Departure of Manziel & Clowney Give SC-A&M Matchup a Different Flavor
By Charles Jay
It is not all that common that nationally-ranked teams play the opening game of the season against a conference foe. On Thursday night (televised by the new SEC Network), a pair of teams that lost genuine prime-time players begin the campaign, as the South Carolina Gamecocks play host to the Texas A&M Aggies in NCAA football betting action that is set to begin at 6 PM ET at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.
Johnny Manziel, better known as “Johnny Football,” leaves the Aggies after just two seasons, but those seasons were unforgettable to be sure. And Jadeveon Clowney developed such a reputation for athleticism for the Gamecocks that he was the #1 choice in the NFL Draft (by the Houston Texans).
South Carolina is ranked ninth in the country in both major polls (the Associated Press and USA Today), while Texas A&M comes into this game at #20 in the USA Today poll and #21 with the AP.
In the NCAA football betting lines that have been placed on this game at VietBet, Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina squad is a sizable favorite:
South Carolina Gamecocks -10.5
Texas A&M Aggies +10.5
Over 60 Points -110
Under 60 Points -110
South Carolina really benefited by being on the positive side of the turnover ledger last season. Connor Shaw was practically flawless, throwing only one interception on the season. They will turn to senior Dylan Thompson this year, and as VietBet customers are well-aware, Spurrier has a strange relationship with his quarterbacks, so Thompson is going to have to have a strong constitution.
Fortunately for the Gamecocks, they have one of the very best running backs in the country. Mike Davis averaged 5.8 yards per carry last season, and he comes back this year as a genuine Heisman candidate. He runs behind an interior line that is a veteran group, with some depth (fourth-year junior starts for Mike Matulis), so there should be little question among NCAA football bettors that South Carolina will be able to travel by land. Davis is nursing some bad ribs, which brings some questions into this game.
Texas A&M will probably always be somewhat formidable on offense as long as head coach Kevin Sumlin is at the helm, but two of the people who made last year’s offense go have departed and leave gaping holes. Johnny Manziel was the great improviser, and what he could in turning bad plays into good ones cannot be duplicated. The guy on the other end of many of his throws, Mike Evans, was a first-round NFL draft pick as well. Sure, there are outstanding receivers like Speedy Noil, who will make an impact. But QB Kenny Hill is largely inexperienced, and this is why NCAA football bettors may want to be wary.
What they have going for them is that South Carolina (priced at +510 at VietBet to win the SEC title) may be somewhat thin in the secondary. But just because Clowney went off to the NFL, that does not mean the Gamecocks don’t have a lot of athletes up front. Don’t expect A&M to run all that well. Texas A&M should be improved on defense. But keep in mind that the Aggies surrendered 476 yards a game last season. And they lost some of the players they thought would have an impact, when they had to kick Isaiah Golden and Darian Claiborne off the team. Gavin Stansbury, who was a starting defensive end last year, has picked up and left for Houston.
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