The expectations couldn't be much lower for Texas A&M heading into Saturday's SEC road matchup against No. 23 South Carolina.

And based on how the Aggies have performed away from Kyle Field, it's difficult to argue with the skepticism.

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Texas A&M enters the contest at 4-4 overall and a disappointing 1-4 in Southeastern Conference play. Meanwhile, South Carolina is 5-3, riding a three-game winning streak and favored by approximately seven points.

Most national analysts expect another frustrating afternoon for Mike Elko's team.

ESPN's SP+ projection favors South Carolina by 3.8 points, while ESPN Analytics gives the Gamecocks a 54.1 percent probability of winning.

Bleacher Report's David Kenyon predicts a 27-23 South Carolina victory, and College Football News analyst Pete Fiutak also favors the Gamecocks.

There is one notable exception.

College Football News analyst Jake Margolick believes Texas A&M can pull off the upset, providing Aggies fans with at least a little optimism heading into Columbia.

But optimism hasn't translated into victories lately.

Texas A&M has been particularly ineffective offensively in hostile SEC environments, managing just six points in road losses to LSU and Missouri.

That's an alarming statistic for a program that entered the season hoping to compete near the top of the conference.

Quarterback Marcel Reed has struggled with consistency, entering Saturday with 1,390 passing yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 56.8 percent of his passes.

Those numbers aren't going to intimidate a South Carolina team playing its best football of the season.

The Gamecocks also possess a significant advantage at quarterback with LaNorris Sellers, whose combination of arm strength, mobility and improvisational ability presents another difficult assignment for the Aggies' defense.

Texas A&M can't afford another game in which the offense struggles to sustain drives while the defense spends too much time on the field.

The Aggies' 31-20 loss to Alabama on October 24 exposed familiar concerns, and the bye week gave Elko additional time to address them.

Now comes the test of whether those adjustments actually worked.

Texas A&M owns a commanding 10-2 advantage in the all-time series, but the Aggies have lost their last two visits to Columbia.

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Saturday's matchup isn't simply about improving a disappointing record. It's about demonstrating that Elko's program can respond to adversity rather than allowing another season to unravel.

The experts don't believe Texas A&M will win. Based on recent performances, the Aggies haven't given them many reasons to think otherwise.

Source: Yahoo Sports