South Carolina learns final verdict regarding kickoff, TV info for Texas A&M contest

Earlier this week, South Carolina (3-6; 1-6) and Texas A&M (9-0; 6-0) learned that the November 15th matchup between the two SEC squads would kick off at noon (Eastern). However, the television details remained undecided.

Late on Saturday night, that changed with an official announcement from the SEC. The Gamecocks and undefeated Aggies will face off at noon on ESPN. The ESPN app will also stream the action from Kyle Field.

The Insiders Forum: Discuss South Carolina football!

The Battle for the Bonham Trophy will be South Carolina’s first noon kick of the year. The Oklahoma contest was an early-window matchup, but it kicked off at 12:45. The Gamecocks have also played two later afternoon contests (one on Sunday) and six night games. The most recent garnet and black noon victory came in last year’s Palmetto Bowl win over the rival Clemson Tigers.

South Carolina hasn’t won since September, losing four games in a row and six of seven. Just to reach the six-win traditional bowl-eligibility threshold, USC would have to upset A&M before then beating Coastal Carolina and Clemson. Earlier this week, ESPN gave the Gamecocks less than a 10% chance of that happening.

Texas A&M, contrastingly, hasn’t lost a game since the 2024 Las Vegas Bowl. The undefeated Aggies are one of college football’s title favorites and are a win away from being a College Football Playoff lock. The same predictive ESPN model mentioned earlier gives the Gamecocks just a 16.7% chance of winning on Saturday.

Become part of The Insiders Forum with GamecockCentral. Start for $1 your first week, and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership.

Last year, the Gamecocks defeated Mike Elko’s squad despite Texas A&M entering the day ranked in the top 10. Carolina won big at Williams-Brice Stadium, 44-20, as part of the team’s six-game winning streak to close the 2024 regular season.

The Gamecocks rode huge performances from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, running back Rocket Sanders, and tight end Josh Simon to a 44-20 victory in that game. Sellers registered 350 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. Sanders had over 230 yards from scrimmage and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Simon logged 132 receiving yards and two touchdowns. For his efforts, Sellers earned some National Player of the Week recognitions.

However, this year’s matchup will not be at home in Columbia. Shane Beamer’s team will travel to College Station, a place they’ve never won before. A&M is 5-0 all-time when hosting the Gamecocks. South Carolina has only beaten Texas A&M twice, both at home.

The last time these two teams met in College Station, Texas A&M won, 30-17, in a game that didn’t feel that close. The Gamecocks will look to shake loose from a few trends in their pursuit of an upset on Saturday.

The Insiders Forum: Discuss South Carolina football!