South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Week 8 Picks: Fade the Aggies

The Aggies are massive 21-point favorites for their college football Week 8 matchup against the Gamecocks. Find out if we like them to cover the three TD spread with our South Carolina and Texas A&M picks.

Beating the Alabama Crimson Tide is always noteworthy. But it’s also a great way to ruin your betting value. The Texas A&M Aggies (5-2 straight up, 4-3 against the spread) are a strong fade candidate after they beat Alabama 41-38 as 18.5-point home underdogs on the Week 6 college football odds board.

Supplying the opposition this Saturday: the South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3 SU, 3-3-1 ATS). They’ve dropped the cash in three of their last four games, but that just makes them a better buy-low candidate for this Week 8 SEC matchup.

Here are my picks and predictions for the college football Week 8 matchup between South Carolina and Texas A&M (odds via Caesars).

South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Game Info

Date/Time: Saturday, October 23, 7:30 PM ETTV: SEC NetworkLocation: Kyle Field, College Station, TXWeather: Partly cloudy, 87F

South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Odds Analysis

The No. 7 Aggies are 21-point home favorites at Caesars Sportsbook, and Sportsbook Review's consensus reports show more than 90 percent of early bettors are on the Gamecocks.

The 45-point total is up slightly from 44.5, with over two-thirds of early bettors preferring the Over in this contest.

South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Betting Picks

South Carolina +21 (–110)Under 45 (–110)Alternate Total Under 38 (+240)

SEE ALSO: Week 8 College Football Betting Trends

South Carolina vs. Texas A&M Betting Predictions

South Carolina +21 (–110)

Beating Alabama helped push the Aggies all the way up to No. 7 in the national polls. But they’re only No. 15 on the latest F+ efficiency charts at Football Outsiders, with the No. 47-ranked offense in the nation.

Not that South Carolina can keep up, as it is No. 80 overall (No. 101 offense, No. 42 defense) in efficiency. However, both these teams are weighted heavily toward defense, and in what should be a low-scoring game, covering a 21-point spread will be challenging.

The Gamecocks will be without QB Luke Doty (124.8 passer rating), who has played poorly this year after getting his foot stepped on during an August practice. Doty will miss the rest of the season, but Zeb Noland (164.2 rating) has outperformed Doty thus far in relief.

This should definitely be a small bet on South Carolina, though. They’re just 0-3 ATS in their last three games versus Texas A&M, all since Jimbo Fisher took over as the Aggies head coach.

Under 45 (-110)

The Under might be worth a chunkier bet. Each team in this matchup has gone 5-2 to the Under, and that was the winning college football pick in each of their last five meetings.

The Texas A&M betting trends also favor the Under, which is on a 4-0 run for the Aggies after winning straight up, and 5-1 in their last six when they beat the spread.

In addition to the Doty injury, WR Jalen Brooks (personal) and RB MarShawn Lloyd (undisclosed) are considered questionable for South Carolina.

A&M have allowed just seven sacks this year, but that already matches their entire total from 2020. Their offensive line lost three starters in the offseason and lost another when center Luke Matthews (shoulder) underwent surgery earlier this month.

Alternate Total Under 38 (+240)

With Saturday’s game tilted this far toward defense, the alternate totals are worth a look. Two years ago, A&M beat the Gamecocks 30-6 at home, sliding well below the 47-point total.

The weather forecast doesn’t offer any rain to help this pick, but it’ll be a hot afternoon at College Station with temperatures peaking at 87 degrees. Players will get tired, leading to second-stringers being deployed.

Under 45 figures to be the best bet of these three, although the payout for Under 38 is pretty tasty. Bet accordingly.