South Carolina defeated Texas A&M 17-9 on Saturday as the Aggies outgained their opponents 457 to 360 yards yet finished with only 9 points, dropping their record to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference.
Rueben Owens Rushes for 206 Yards as Aggies Miss Scoring Chances
Texas A&M rushed for 206 yards and committed no turnovers, with Rueben Owens finishing with 137 yards on 19 carries. Owens recorded a 40-yard run on the Aggies’ first offensive snap and a 44-yard run to open the second half. However, the opening possession ended with a failed fake field goal when David Olano gained only three yards on a 4th-and-7 from the South Carolina 30.
Later, leading 9-7 in the third quarter, the Aggies reached a 1st-and-goal at the seven. An Isaiah Horton drop and consecutive false starts pushed the ball back to a 2nd-and-goal from the 17. Following an incompletion and a short run, Olano missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. Olano successfully converted his other three attempts from 40, 46, and 44 yards.
Sellers Scores Decisive Touchdown After Aggies Turn Ball Over
Quarterback Reed finished 25-of-43 for 251 yards, while Bryce Perry-Wright contributed a stripsack before halftime to erase a South Carolina scoring opportunity. The Aggies held the Gamecocks to seven points through three quarters until a South Carolina field goal with 8:14 remaining gave them a 10-9 lead.
LaNorris Sellers, playing through an ankle injury, delivered the decisive play with a 41-yard touchdown run with 1.19 left after Texas A&M turned the ball over on downs. The Aggies mounted one final drive, reaching the South Carolina 10-yard line with nine seconds remaining needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie, but two consecutive incompletions ended the game.
