The Texas A&M Aggies must now try to show that they can win without Johnny Manziel. The South Carolina Gamecocks must show they can win without Connor Shaw.
Texas A&M Aggies @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Thursday, August 28th – 6:05 PM ET
Odds: South Carolina -10.5
Why The Aggies Can Cover The Spread:
They are coached by a man who knows how to make an instant impact. Kevin Sumlin took over a program in 2012 that was floundering in 2011 and previous seasons under former head coach Mike Sherman. Recruiting analysts and other people who follow college football will tell you that Sherman recruited at a very high level, bringing top talent to the Aggies and getting some consistency with recruiting classes, enough to provide great depth. Sherman had the players with which to win games, but he couldn’t get great results.
Sumlin entered this situation and turned a lot of Sherman’s potential into realized achievements. Sumlin might have had Johnny Manziel on his team, but he and former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury had to coach Manziel in 2012 and get him to understand football well enough to develop into a great player, someone who would win the Heisman Trophy that season as a freshman. Sumlin coached Manziel well. It wasn’t just a matter of Manziel playing well. Sumlin did something really special. This is why Texas A&M can go into the home of the South Carolina Gamecocks and pull off the upset on the road. This is why new Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill can be coached well enough to play a great game against South Carolina, despite all the pressure he will feel. This is why the Aggies can surprise a lot of experts and take the fight to a South Carolina team that has some issues of its own to deal with.
Why The Gamecocks Can Cover The Spread:
They are aware of the fact that while they have a new quarterback, it’s not an entirely new quarterback who is playing the first college game of his career. It’s true that South Carolina has spent the last three seasons with Connor Shaw as its starting quarterback. The Gamecocks have depended on Shaw to win at least 11 games in three straight seasons while winning bowl games in each of them as well. Shaw never lost a game at home and collected 26 wins while being South Carolina’s quarterback. Those win numbers are the best in South Carolina football history. Some people would say that without Shaw, South Carolina will be lost in much the same way that A&M will be lost without Manziel. However, when Shaw has been injured at times over the past few seasons, Dylan Thompson won a number of games as Shaw’s backup, including a 2012 road game against the Clemson Tigers and the 2013 Outback Bowl win over Michigan in Tampa, won on a late touchdown pass in the face of great pressure. Thompson’s prior experience is something Kenny Hill of A&M lacks at quarterback. This will make a difference.
Outlook
Both teams have reasons to worry at quarterback, and South Carolina’s weaknesses should keep this game close, under the number. A&M will cover, but South Carolina will win outright.
Pick: Texas A&M +10.5
