South Carolina is 'gaining momentum' to flip 2027 Texas A&M commit

Texas A&M's Week 9 bye was the final chance for the Aggies to rest and evaluate all that's gone wrong during the 2026 season, as third-year coach Mike Elko is under serious pressure to make changes to the roster and coaching staff before the offseason, while the program's No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class is also under a microscope.So far, four-star linebacker Aston Whiteside has flipped his commitment and is slated to sign with the Miami Hurricanes, while five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson will reportedly visit Notre Dame this weekend, when the Fighting Irish host Miami on Saturday. Henderson is still expected to sign with the Aggies, but things just got interesting given both programs' trajectories.Losing Henderson would be a massive blow, and according to Rivals insider Chad Simmons' latest intel, four-star Edge Frederick Ards III, who committed to the Aggies back in June, has been heavily pursued by Texas A&M's next opponent, South Carolina, and visited the Gamecocks last weekend, and could make his way back on Saturday against A&M."Ards returned to Columbia last weekend to see South Carolina defeat Tennessee, and another visit could be coming quickly. Could he return for the Texas A&M game this weekend? It has been discussed. South Carolina continues to emphasize its development of pass rushers and how Ards would fit into its defensive scheme. Deion Barnes remains heavily involved, along with multiple other staff members."Similar to Notre Dame, South Carolina is officially in the hunt for the College Football Playoff after reeling off three consecutive wins over Florida, Tennessee, and Oklahoma on the road, which has likely saved coach Shane Beamer's job and could lead to more recruiting success.Frederick Ards already visited Florida this fall, unofficially, and currently looks like the next Texas A&M commit to flip, especially if South Carolina continues its hot pursuit and stacks more wins. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: South Carolina is 'gaining momentum' to flip 2027 Texas A&M commit