Thursday night is quickly approaching, and in my anticipation for the game I was looking over the South Carolina depth chart. I decided to compare the height and weight of players at each position between Texas A&M and South Carolina to see how they measured up against the other. Here are the results:

Position Texas A&M Height/Weight Average South Carolina Height/Weight Average Offensive Line 6'5", 308 6'4.5", 314 Tight Ends* 6'6", 271.5 6'5.5", 242.5 Running Backs 5'10.5", 210 5'10.5", 215.3 Wide Receivers 6'2", 195 5'11", 182.5 Defensive Ends 6'4.5", 256.8 6'3", 256.3 Defensive Tackles 6'2.5", 299 6'3", 313 Linebackers 6'2", 233.8 6'1", 225.8 Nickel/Spur** 5'11.5", 200 5'11", 202 Corners 5'11.5", 186.8 5'10.5", 181.5 Safeties 6'1", 198 6'0.5", 198.3

*Note: A South Carolina fullback was included in this average

**Note: South Carolina uses a "Spur" position as a nickel/third linebacker

Some quick thoughts based on these measurements:

South Carolina has some big offensive tackles. Corey Robinson goes 6'8", 344 and Brandon Shell is 6'6", 333. At those weights, you wonder if our defensive ends can use their speed to get around the edge of the Gamecock pass protection.

South Carolina receivers aren't very tall. Starter Shaq Roland is 6'1" while Pharoh Cooper is 5'11" and Nick Jones is only 5'7". They do have a couple of 6'4" receivers, but both are backups. Size won't be an issue for the Texas A&M secondary.

There is some beef inside for the South Carolina defensive tackles. Starter J.T. Surratt is 310 pounds (his backup Phillip Dukes goes 323) and Gerald Dixon Jr. is 323. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is lighter at defensive tackle with only Zaycoven Henderson above 300 pounds (listed at 310). Both Alonzo Williams and Ivan Robinson are only listed at 290 pounds. This weight disparity between squads will be something to keep an eye on Thursday night.

A lot of discussion this offseason involved the Aggie linebackers needing to increase their weight. Well, starters Jordan Mastrogiovanni at 244 pounds and A.J. Hilliard at 230 are heavier than what South Carolina will send onto the field. T.J. Holloman at middle linebacker is 234 pounds and weakside linebacker Skai Moore is only 213 pounds. If I'm coaching Texas A&M, I'm trying to run over these smaller South Carolina linebackers. That is, of course, if the backs can make it past the heavier Gamecock defensive tackles.

If there is a huge advantage for Texas A&M, it is the size of its wide receivers over the South Carolina corners. Texas A&M is considerably taller and heavier at receiver, thanks to guys like Ricky Seals-Jones and Josh Reynolds. Even Malcome Kennedy is listed at 205 pounds. South Carolina will likely play two true freshmen at corner, Chris Lammons and Al Harris Jr., who only weigh 172 and 162 pounds, respectively. That just might be who Kenny Hill targets on Thursday night.