The No. 7 Aggies (5-1) routed South Carolina (2-4) 48-3, dominating on both offense and defense throughout. It was a far cry from some of the nail-biting games the two teams have played at Williams-Brice Stadium in recent years and showed how complete a team A&M has become.

South Carolina’s best offensive play may have come on their first drive, when quarterback Collin Hill hit wideout Jalen Brooks. Appropriately, Brooks dropped it. At that point, the air went out of the balloon for the underdog Gamecocks, and the Aggies took over quickly. On their second drive of the game, the Maroon Goons on the offensive line took over, controlling the point of attack on a 12-play, 52-yard drive that included six runs by running back Isaiah Spiller (18 carries, 131 yards). The drive was capped off by quarterback Kellen Mond’s first touchdown pass of the night, a 3-yarder to wide receiver Ainias Smith.

It was more of the same on A&M’s next drive, with the Aggies going 70 yards in 10 plays. Facing a 3rd and 1 on South Carolina’s 15, coach Jimbo Fisher called a timeout and designed a play for tight end Jalen Wydermyer. Fisher had Mond (16-26, 224 yards, 4 TD) roll out to his right as Wydermyer (3 catches, 35 yards, 2 TD) filtered through the entire crush of players at the line of scrimmage to come out wide open on the left side. Mond lofted the ball to Wydermyer, who strolled in with an easy 15-yard touchdown.

South Carolina had one opportunity to make it a ballgame after the Aggies failed to convert a 4th and 2 at the USC 39. After a 12-yard completion, running back Kevin Harris broke out for his only major positive carry fo the game, picking up 29 yards to the Aggie 22. Linebacker Aaron Hansford short-circuited the drive with a 6-yard sack of Hill, then kicker Parker White missed wide left from 44 yards.

A&M then applied the dagger, with Spiller busting out for 52 yards on 3rd and 2 from the Aggie 35. Three plays later, Mond found Wydermyer for a second touchdown, as the tight end outran South Carolina corner Israel Mukuamu on a crossing route for a 7-yard score with just 10 seconds to go in the half.

Already up 21-0, the Aggies added insult to injury after taking the second half kickoff. After Mond found Spiller for a 36-yard completion on a wheel route that turned out to be the running back’s last play of the night, the Aggies switched things up and used freshman Devon Achane (13 carries, 65 yards, 2 TD; 2 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD) and Mond in the running game. After a 14-yard run by Achane to get A&M down to the South Carolina 15, Mond scored untouched on an option run.

"Our defense got a huge stop when they got in the red zone and they missed the field goal, then we scored twice before they touched the ball (again)," Fisher said.

As bad as things were already for the homestanding Gamecocks, they would get worse. Hill would be picked off by Leon O’Neal at the Aggie 31 to end the next drive, with O’Neal returning the ball to the Aggie 48 on the return. The Aggies would be in the end zone one play later, with Mond setting the A&M all-time touchdown pass record with an easy 52-yard pass to Achane, who was wide open down the seam.

"I couldn't be happier. Kellen's a class young man," Fisher said.

While the Aggies could not be stopped, South Carolina never got started. Hill was benched after completing 8 of 21 passes for just 66 yards and 2 interceptions; Harris ended up with 28 yards rushing while South Carolina only had 50 total. The Aggies had 10 tackles for loss.

On the other side of the ball, A&M ran for 264 yards and threw for 266. For the fifth consecutive game, the Aggie offensive line did not give up a sack.

"Our offense and defensive lines came to play. I think the key was upfront," Fisher said.

After Achane scored yet again on A&M’s next drive, it was time for the backups to get some quality time. They didn’t disappoint, as freshman Haynes King threw his first touchdown pass, a 42-yard toss to tight end Max Wright, who scored on his first career catch. The Gamecocks did kick a 49-yard field goal with 5:55 to go in the game to spoil the shutout, but it did little to change the sour mood of the South Carolina faithful. Or, for that matter, the positive vibes on the Aggie sidelines as they saw what they can do when all the pieces come together.