Carolina College Football Preview
Texas A&M Aggies Betting Preview: Defensive Mentality
At 1-4 in conference play, Texas A&M is already looking toward the offseason, with the Aggies' hopes of competing for the SEC Championship dashed.
A stunning regression after making the College Football Playoff last year, yet the loss on both sides of the trenches proved to be too much for Texas A&M to overcome.
When pressured, Marcel Reed turtles in the pocket, averaging just 6.3 yards per throw while completing 56.8% of his passes.
Reed’s production under center handicaps the Aggies offense as a whole, leading a group that ranks well below league average in Pass Success Rate, Explosiveness and PPA.
To make matters worse for Reed, one of his go-to targets, Mario Craver, has been dealing with an injury and is listed as questionable on the Aggies injury report.
If Craver is unable to suit up, Reed will be overly reliant on Isaiah Horton, making it easier for the opposing defense to shade their coverage towards his WR1 without giving up too much ground elsewhere.
On the other side of the ball, Texas A&M has been able to take control of the middle of the field, entering Week 10 ranked 36th in Success Rate allowed and 22nd in Defensive Finishing Drives with an average of 2.87 Points Per Opportunity.
With Reed struggling to find his footing, the Aggies will need to continue to excel on defense in order to remain competitive or risk falling too far behind for the offense to catch up.
South Carolina Gamecocks Betting Preview: All On Sellers' Shoulders
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to Kentucky earlier in the year, South Carolina has rattled off three straight wins in a row over Florida, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
While they still need help elsewhere just to have a puncher’s chance of making the title game, a pulse keeps the Gamecocks motivation in check.
If South Carolina wants to remain in contention, LaNorris Sellers will need to continue to terrorize opposing defenses with his dual-threat ability to help keep the offense ahead of the sticks.
While Sellers' arm has been shaky, he has been far more lethal with his legs, leading the team in rushing while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
Sellers' legs help stretch out the coverage by forcing opposing linebackers to spy on the outside, creating more room for his pass catchers to exploit.
When Sellers is able to get into a groove, the Gamecocks offense has been efficient, ranking in the top-40 in Success Rate, Rush EPA Per Play and in Finishing Drives.
Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, the defense has yet to give them the production they need to be a well-rounded unit, limping into the weekend ranked 82nd in Success Rate allowed, 121st in Points Per Opportunity allowed and 101st in Havoc.
Barring a sudden turnaround, Sellers will need to continue to play at a high level to mask the lack of production from his defense, an unsustainable style of play.
Texas A&M vs South Carolina Pick, Betting Analysis
If there was ever a time for Reed to round back into form, a bounce-back spot against South Carolina would be it.
The Gamecocks' secondary has been abysmal against the pass this season, fielding a group that ranks near dead last in Dropback EPA Per Play allowed and Explosiveness allowed.
With Reed forcing South Carolina to drop their second level in coverage, Texas A&M’s stable of running backs will be able to consistently get out into the open field once they burst through the trenches, leading to an uptick in the Aggies' total number of explosive plays.
Keeping the ball on the ground also negates the possibility of Reed throwing an ill-advised pick, keeping Texas A&M’s drives alive.
While Reed is in a position to thrive, negative regression is looming large over Sellers, especially with the Aggies' defensive line neutralizing his legs while residing near the top of the board in Rushing Success Rate allowed.
When forced to sit in a collapsing pocket, the quality of Sellers' throws will harshly decline, making it difficult to connect with his pass catchers.
If Craver plays, place a wager on Texas A&M to cover the spread at the key number of +7. If the Aggies wide receiver is unable to suit up, pass on the spread and bet the under on the full-game total at no lower than 51.
Pick: Texas A&M +7 (Play to +7 · Pivot to Under 51 if Craver is Out)
