4 insane numbers from Texas A&M's epic comeback vs. South Carolina

For the opening 30 minutes of action Saturday, Texas A&M looked like an overrated team that had padded its record against the bottom of the SEC en route to a 9-0 start.

A shocking 30-3 deficit at the break left Kyle Field sounding like a library and those who'd questioned the Aggies' unblemished resume smiling with glee.

Those smiles turned to frowns during the second half as Texas A&M dug itself out of the 27-point hole and captured a thrilling 31-30 win over South Carolina - the biggest comeback in program history.

Here are four numbers to know from the outrageous game in College Station.

20

How historically bad was the deficit that the Aggies faced? The halftime margin was the largest for a ranked team trailing an unranked team at home in the past 20 years, meaning that a majority of the students in attendance probably weren't alive the last time a comeback of this nature happened.

If the logos were removed from the helmets and jerseys, you would've thought South Carolina was the No. 3 program in the nation, while Texas A&M resembled a shaky group with serious offensive issues. The first-half stats were staggering, with the Gamecocks dominating all facets.

5-0

We don't want to pile on the Aggies' performance in the opening half, but it's not a stretch to say the best hit by the hosts came from a police officer following Nyck Harbor's 80-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. Harbor appeared to injure his hamstring on the electric scamper and began walking up the tunnel after reaching the end zone. Upon turning around and heading back toward the field, Harbor was bumped by an officer who then pointed aggressively and said something to the Gamecocks receiver.

It was a weird scene to say the least. The Texas A&M police department announced shortly afterward that it relieved the Texas Department of Public Safety trooper of his duties for the remainder of the day. However, almost everything that unfolded from there worked in the Aggies' favor.

28

Mike Elko's halftime speech must have been the stuff of legend because the Aggies' second act was damn near perfect. They scored on the first four drives of the half while holding the Gamecocks scoreless for the final 30 minutes, resulting in a 28-0 run. The numbers from the opening half essentially flipped, with Texas A&M running South Carolina off the field.

The Aggies deserve plenty of credit for their resurgence, but the Gamecocks' collapse is enough to put Shane Beamer's job in question. South Carolina had only one drive in the second half that lasted more than 2:15, repeatedly sending its exhausted defense back on the field to get shredded. Texas A&M's four touchdown drives all went at least 70 yards, with none taking more than 4:13 off the clock.

286

Pat yourself on the back if you stayed locked in on this contest because you witnessed SEC history. In the last 21 years of conference play, teams were 0-286 when trailing by at least 27 points - until Saturday.

The victory likely clinches a playoff spot for the Aggies, even if they lose the season finale to Texas in two weeks, while the defeat may force the Gamecocks to look at the coaching carousel for an upgrade on Beamer.