Saturday will mark the 12th meeting all-time between Texas A&M and South Carolina, with the Aggies leading the series 9-2 and a perfect record inside Kyle Field. While the Gamecocks, 3-6 on the season and losers of four straight games, might not have much left to play for there's still plenty of reasons for the Aggies to have their antennas up as they attempt to move one game closer to a perfect regular season.
So with not much at stake for South Carolina but plenty to accomplish for Texas A&M, let's take a look at some of the bigger storylines surrounding this Week 12 game as we get closer to kickoff.
How will the Aggies handle their attempt to correct woes of 2024?
This matchup last year was the beginning of the end for Texas A&M — losing by 24 points to Shane Beamer's crew in Columbia — a result that kickstarted a 1-3 skid to close out the regular season. That stretch ended the Aggies' conference title and playoff hopes, and left the sour taste in everyone's mouths that has since served as the catalyst for this improved 2025 season.
So now the Aggies are out for revenge and this time around they're in luck, as South Carolina is far from the same team they faced a year prior. The Gamecocks are just 1-6 in conference play, the second-worst mark in the SEC, and this game against Texas A&M will be their fifth straight matchup against ranked foes. While they've played some of those games close, losing by five to Alabama and 10 to LSU, they've also lost to Oklahoma and Ole Miss by a combined 35 points.
They have one of the worst offenses in the country — a run game that ranks 128th and a pass attack that ranks 104th — and their defense has failed to return to its 2024 form after losing nine starters in the offseason.
That doesn't mean the Aggies can sleepwalk their way to a 10th-straight win: South Carolina's team features some of the best individual athletes in the sport and are well-coached under Beamer. If players like LaNorris Sellers or Dylan Stewart get hot then they're two of the few people in this sport that can swing the outcome of games. But, with last year's result still very fresh on the mind of Mike Elko and his team, this should be a nice spot to finally put those woes to rest.