Vegas SEC Predictions Week 1: Will Texas A&M Upset South Carolina? Who Wins Wisconsin-LSU?
Vegas SEC Predictions
Game of the Week
No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 9 South Carolina (Thursday)
Line: South Carolina by 10.5
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Gig Em Gazette
The Texas A&M Aggies begin their first game without Johnny Manziel in the worst way: on the road against a South Carolina Gamecocks team that is loaded with an SEC championship in mind. Kevin Sumlin has a plethora of young talent that was all highly recruited, including new starting quarterback Kenny Hill. Hill has similar traits to Johnny Manziel as far as his mobility goes, and Sumlin has turned every quarterback he has coached into a college superstar.
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Garnet and Cocky
South Carolina enters this game favored by more than 10 points, which shows just how much the media is overhyping the loss of Johnny Manziel. The Gamecocks, people are forgetting, have a new quarterback themselves this year in Dylan Thompson, who replaces Connor Shaw. They also lose a major superstar in Jadeveon Clowney on defense. True, Thompson has more experience than Hill, but if you look at both rosters and the departing talent along with the recruiting for new incoming players, these teams are not that far off.
Prediction
Texas A&M is good enough to beat South Carolina and will definitely cover the spread. The disrespect for this team so far is very unfair. But they still won’t win the game. It will be close until the end, but the home crowd in Columbia will make the difference. The Gamecocks will win behind the legs of running back Mike Davis and timely passes by Dylan Thompson on a game-winning drive.
South Carolina: 28 Texas A&M: 24