BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M football team overcame an early deficit to roll past the South Carolina Gamecocks for a comfortable 30-17 victory at Kyle Field on Saturday.
Ainias Smith led A&M (5-3, 3-2 SEC) with one receiving touchdown and a team-high 118 receiving yards on six catches. Max Johnson completed 20-of-30 passes for 249 yards and one aerial strike, while Amari Daniels led the ground effort with 68 yards on 13 carries and a rushing touchdown.
Bryce Anderson paced the defense with a season-high seven tackles, including 2.5 for loss and 2.0 sacks. Edgerrin Cooper added seven tackles, four quarterback hurries, 1.0 sack and a forced fumble.
Twenty-one unanswered points in the second quarter by Ol' Sarge's charges gave them a 21-7 at the half. After Texas A&M gave up a late first quarter score, Rueben Owens put the Aggies on the board with a 14-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter to tie the game with 9:00 remaining in the first half.
Texas A&M captured its first lead with less than two-minutes left in the opening half after Daniels punched it in with a 1-yard rush into the end zone. The Maroon & White made it a two-score game in the final minute after Johnson connected with Smith for a 20-yard pass before Smith dashed into the end zone to complete the 42-yard touchdown reception.
The Gamecocks (2-6, 1-5 SEC) opened the scoring in the second half with a 49-yard field goal, followed by a 26-yard field goal from Randy Bond to make it 24-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
South Carolina would score on the opening play of the final frame to make it 24-17 in favor of the Aggies, but the Maroon & White struck back with a 24-yard Bond field goal to extend the lead back to double-digits, 27-17, with 11:00 left in the fourth.
The A&M defense forced a turnover on downs that led to a career-long tying 52-yard field goal by Bond with 7:39 remaining to increase the margin to 30-17. Cooper forced a fumble with 2:45 left that was recovered McKinnley Jackson to seal the deal.