News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
No. 19 Texas A&M defeated Utah State, 44-22, for its second win of the season Saturday afternoon before 100,026 fans at Kyle Field.
The Aggies totaled 554 yards of offense in the win led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed’s 220 yards through the air and 66 yards on the ground with four touchdowns. Junior KC Concepcion hauled in six receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Mario Craver found paydirt once to go along with five catches for 114 yards. Junior running back Le’Veon Moss compiled a team-best 68 yards rushing and added his first rushing score of the season.
On the defensive side, Texas A&M registered 6.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss, marking the second consecutive game in which the Aggies posted 9.0-plus tackles for loss. Redshirt senior Cashius Howell notched 3.0 sacks that came on consecutive plays in the second quarter. Senior linebacker Scooby Williams amassed a team-best six tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore Sam M’Pemba recorded the first turnover of the season for the Maroon & White when he recorded a strip sack late in the fourth quarter.
How It Happened
- Texas A&M struck first as Reed connected with Terry Bussey on a 34-yard touchdown reception, marking the first receiving score of Bussey’s career.
- Utah State responded on the ensuing drive as graduate running back Miles Davis reeled in a 3-yard touchdown grab. The Aggies failed their two-point conversion attempt to pull within 7-6.
- Jared Zirkel drilled his first field goal in the Maroon & White from 37 yards out, giving Texas A&M a 10-6 edge with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter.
- Reed scampered in with a 1-yard rushing touchdown early in the second quarter to extend the home side’s lead to 17-6.
- Moss added to the Aggies’ total with a 21-yard rushing score to make it a 24-6 ballgame with 3:18 remaining in the second half.
- Reed and Concepcion connected with a 12-yard touchdown reception in the final seconds of the second half to put the Aggies in front 30-6 at the break.
- Utah State opened the scoring in the second half with a 16-yard touchdown reception to junior Braden Pegan.
- Concepcion recorded his second score of the afternoon after hauling in an eight-yard strike from Reed to create a 37-14 gap between the teams with 6:07 in the third quarter.
- Craver notched the longest play of the afternoon for Texas A&M with a 72-yard receiving touchdown from redshirt freshman quarterback Miles O’Neill as the Aggies took their biggest lead of the day, 44-14.
- Utah State’s Miles Davis found the end zone for the second time following a one-yard touchdown carry late in the fourth quarter. The visiting Aggies converted their two-point conversion attempt to make the final score 44-22.
Notes
- The Aggies registered 554 yards offensively (319 passing and 235 rushing yards), marking the first time they have passed and rushed for 250-plus yards in a game since the 2021 season opener against Kent State.
- Texas A&M remained perfect in red zone opportunities after two games with 4-of-4 effort with three touchdowns against Utah State.
- Craver posted his second-straight 100-yard receiving game with five catches for 114 yards, including a career-long 72-yard catch and run score from QB Miles O’Neill. He’s the first Aggie to have consecutive 100-yard games since Evan Stewart during the 2023 campaign
- Reed finished 19-of-28 for 220 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 66 yards and another score on 10 rushes. It marked the eighth multi-touchdown game through the air of his career and fifth game of his career with at least two passing TDs and one rushing score. With a 67.8 completion percentage against USU, Reed has now completed over 60.0 percent of his attempts in eight straight games.
- Howell finished the game with four total tackles, including three-straight sacks in a single drive in the second quarter. Research indicates that Howell is the first FBS player to record three consecutive sacks in a single drive since Wisconsin’s Jack Cichy in the 2015 Holiday Bowl. Howell is the first Aggie to record at least 3.0 sacks in a game since Edgerrin Cooper in 2023.
Up Next
- Texas A&M travels to No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday, September 13 for a 6:30 p.m. CT kick. Notre Dame is 0-1 after a 27-24 road loss at Miami during its season opener on August 31.