Gamecocks Deal With New Injuries as Texas A&M Looks to Stay Unbeaten

Gamecocks came out of their bye week rested, but the team still has a few problems to solve. Head coach Shane Beamer admitted that some unexpected injury issues popped up during practice this week, raising questions before Saturday’s game against undefeated Texas A&M.

South Carolina had only two players listed on Wednesday’s injury report, but by Thursday, two more names were added. Beamer explained, “We had some things that flared up today.” Most of these injuries won’t change much for the lineup — Cason Henry has already been out since the Kentucky game with a season-ending injury, and Jatavius Shivers is a backup lineman who has played in six games.

The biggest concern is left tackle Josiah Thompson. The young lineman earned Freshman All-American honors last season and plays a key role in protecting quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Thompson is now listed as “questionable,” but Beamer told reporters he is hopeful Thompson will be able to play.

While South Carolina deals with its own injury issues, Texas A&M’s list is even longer. The Aggies have ruled out four players: linebacker Scooby Williams, safety Bryce Anderson, and Rashad Johnson Jr. Running back Le’Veon Moss, who was already doubtful earlier in the week, is now officially out.

The biggest surprise on the Aggies’ report is star wide receiver Mario Craver being marked as “questionable.” Craver left last week’s game against Missouri after heading into the medical tent and never returned. He still managed six catches for 59 yards before the injury. Craver leads A&M with 775 receiving yards and ranks second in touchdown catches. If he can’t play, the Aggies will likely turn to Ashton Bethel-Roman or Terry Bussey, while KC Concepcion may take on a bigger role.

The matchup strongly favors Texas A&M. The Aggies are 9-0 and coming off a solid 38-17 win over Missouri, where quarterback Marcel Reed threw two touchdowns and Rueben Owens ran for 102 yards.

South Carolina, sitting at 3-6, is still looking for solutions. Sellers threw for 180 yards last week but also had two interceptions. Facing an Aggies offense ranked 13th in the nation with 460 yards per game, the Gamecocks have a tough challenge ahead.

Oddsmakers agree — BetMGM lists Texas A&M as heavy favorites at -18.5 and -1235 on the moneyline. Still, if the Gamecocks get Thompson back and the Aggies miss key weapons like Craver, the game could get more interesting than expected.

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