Week 12 SEC Letter Grades: South Carolina Through Texas

Written By Tucker Harlin

Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics

SOUTH CAROLINA: B

South Carolina’s offense unlocked another gear in its first win over Missouri since 2018.

LaNorris Sellers finished the win with 353 pass yards and five pass touchdowns. Seven pass plays went for 25 yards or more between four different receivers.

The obvious reason for the Gamecocks missing the A tier is the second half. The turnover on downs flipped momentum for a lot of the half, and the defense played its worst half in over a month.

But Rocket Sanders would not be denied on this game-winning touchdown in the final seconds, diminishing the memory of a rough defensive half.

TENNESSEE: C-

I definitely don’t think the Vols played bad enough to earn an F. You could make a compelling case for a D, but I’m considering the level of competition and time of day here.

I don’t think it’s too harsh to say Tennessee’s defense played its worst game of the season.

The Vols let Carson Beck look like a coveted draft prospect once again, giving him favorable looks and failing to pressure him. While officiating was suspect throughout the loss, many of the penalties called on Tennessee could be traced to obvious lack of defensive discipline.

The offense wasn’t as bad, but it was flawed. The lack of any explosive plays in the air coupled with the worst protection Nico Iamaleava had in over a month made for a difficult night.

TEXAS A&M: A-

The final cakey matchup of the weekend was Texas A&M’s 38-3 victory against a previously 2-7 New Mexico State.

Eight penalties for 71 yards and a pair of interceptions are the reasons I have the Aggies at an A- instead of a straight A. The interception Reed threw was on a play near the end of the half when A&M was trying to find the end zone quick, so I don’t fault that as much as Weigman’s pick.

The Aggies ran for just over 200 yards while surrendering just over 200 yards of offense against the other Aggies.

On to the plains for Texas A&M.

TEXAS: B+

I toyed with an A here, but I don’t feel like Texas did quite enough on offense.

Outside of two penalties, there were no major mistakes or self-inflicted errors to speak of in the win. Landon Jackson and that Arkansas defensive front just resided in the backfield more than Texas would’ve liked.

The screen passes worked wonders on a couple of different occasions. Quinn Ewers’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden was a thing of beauty.

The Horns were able to spark their first scoring drive because of an interception. Alfred Collins’ strip to effectively end the game was a thing of beauty.

Tucker Harlin
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