The Gamecocks' inability to capitalize on game-finishing opportunities cost them what could have been an all-time upset over No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday. The team was shut out entirely in the second half and dropped their conference record to 1-7 on the season.
In Mike Furrey's first game as the Gamecocks play caller, South Carolina's offense notched its best half of the season. Racking up 312 yards in the first half alone, South Carolina's offense hummed to three touchdowns and three field goals. The unit averaged 6 yards per carry over 18 attempts, surpassing 100 rushing yards in the first half alone with 108.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers led the group to a staggering 8.2 yards per play across the first two quarters of the game. The Gamecocks notched 14 plays over 15+ yards on the day, 10 of them coming in the first half.
South Carolina's defense couldn't be beat in the game's first 30 minutes of playtime. The group forced three turnovers and held the Aggies to zero third down conversions across six attempts. Texas A&M totaled -9 rushing yards at halftime across 11 attempts. The Aggies only put up 132 total yards of offense across 30 plays in the first half.
Junior wide receiver Kevin Concepcion dropped a potential touchdown in the end zone following an interception by Sellers that was returned to the Gamecocks' 6 yard line. The Aggies would miss a 24-yard field goal, their second miss of the half, and the unit couldn't seem to find any momentum offensively as errors multiplied throughout the period.
Aggies redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed was intercepted by redshirt sophomore cornerback Vicari Swain twice across just four plays from scrimmage. Following the first, Sellers hit junior receiver Nyck Harbor for an 80-yard touchdown. Two plays later, Swain earned the second. The turnover set up a field goal before half to boost South Carolina's lead to 27.
"Nobody came into the locker room at halftime celebrating, thinking the game was over," head coach Shane Beamer said. "The scoreboard is irrelevant."
Leading 30-3 at halftime, the Gamecocks couldn't have scripted a better possible half. The Aggies received the ball to start the second half and were quickly met with a fourth-and-12 from midfield. A stop could've put the game away, but Reed managed to scramble for the first down. The Aggies scored a 27-yard touchdown on the very next play.
On the Gamecocks' opening drive of the second half, Sellers drove the team down to Texas A&M's 30-yard line. Facing fourth-and-1 and an opportunity to continue to chew clock and increase the lead, the Aggies stuffed the hand off and forced a turnover on downs.
Four plays later, South Carolina had an opportunity to get the ball back when the Aggies faced a fourth-and-2 themselves at the Gamecocks' 39-yard line. Texas A&M would convert, then Reed fired a 39-yard pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman for a touchdown. Just 10:42 into the second half, the Aggies had cut the lead to 13 and trailed 30-17.
In just five total possessions in the second half, the Gamecocks went three-and-out twice, four-and out once and turned the ball over on downs twice.
Despite offensive ineptitude, redshirt freshman punter Mason Love boomed a 58-yard punt that was downed at the 1-yard line, providing ample opportunity to at least force the Aggies' first punt of the half. Rather than capitalize on such an advantage, South Carolina would commit defensive pass interference on the drive's first play. The penalty kick started a 99-yard touchdown drive that gave Texas A&M the lead.
Given back the ball with over ten minutes left to play, Sellers was sacked twice in three plays to give the Aggies the ball back with the lead. The team would be gift wrapped yet another opportunity when Reed fumbled a backwards pass from graduate running back EJ Smith at South Carolina's 1-yard line. The Gamecocks offense got the ball back at their own nine down by one with 3:10 left to play.
The attempt at a game-winning drive would last just eight plays and include just one first down on a sideline pass to Harbor from Sellers. Two sacks would earn the Gamecocks a fourth-and-16 that would result in a turnover on downs.
"I think we're going to be sick offensively and defensively with the number of plays that we left out there," Beamer said. "This one hurts."
The victory was the biggest comeback in Texas A&M history. Entering today, teams were 0-286 when trailing by 27+ points in SEC play since 2004.
The Gamecocks are now ineligible to qualify for a bowl game just one season after finishing 5-3 in conference play.