COLUMBIA, S.C. — LaNorris Sellers ran for 106 yards and threw for 244 more and South Carolina finally knocked off one of the Southeastern Conference's playoff contenders, beating No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20 on Saturday night.
The Gamecocks (5-3, 3-3) took LSU and Alabama to the wire this season before losing. But this time their freshman quarterback and senior transfer Raheim Sanders ran all over Aggies (7-2, 5-1), who came into Saturday allowing just 104.5 yards a game.
Sanders, the all-SEC transfer from Arkansas, rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns. South Carolina gained 286 yards on the ground.
Sellers threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score.
The Aggies ground their way through the SEC to be the last undefeated team in the league and worked their way back to a lead before halftime after falling behind 14-0 less than six minutes into the game.
But South Carolina's chaotic defense came through when needed. It stopped the Aggies twice on fourth-and-1, picked off Marcel Reed's pass as the freshman threw off his back foot as Texas A&M drove early in the fourth quarter, then scooped up Reed's fumble to squash their last hope.
Reed was 18 of 28 for 206 yards and ran for 46 yards as the Aggies starter Conner Weigman didn't play. Texas A&M rushing leader Le'Veon Moss left the game early and didn't come back.
Texas A&M: The loss is a blow to the Aggies' SEC title hopes, but not a fatal one. They join four other teams — LSU, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas — with one conference loss. Texas A&M is at lowly Auburn then ends the regular season hosting the Longhorns.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks are one of the SEC's most volatile teams. Saturday they showed they can beat about anyone in the league and are just a win away from a bowl with lower division Wofford still on the schedule.
No. 10 Texas A&M is going to drop some places in the poll, but with losses by both teams tied at 11th, Iowa State and Clemson, the Aggies may not fall too far.
Texas A&M: Hosts New Mexico State on Nov. 16.
South Carolina: At Vanderbilt next Saturday.