COLLEGE STATION — It wasn’t how they drew it up, but Texas A&M football captured its 10th win of the season Saturday.
The Aggies fell behind South Carolina 30-3 at halftime, but scored 28 unanswered second-half points to mount the program’s largest come-from-behind victory.
All three phases struggled in the first half, plagued by turnovers, allowing big plays and missed field goals. However, A&M’s ability to win regardless showed a team that is filled with resilience.
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Here’s how the Aggies graded in their Week 12 victory:
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) celebrates with head coach Mike Elko after win against South Carolina on Nov. 15, 2025, in College Station.
David J. Phillip/Associated Press
MORE AGGIES: Texas A&M vs South Carolina: Aggies win in their biggest comeback ever
Texas A&M football Week 12 grades
Quarterbacks: B-
Marcel Reed had his worst first half of the season Saturday. With two interceptions and at least three more passes that could’ve been picked by South Carolina, Reed was not seeing the field well.
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South Carolina was dropping linebackers into throwing lanes on crossers and dig routes, forcing Reed to either rip a contested throw or find another receiver.
Despite that, the Aggies signal-caller orchestrated four scoring drives, including three touchdown passes. Reed set a new mark for career passing yards with 439, but he’d be the first to tell you that corrections are needed if A&M is going to reach a championship level.
Running backs: D-
No A&M running back gained more than 28 yards, with the team rushing for only 64 yards in total. South Carolina entered the game as one of the poorest teams in the SEC against the run, but managed to contain the Aggies’ top-five rushing attack.
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Trailing much of the game, A&M was forced to rely on passing. Nonetheless, it wasn’t the best performance for the Aggies’ ball carriers.
Receivers: B-
Each of A&M’s top three receivers had at least one drop in the first half. But the Aggies still finished with two 100-yard receivers as KC Concepcion and Ashton Bethel-Roman finished with 158 and 139 yards, respectively.
Tight ends: C-
The impact of the Aggies’ tight ends is mainly seen in the running game, and on Saturday, that impact was almost nonexistent. The team had trouble moving the ball on the ground, and with only three catches for 40 yards —all by Nate Boerkircher— it was one of the tight ends’ least effective performances this season, despite Boerkircher’s touchdown.
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South Carolina’s rush ends were aggressive at the point of attack, finding ways to disrupt rush lanes, and the Aggies’ tight ends had their hands full.
MORE: 4 Aggies takeaways include Rueben Owens’ injury, Marcel Reed’s heroics
Offensive line: B-
With two sacks allowed, both in the first half, it wasn’t the cleanest performance for the Joe Moore Award-nominated group. The group settled in the second half but sophomore phenom Dylan Stewart and Co. proved to be worthy adversaries in the run game and pass game.
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Defensive line: B+
Cashius Howell recorded one sack and three pass breakups, continuing his trend as a dominant pass rusher in the SEC. As a group, the defense finished with three sacks and 6½ tackles for loss.
Howell and Dayon Hayes each made a crucial sack over the last two drives. Time and again, they have risen to the occasion when it matters most.
Linebackers: A
A&M’s top two tacklers were linebackers. Taurean York and Daymion Sanford finished with eight and seven, respectively, and were the true highlights of the unit all game long.
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Sanford continues to be an excellent blitzer from the second level, pushing his sack total to 4½ sacks on the season.
The group held South Carolina to 121 rushing yards on the day, including just 13 yards in the second half.
The loss of Scooby Williams for the last couple of weeks hurts the depth, but this duo has been able to play well.
Defensive backs: B-
Will Lee II got beat for a deep-ball touchdown in the first quarter and was called for a defensive pass interference, but for the most part, the defensive backs played well against a talented South Carolina passing offense.
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Lee finished fourth on the team in tackles with five, was helpful in the run game and notched the first sack of his career.
LaNorris Sellers finished the day with 246 passing yards, the majority of those coming in the first half.
Special teams: D-
The special teams unit, like much of the team, faced challenges. Kicker Randy Bond was 1-for-3 on first-half field goal attempts: missing from 45 yards and another from 24 yards.
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There was one bright spot: Concepcion’s performance in the return game. With just two opportunities, the Aggies’ playmaker accumulated 42 return yards, allowing A&M to start both drives from midfield.
Coaching staff: A
The ability to go into halftime, have the team put aside a disastrous first half, and return completely revitalized is truly impressive. On a day filled with rumors about a potential contract extension for Mike Elko, he guided his team through tough moments to achieve victory for the 10th time this season.
This team has its flaws, which it displays every week. However, it also has a coach who knows how to maximize its potential.
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Previous Aggies teams might have crumbled in these situations. But this year’s team feels different, and that’s no coincidence with Elko at the helm.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.