Mond Leads Aggies to 30-6 Win Over South Carolina

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Kellen Mond threw for 221 yards and a touchdown and ran for a second score as Texas A&M extended its winning streak to four games with a 30-6 win over South Carolina on Saturday night.

Cordarrian Richardson ran for 130 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown, and added a TD reception to help the Aggies to the victory on a night they piled up 319 yards rushing.

With just four wins and one game left the loss guarantees that the Gamecocks (4-7, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) won’t make a bowl game for the first time in four seasons.

South Carolina fell to 0-6 all-time against Texas A&M and lost its second straight game this season after falling to Appalachian State last week.

The Aggies led by 10 at halftime and neither team could get anything going after the break, combining for six punts in the third quarter. South Carolina went three-and-out twice and the Aggies punted after just three plays once.

Texas A&M (7-3, 4-2) was finally able to sustain a drive when it capped a 14-play drive with a 40-yard field goal which extended the lead to 16-3 early in the fourth quarter.

The Aggies forced a fourth straight punt by South Carolina after that and Mond made it 22-3 with a 1-yard TD dive with about 10 minutes left. Richardson set up that score when he scampered 31 yards a play earlier.

South Carolina went for it on fourth-and-8 on its next drive and couldn’t convert. Richardson’s long touchdown ran came two plays later to pad the lead.

Ryan Hilinski threw for 175 yards for South Carolina in a game where the Aggies held the Gamecocks to just 45 yards rushing.

Isaiah Spiller added 129 yards rushing for Texas A&M.

The game was tied early in the second quarter after both teams scored a field goal in the first quarter when Mond found Richardson wide open for a 17-yard touchdown reception to give A&M a 10-3 lead.

Seth Small missed a 42-yard field goal on Texas A&M’s next possession, but made one from 30 yards with less than a minute left in the second quarter to leave the Aggies up 13-3 at halftime.

GAME CHANGER

Texas A&M made it 10-3 with 11:35 left in the second quarter on a 17-yard pass from Kellen Mond to Cordarrian Richardson, completing an eight-play, 75-yard drive. The Aggies then scored 17 points in the second quarter on its way to the win over the Gamecocks.

KEY STAT

260 – The Gamecocks had just 260 yards of offense in the game against the Aggies, completing 15 first downs and converting a pair of field goals on Saturday night. Carolina also had the ball for just 18:21.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks will have their second bye week next Saturday and then will return to the gridiron for the regular-season finale against Clemson at Williams-Brice Stadium. Kickoff time and television designation are to be determined.