South Carolina Beats Texas A&M 17-9 as Sellers Plays Through Ankle Injury

LaNorris Sellers limped to the locker room for X-rays on his ankle late in the first half on Saturday. He came back, threw for 251 yards and a touchdown, and ran 41 yards for the score that sealed No. 23 South Carolina's 17-9 win over Texas A&M at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The win, the Gamecocks' fourth in a row, clinched bowl eligibility and guaranteed Texas A&M, which began the season ranked No. 8, a losing SEC record.

Key Points

• No. 23 South Carolina beat Texas A&M 17-9 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Columbia, its fourth straight win and a bowl-clinching victory.
• LaNorris Sellers threw for 251 yards and a touchdown (20 of 31, no interceptions) and ran for a 41-yard touchdown with 1:27 left, despite an ankle injury late in the first half.
• Malik Orsan's 43-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter put South Carolina ahead for good, 10-9.
• Texas A&M gained 457 yards and held the ball nearly 10 minutes longer, but never scored a touchdown.
• South Carolina is 6-3 (4-3 SEC); Texas A&M is 4-5 (1-5 SEC), guaranteed a losing league season.

What Happened

South Carolina struck first in the second quarter, when Sellers found Mazeo Bennett Jr. for a 1-yard touchdown pass and a 7-3 lead. The mood in Columbia shifted late in the first half, when Sellers was hurt on a strip sack and went to the locker room for X-rays on his ankle. He returned for the third quarter, and the Gamecocks needed him: Texas A&M controlled the ball for long stretches, and David Olano missed a 30-yard field goal early in the third quarter that would have put them ahead 12-7. It was his first miss of the season after making 16 straight.

The game stayed tight until Orsan's 43-yard field goal put South Carolina ahead 10-9 midway through the fourth quarter. The decisive sequence came late: South Carolina stopped Texas A&M on downs, and on the very next play Sellers broke free for his 41-yard touchdown run with 1:27 left. The Aggies drove to the South Carolina 3 on their final possession, but Marcel Reed's desperation pass sailed over his receiver's head. Rueben Owens II ran for a season-high 137 yards for Texas A&M.

Background: A Season Turned Around in Columbia

The fortunes of both teams have shifted dramatically this season. Texas A&M was a top-10 programme when the season began, coming off a College Football Playoff berth and expected to contend for an SEC title. Instead, the Aggies have lost four of their first five league games and have now fallen for the third time in their past four. Even wins over Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas would not save them from a first losing SEC season under third-year coach Mike Elko, their first since 2022.

South Carolina's story runs in the opposite direction. The Gamecocks were a sliding programme after starting 0-3 in SEC play, fielding questions about coaching buyouts and mass transfers. But they have rebounded with wins over ranked opponents Florida and Tennessee and a dominant win at Oklahoma last week, when Sellers threw five touchdowns in a 42-25 rout of the Sooners. Coach Shane Beamer now has his team ranked and on the rise, at No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

South Carolina Texas A&M 17-9: Sellers' Grit Seals the Gamecocks' Fourth Straight Win

The defining image of this game will be Sellers running free on an injured ankle. A quarterback who had needed X-rays at half-time broke away for 41 yards and the touchdown that decided it. It was not a vintage performance, as the Associated Press put it, but it was the kind of win that says more about a team than a comfortable blowout. South Carolina was outgained, out-possessed and pushed to the limit by a desperate opponent, and still found a way.

The defence deserves equal credit. Texas A&M rolled up 457 yards of offence without scoring a touchdown, a rare combination: drives that moved, time that ticked away, and no points to show for it. South Carolina bent again and again, then made the two stands that mattered most: stopping the Aggies on downs before Sellers' run and holding at its own 3 on the final drive.

Reactions

For South Carolina, this was the win that confirmed the turnaround is real. A month ago, the Gamecocks were 0-3 in the SEC and the conversation around the programme was about buyouts and departures. Now they have beaten Florida, Tennessee and Oklahoma, added a ranked win over Texas A&M, and secured a bowl place with games still to play.

For Texas A&M, the feeling will be the opposite. The Aggies did much of what a road team needs to do to win: they outgained South Carolina, controlled the clock and ran the ball well behind Owens. But they settled for field goals, missed the kick that would have given them the lead, and could not finish drives. A season that began with College Football Playoff expectations is now guaranteed to end with a losing SEC record.

Why It Matters

The result matters because of what it says about where both programmes stand. South Carolina's revival is no longer a hot streak built on one or two results: four straight wins, three of them against ranked opponents, is a genuine turnaround, and a bowl-clinching victory gives Beamer's team a platform to aim higher in the final weeks.

It matters for Texas A&M in the opposite way. A year after reaching the College Football Playoff, the Aggies are 1-5 in the SEC and guaranteed a losing league season, a sharp fall from the expectations they carried into August. For a full picture of the weekend's college football, see also Utah's 28-20 Holy War win over BYU.

What Happens Next

Texas A&M returns home to take on No. 16 Tennessee next Saturday, a game that now carries pride rather than title hopes. South Carolina plays its final SEC road game at Arkansas on Saturday night, with a chance to extend the winning streak to five. If Sellers' ankle holds up and the defence keeps bending without breaking, the Gamecocks' remarkable second half has further to run.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between South Carolina and Texas A&M?
South Carolina beat Texas A&M 17-9 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Columbia — the Gamecocks' fourth straight win, clinching bowl eligibility.

How did LaNorris Sellers play?
Sellers threw for 251 yards and a touchdown (20 of 31, no interceptions) and ran for a 41-yard touchdown with 1:27 left, despite an ankle injury late in the first half.

Why did Texas A&M lose despite outgaining South Carolina?
The Aggies gained 457 yards and held the ball nearly 10 minutes longer, but never scored a touchdown.

What are the teams' records now?
South Carolina is 6-3 (4-3 SEC); Texas A&M is 4-5 (1-5 SEC), guaranteed a losing SEC season a year after reaching the Playoff.

Who do South Carolina and Texas A&M play next?
Texas A&M hosts No. 16 Tennessee next Saturday; South Carolina visits Arkansas on Saturday night.