Field Level Media
Oct 23, 2021
No. 17 Texas A&M's defense limited South Carolina to 15 yards of total offense through the first three quarters and running backs Devon Achane and Isaiah Spiller each eclipsed 100 yards in the Aggies' 44-14 win Saturday in an SEC game at College Station, Texas.
Achane finished with 154 yards on 20 carries, including a 35-yard touchdown, and Spiller gained 102 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown.
The Aggies (6-2, 3-2 SEC) extended their winning streak to three games after losing their first two conference games.
Texas A&M improved its series record against South Carolina to 8-0 since 2014, when the Aggies joined the SEC.
South Carolina (4-4, 1-4) had five straight possessions in the second and third quarters without positive yardage.
The Gamecocks finished with 185 yards of total offense, most against Texas A&M's reserves in the fourth quarter.
The Aggies' defense tallied seven tackles for loss, led by defensive end Tyree Johnson's two sacks. The defense also forced three turnovers.
South Carolina had only two first downs through the first three quarters before producing three in their only scoring drive that was 75 yards and culminated with MarShawn Lloyd's 9-yard run with 12:07 left in the game.
Texas A&M took a 31-0 lead by halftime after South Carolina gained only 11 yards of total offense.
Achane and Spiller combined for 147 yards on 27 rushes in the first half while South Carolina had minus-10 on 13 carries.
Zach Calzada completed two touchdown passes to Jalen Wydermyer on consecutive possessions in the first half after Ainias Smith got the Aggies' scoring started on a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown 2:30 into the game.
Calzada completed 12 of 24 passes for 187 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Spiller's 1-yard run that gave Texas A&M a 28-0 lead with 8:36 left in the first half occurred after Aaron Hansford recovered a South Carolina fumble at the Gamecocks' 6-yard line.
Seth Small capped the scoring in the first half with a 32-yard field goal as time expired. The conversion culminated a 14-play, 79-yard drive that took 7:05 off the clock.
Small made two more field goals in the second half, giving him 63 for his career. That ties the school record held by 2011 Lou Groza Award winner Randy Bullock.
--Field Level Media