How Texas A&M Offensive Position Groups Graded Out in Win Over South Carolina

If one thing has remained unchanged in the current college football landscape, it's that standard regulation takes place on the gridiron for 60 minutes. No more, no less. For some teams, a good couple of quarters is all it takes to win the game, but for Texas A&M football, it took every last second.

It was a tale of two halves, as the opening 30 minutes of football were about the worst the Aggie offense has looked under head coach Mike Elko, as well as looking like a complete meltdown from quarterback Marcel Reed.

It was Reed's three turnovers in the first two quarters that put the Maroon and White in a 30-3 hole against South Carolina, but it was his composure and three second-half touchdown passes that helped secure a come-from-behind victory. It'll be quite a difficult report card to sort through, so let's dive in.

Quarterbacks: B

Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

On the note of report cards, they share a key similarity to football games; they can change if enough time is still left on the board. And indeed there was for Reed, whose disastrous first half was quickly erased as the young passer led the Aggies on four straight touchdown drives to stay undefeated.

Perhaps the most critical moment was on the opening drive out of halftime, where A&M was essentially forced to go for it on 4th and 12. A gutsy call, but one that was necessary, and Reed scampered past the line to gain while the Aggies started their roll.

Yes, the first half was terrible, and worth an F grade at the least, but when Reed leads A&M to the greatest comeback in school history, the past wrongs can be lost in the outcome of the game. Not to mention Reed turning his worst first half into his most passing yards in a game ever.

Running Backs: B

Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Ej Smith (22) celebrates with tight end Theo Melin Öhrström (17) after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

When the first half came to a close, A&M had yet to gain positive yardage on the ground. This meant by the time the Aggie running backs made it to the third quarter, they didn't have much opportunity to rush the ball. However, that's not to say they didn't have a Texas-sized impact.

Running back Rueben Owens II had critical moments in short-yardage situations, but no running back was more crucial to the outcome of the game than EJ Smith IV. A sixth-year player and son of the legendary Emmitt Smith, the veteran back scored the game-tying touchdown, which, following the extra point, gave A&M its first lead.

Wide Receivers: A+

Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman (3) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Being down four scores gives an offense a simple approach: air-raid mode. The Aggies had to strike quickly to make up for missed opportunities, and career days from wide receivers Ashton Bethel-Roman and KC Concepcion were exactly what was needed to boost A&M back into the game.

The pass-catching duo of Bethel-Roman and Concepcion combined for 139 yards and 158 yards, respectively, and the former hauled in Reed's second touchdown pass of the second half. Wide receiver Izaiah Williams caught his first touchdown of his career as well, and the A&M receiving corps combined for over 350 yards.

Tight Ends: A

Aug 30, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) pregame the UTSA Roadrunners at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

The outstanding contributions of former Nebraska walk-on tight end Nate Boerkircher have grown week after week since his Week 3 heroics against Notre Dame. The 250-pounder has been an outstanding blocker in key plays every game, and against South Carolina, he snuck out of his blocking position to catch a touchdown pass that put the Aggies within one score.

Offensive Line: B+

Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III (60) lines up during the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Another tale of resilience, the Aggies' offensive line was having one of its worst performances in the first half as it sleepwalked into the 30-3 halftime deficit. But after allowing two first-half sacks including a strip sack of Reed, the 'Maroon Goons' got it together in the locker room, keep Reed unharmed in the pocket as he engineered the greatest comeback in school history under their protection.