Texas A&M's Week 9 bye can't be defined as successful or disappointing, given that the Aggies are 13th in the SEC standings at 4-4 and 1-4 in conference play. Set to face South Carolina on the road in Week 10, the Gamecocks are coming off a 45-25 blowout road win over Oklahoma and suddenly look like one of the conference's most dangerous teams.

On Sunday, the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings were released, showing that all four of Texas A&M's losses were against ranked opponents, as Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, and Alabama are all ranked in the Top 20 in both polls. While that doesn't mean much, it does show the Aggies' schedule has been one of the toughest in college football.

It doesn't get any easier, as the program's next three of four opponents, now including South Carolina, ranked 23rd in the AP Poll, are ranked, including Tennessee at No. 16 and Texas at No. 9, while Oklahoma, who is also 4-4 on the year, looks like the Aggies' last chance at a victory after watching South Carolina pummel the Sooners.

Mike Elko has zero excuses for how the Aggies have played in all four losses, while I recently noted that Texas A&M has been outscored 120-49 on the road, starting with last season's loss to Texas. This goes on the coaching staff for a lack of prep, but it's clear that that new nine-game SEC schedule is beyond brutal and has played a large part in the team's struggles.