The lack of production on offense has left Aggie fans calling to see highly touted true freshman Conner Weigman, take over at QB in hopes of jump-starting the offense. However, all indications are that Haynes King will get the start on Saturday night, despite reports that he was a little beat up following the Alabama game. It will be King’s 5th start of the season and to this point, he hasn’t been much of a factor-completing just 58% of his passes for 763 yards with 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions to go along with 76 rushing yards and 1 score on the ground.

Like Rodriguez for UK, Achane has feasted on the Gamecocks. In 2020, he rushed for 1 TD and had another on a 52-yard reception. Last season in College Station, he posted 154 yards on 20 carries, then a career-high (since surpassed), and a rushing TD. Achane is going to get his, but similar to Rodriguez last week the Gamecocks can't let him beat them alone. The Gamecocks have struggled to stop the run, giving up 174.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 100th in FBS. Achane, who ranks 2nd in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game (152). In total, Achane has rushed for 528 yards and 3 touchdowns on 97 carries, adding 97 yards and a score on 19 receptions. He’s also been a menace in the return game, averaging an SEC-best 31.89 yards per kick return with a touchdown.

Highly-touted true freshman wide receiver Evan Stewart (26 rec., 303 yds., TD) is starting to realize his potential in the absence of injured star receiver Ainias Smith. Moose Muhammad III has also stepped up with 12 catches for 183 yards and 2 TDs in the last 2 games alone. The bad news is that King and Co. will have their work cut out for them on Saturday night against a Gamecock defense that ranks 17th nationally against the pass, allowing just 179.7 yards through the air per contest. South Carolina also boasts the second-most interceptions in the SEC with eight.

Donovan Green has come along the last few weeks as a big-body receiving threat to accompany Max Wright in the TE room. Wright, a former DE for the Aggies switched over to the offensive side of the ball in 2020 and before this season was the only player from this unit to record a reception in college.

With the Gamecocks coming off a 6-sack performance against Kentucky, their momentum doesn’t exactly bode well for a shaky Texas A&M offensive line that has surrendered 10 sacks over the last 3 games alone. This is a highly talented unit on paper, who will have to put it together come tomorrow night. If they can give King some time, it will bode well for them moving forward given Achane's production on the ground.

Once again, this is an extremely raw but talented unit for Jimbo Fisher and co. Texas A&M signed the number 1 ranked class in 2022, and a large reason for that ranking is the loot A&M was able to secure on the defensive line. Five-star prospects Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, Lebbeus Overton, and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy can all play a factor in this unit tomorrow night and moving forward in the significant future.

Chris Russell has stepped up huge for this A & M defense this season registering 41 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a FF. This is up from just 16 tackles in his career totaling back to 2019. Edgerrin Cooper has also been a force in the middle and outside the Aggies' front 7. He has 37 tackles this season as this pair looks to limit Marshawn Lloyd and the Gamecocks' running game come Saturday night.

Aggies DBs Jaylon Jones and Jardin Gilbert look to create headaches for Rattler and the Gamecocks' passing game. Jones and Gilbert both rank among the top 15 SEC defensive backs in passing coverage, per PFF. Safeties Demoni Richardson and Antonio Johnson are also allowing just 6.5 and 6.9 yards per reception this year — that’s good for 4th and 5th-best marks in the SEC. Rattler's second-half resurgence at Kentucky last week is a big reason South Carolina left Lexington with a win. The Gamecocks will need more of that this week against one of the league’s best pass defenses.