Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics
After Math: South Carolina
Oct 03, 2016 | Football
Each Monday, 12th Man Productions' Will Johnson will take fans inside the numbers of the last football game with "After Math".
In a great setting, complete with a Carolina sunset at game's end, the Aggies were hoping their aspirations for the season remained sky high.
Indeed they did.
After gritting past South Carolina, A&M moved to 5-0. There are just 10 teams that share the same mark.
The Aggies are the only one to have beaten four power five opponents.
A&M was a solid favorite, but they were coming off two hard-fought wins while returning late after both. Plus, the Aggies were injured.
"You're always anxious as a coach," says Kevin Sumlin. "This is the furthest road trip in our league, with some players out. There's a lot going on."
Wide Receiver Christian Kirk added another element to the degree of difficulty.
"This week's kind of different, it's more of a test week," Kirk stated, on Friday night, in regards to the team's academic responsibilities. "Guys can get caught up with late nights and studying for classes."
Kirk praised Coach Sumlin for planning out this week long ago, understanding he'd have to make some tweaks in the players' routines.
If there wasn't enough anxiety about a third-straight road game, Carolina's AJ Turner decided to rip off a 75-yard touchdown run on the first snap for good measure.
The defense was fantastic the rest of the way, only allowing two field goals for the remaining 59 minutes and 47 seconds of play.
They rose to the occasion early in the second half.
A&M scored to start the third quarter, establishing a 14-7 lead. The defense was put in a few precarious situations shortly after.
They immediately stepped on the field and produced a three-and-out. But Carolina faked a punt on 4th down and gained 36 yards, sending them right back out. The Gamecocks' offense then ran four more plays, for 5 more yards, and missed a field goal.
Moments later, Trevor Knight fumbled to set up Carolina on the Aggie 28-yard line. They ran 3 more plays versus the Aggie defense, gaining 3 yards, this time making a field goal attempt.
The next sequence was critical. South Carolina was poised to tie, and seize momentum in front of their home crowd. They ran 10 offensive plays while trying to do so – gaining 11 total yards. The Aggie defense simply wasn't going to allow it.
Producing 10 more tackles for lost yardage, it feels like A&M has purchased land in opponents' backfield. Ten TFLs per game is the rate the Aggies are going for…only Miami averages more nationally.
Offensively, Kevin Sumlin said at halftime that his team needed to run the football. He certainly committed to that statement.
A&M rushed it 11 times in the first half, 28 in the second. In the third quarter alone, A&M went 14 times on the ground for 103 yards (7.4 per rush)--easily their best frame.
"It was a big deal," says Sumlin, "(to) get ahead, take some time off the clock, keep our defense off the field. We executed better."
The third period continues to be a strong point for the Aggies. They allowed their first points of the season in it on Saturday, but still no touchdowns given up. A&M is outscoring foes 44-3 in third quarters this season.
What does it all add up to?
Inches.
For a lot of the game, the inches the Aggies needed to put the Gamecocks away were out of reach.
A couple times, open receivers weren't found. Carolina dropped a punt in their own territory, but A&M couldn't quite jump on it. Two interceptions were dropped. Even a fourth-down try went awry when Christian Kirk fell short of the line to make by, yes, inches. Burying the Gamecocks just wasn't going to happen on this Saturday afternoon.
So the Aggies gutted it out.
This team's steadiness helped them through, and as a result they won their third straight SEC road game.
"I think there's some character in there," says Sumlin. "It gets back to your demeanor on the sidelines. You can only have that when you have confidence. They believe in each other, and trust our coaching staff with the plan. That's what I see."
Finally back home, the Aggies will get a good look this weekend.
Kyle Field will whittle away one of those 5-0 teams on Saturday. Texas A&M and Tennessee share the mark. Someone will get tagged with a loss.
The Volunteers' first visit to College Station could leave a lasting impression on the rest of the season.
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