It’s been over a month since the lights of Kyle Field have lit up the faces of more than 100,000 of the 12th Man faithful. Now the long-awaited return to College Station will host a showdown between No. 3 Texas A&M football and South Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m.
The Aggies look to be the first in the Southeastern Conference to reach double-digit wins, while also looking to reclaim the Bonham Trophy after last year’s 44-20 loss.
The Gamecocks are in the midst of a four-game losing streak and have yet to secure a win on the road. All fingers are pointed at their struggling offense, which has managed to score less than half its opponents’ totals in the last 3 out of 4 games.
Mario Craver, sophomore wide receiver, Texas A&M
One of the fastest-moving targets for the Aggies has been sophomore wide receiver Mario Craver. Leading the team in receiving yards at 775 through nine games, Craver has put up 16.8 average yards per catch, resulting in four trips to the end zone.
Posting three games of over 100 receiving yards, he has continually shown the capability to stretch the field. But in A&M’s most recent road trip, he saw his numbers dwindle to 59 receiving yards and 17 rushing yards against Missouri. But with the power of Kyle Field in his grasp, he could be pivotal if he returns to his old habits.
Dalton Brooks, junior safety, Texas A&M
A rather quiet contributor made his presence known in A&M’s win over Missouri. Junior safety Dalton Brooks recorded six tackles, including two solo takedowns and a fumble recovery, but the highlight of his outing came elsewhere. A proven rusher for the Shiner Comanches at the UIL 2A level in high school, Brooks recorded 48 rushing yards on a fake punt that returned him right back to his glory days behind the offensive line.
His season highlight on defense came in his outing against Arkansas, where he totaled nine tackles, including seven solo stops. With 38 tackles throughout five games so far, he has consistently contributed when on the field and poses a threat if he continues that pattern against the Gamecocks.
Daymion Sanford, junior linebacker, Texas A&M
Junior linebacker Daymion Sanford earned his second SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Nov. 10 after his outing against Missouri. He contained the Tigers, recording five total tackles and disrupting their scoring abilities with a strip sack.
His season started off hot after he entered a starting role in his third year with the Maroon and White following an injury to senior LB Scooby Williams. He hit peak midseason form against Mississippi State, where he totaled nine tackles, including four solo stops while landing his first sack of the season.
Since then, he has added to his totals with 18 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. With a scrambled South Carolina offense, there will likely be gaps for Sanford to exploit.
Rahsul Faison, graduate student running back, South Carolina
The Gamecocks’ No. 1 rusher comes in the form of graduate student running back Rahsul Faison. The Utah State transfer has reached the end zone three times so far this season, including his season-high two touchdowns in South Carolina’s win over Kentucky. However, he has yet to score since September.
In his debut season with the Gamecocks, he has totaled 350 rushing yards on 81 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt, but has yet to post a standout performance or come close to reaching a 100-yard game. South Carolina’s loss against No. 14 Vanderbilt marked his highest rushing yard game at 74 yards.
Faison has put up a majority of his rushing yards against his ranked opponents, but A&M will put his capabilities to the test as its defense will be one of the most intense South Carolina will encounter this season.
LaNorris Sellers, redshirt sophomore quarterback, South Carolina
The arm of the Gamecocks’ offense belongs to redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers. In conference play, Sellers has so far completed 61.9% of his attempts, his biggest detractor being his accuracy. The Florence, South Carolina, native has thrown five interceptions, including two in South Carolina’s last loss against Ole Miss.
Through nine games, he has totaled 1,536 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking him at the bottom of starting quarterbacks in the SEC. Sellers has kept games close but has mostly put pressure on big plays to keep drives alive, while his offense struggles to maintain a consistent conversion rate on key downs.
DQ Smith, senior defensive back, South Carolina
For the Gamecocks’ defense, senior defensive back DQ Smith has recorded 51 tackles this season, ranking 14th in the SEC in that category. His steady presence in both run and pass defense makes him one to watch out for against the Aggies.
While he hasn’t recorded any sacks this season, Smith snagged an interception against LSU, which halted the Tigers on a potential scoring drive before halftime and kept the Gamecocks in striking distance for the second half.
