Buckle up everyone, there's a lot to unpack.
It took just a mere 14 days after the worst SEC loss of the Will Muschamp era to have the, well, worst loss of the Muschamp era.
The Gamecocks were blown out 48-3 at home to Texas A&M, sending whatever progress was made after the Auburn game to a screeching halt.
It was an uninspired performance from top to bottom, and the grades reflect it.
Quarterback: F
Collin Hill started 2-for-2 for 17 yards. He ended his game 6-for-19 for 49 yards and two picks. He followed up his worst game of the season against LSU with easily his worst performance of the year. It wasn't good. Ryan Hilinski showed a little bit of life in garbage time, but averaged 5.7 yards per attempt (4-for-6, 34 yards) with 24 yards coming on a pass to Shi Smith.
It was bad all the way around.
Also see: Instant analysis from the loss
Running back: D
Not all of the running game struggles were on Kevin Harris (game plan and offensive line play contributed, and we'll get to it) but the results speak for themselves. Harris had 39 yards and averaged three yards per carry, but did rattle off one 28-yarder, which boosts the grade.
Wide receiver/tight end: D
Like the rest of the season, if it weren't for Shi Smith the grade might be a lot lower. The Gamecocks completed a grand total of 12 passes with Smith catching four of those for 64 yards.
Josh Vann made two really good catches, but outside of those two players the receivers and tight ends combined for three catches for 16 yards. The group also had a bevy of drops—six total—including one surefire touchdown to Jalen Brooks.
Offensive line: F
There's not being able to get push and then, as Muschamp said, there's getting whipped. The latter was true Saturday. The Gamecocks got no push up front, not paving the way for any run game success, and Hill was sacked twice. In a year marred by inconsistent line play, the Gamecocks turned in their worst performance of the season.
Also see: What Will Muschamp said postgame
Defensive line: F
Texas A&M rushed for 264 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Isaiah Spiller averaged 7.3 yards per carry. They didn't sack Kellen Mond, who spent the majority of the night in a clean pocket.
A line that struggled to stop the run the last three weeks didn't look marked better and it showed.
Linebackers: D
Ernest Jones was perfectly fine again, and is the modicum of consistency, but the linebackers around him struggled. The middle of the field was burned multiple times for touchdowns, including twice as Texas A&M threw a delayed throwback for a touchdown then a delayed tight end drag for another.
Secondary: F
Mond's numbers—16-for-26, 224 yards—weren't elite, but the fact he threw for 8.6 yards per attempt and for four touchdowns show just how clunky the Gamecocks' back end was. They were thin—Shilo Sanders and RJ Roderick weren't available—but the Gamecocks struggled for the most part all night.
Jaylan Foster was beat on an option play that led to a Mond rushing touchdown and there were plenty of breakdowns that led to big plays, including one 52-yard touchdown pass.
Also see: Men's basketball schedule analysis
Special teams: D
Parker White did make one field goal (albeit down 41-0 at the time) and outside of one bad punt Kai Kroeger did well (41.2 yards on five punts). Jammie Robinson also made a bad decision early trying to field a punt.
Coaching: F
I could probably write a book about some of the coaching decisions, and it probably wouldn't be enough. To come out—after an extra week to prepare—and get blasted to the tune of a 45-point loss, the worst home loss under Will Muschamp, is inexcusable.
Hill, who again threw for 66 yards, played well into the fourth quarter until South Carolina was down 41 points. Sporting one of the league's rush offenses, the Gamecocks threw 12 times their first 17 plays and ultimately ran just 53 plays.
The cherry on that coaching performance was kicking a field goal while down 41 points, a microcosm of the Muschamp era it feels like.
