Key Points:
- The 9-0 Texas A&M Aggies meet the 3-6 South Carolina Gamecocks in a Week 12 SEC showdown.
- Greg McElroy predicts Texas A&M will remain undefeated, pointing to their dominance on the defensive side of the ball.
- McElroy believes South Carolina must create two or more interceptions to have a real upset chance.
ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy recently revealed his predictions for some of the biggest Week 12 games. That includes an SEC matchup between the 9-0 Texas A&M Aggies and the 3-6 South Carolina Gamecocks.
Each program enters the game with different goals. With a perfect season through nine games, the Aggies are No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings, chasing an SEC title and and hopes of competing for a national championship. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are trying to avoid more coaching changes, having already fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula. Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football & Sports Network believes head coach Shane Beamer has found himself on the hot seat.
It’s obviously an uphill battle, though, with ESPN Bet placing South Carolina as 18.5-point underdogs. In a video posted to the “Always College Football with Greg McElroy” YouTube channel, the analyst revealed he believes Texas A&M will avoid the upset.
“I think A&M is just way too complete and good on defense to get beat,” McElroy said. “The only way they get beat is if they beat themselves. Give me the Aggies by 21 points or more.”
Greg McElroy Shares One Key for South Carolina to Upset Texas A&M
Much of the Aggies’ success can be attributed to Marcel Reed, who in nine games has completed 157-of-252 passes for 2,193 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s also rushed for 378 yards and six touchdowns on 69 carries.
However, in the same video, McElroy stressed that if South Carolina wants to pull off an upset, it must force Reed to make some mistakes.
“They got to force Marcel Reed into throwing two-plus interceptions,” McElroy said. “I just referenced the big plays created. I also think they need some short fields if they’re going to manufacture points against the Aggies.”
That’s not an easy task, as Reed has thrown more than one interception in a game just once this season, giving up two against the LSU Tigers in Week 9. The Gamecocks have done well in creating turnovers, though, as they’re tied for the fourth-most interceptions (nine) in the SEC.
South Carolina-Texas A&M is scheduled for noon ET on Saturday at Kyle Field, airing on ESPN.