Texas A&M turned in a perfect September.
In their first game as the calendar shifted into October, the Aggies were a bit sluggish out of the gate. But in the second half of Saturday's game against Mississippi State, they continued to show why they are one of the teams to watch in the SEC as they eventually ran past the Bulldogs, winning 31-9 at Kyle Field.
A&M - ranked No. 6 in the latest Associated Press poll - moves to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC play, having won its SEC opener last week by holding off Auburn. Mississippi State, 2-10 a season ago, already has doubled that win total, but the Bulldogs drop to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in the league a week after falling in overtime to Tennessee.
The Aggies had 61 yards of total offense through the first quarter and also had a sustained drive in the first half stopped at the MSU 1-yard line, as A&M led only 7-3 at halftime. A&M also punted on each of its first two possessions in the second half.
But late in the third quarter, the Aggies began to catch fire, breaking the game open by scoring on four consecutive possessions. A&M continued to play stellar defense, holding the Bulldogs to 219 yards of total offense - 77 of those on the ground - while keeping MSU out of the end zone until late in the game.
A&M quarterback Marcel Reed completed 13-of-23 passes for 180 yards and two TDs while adding a rushing TD. Both of Reed's TD passes went to KC Concepcion, who finished with four catches for 61 yards.
The Aggies also got a strong effort from running back Rueben Owens II, who gained 142 yards on 21 carries. Another one of A&M's playmakers, receiver Mario Craver, caught six passes for 80 yards and also added another 35 yards rushing.
MORE: Texas A&M stud defender eyeing move to the NFL
On defense, linebacker Taurean York had 10 tackles - 4 of those solo. Fellow linebacker Daymion Sanford added 9 tackles and also intercepted a pass that set up A&M's only score in the first half, a 34-yard pass from Reed to Concepcion that gave the Aggies a 7-3 advantage.
Senior defensive end Cashius Howell also had three of A&M's four sacks along with three tackles for loss.
MORE: Texas A&M turns Kyle Field black for Mississippi State showdown
Texas A&M is at home again next Saturday to face Florida, which is coming off an upset win over a Top 10 ranked Texas squad.
Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from College Station.
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TEXAS A&M 31, MISSISSIPPI STATE 9 FINAL
POSTGAME
- Texas A&M moves to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. Aggies had 479 yards of total offense as they broke open a game in which they led 7-3 at halftime. They also held MSU to 219 total yards.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Aggies are in victory formation as the clock runs down. They're now 5-0.
- Mario Craver with an end-around on third down and runs it 28 yards to the MSU 35. That should just about do it.
- Two minutes to go and A&M has the ball. MSU has been held to 219 total yards and has punted eight times while turning the ball over twice, both resulting in Aggie TDs.
- FIELD GOAL TEXAS A&M. Bond. Randy Bond. From 27 yards out. Aggies now has 452 yards of total offense. (Texas A&M, 31-9 | 4:41, 4th)
- Rueben Owens II with a 37-yard gain to the MSU 14. Owens now has 142 yards on 21 carries. A&M with nearly 450 yards of total offense now.
- TOUCHDOWN MISSISSIPPI STATE. Bulldogs finally reach the end zone as they march 75 yards in just four plays, with Brenen Thompson hauling in a 44-yard catch. Bad snap on the PAT, and the holder gets drilled. (Texas A&M, 28-9 | 7:53, 4th)
- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Aggies cash in on the turnover and scores again as Mario Craver takes a jet sweep and goes in from 7 yards out. All Aggies now. (Texas A&M, 28-3 | 9:13, 4th)
- TAKEAWAY TEXAS A&M. MSU completes a pass, but Sanford, who already has a pick on the night, forces a fumble and Dalton Brooks makes the recovery at the 36, bringing it back 12 yards to the 24.
- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Marcel Reed with his third total TD on the night, this time taking a keeper to his right and going in from 7 yards out, finishing off a 10-play, 79-yard drive. Aggies appear to be on their way to moving to 5-0. (Texas A&M, 21-3 | 11:38, 4th)
- A&M has a first-and-goal inside the MSU 10 after a short run from Moss.
THIRD QUARTER
- Marcel Reed has completed 8 of his last 11 pass attempts, and the Aggies are back in MSU territory as the third quarter comes to an end.
- A&M forces a three-and-out. Defense has been on point since that lengthy MSU drive that resulted in a field goa.
- Aggies marched 62 yards in just five plays in their latest TD drive. A&M now has 284 total yards to just 129 for MSU.
- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Third-and-goal from the 2, Reed spots KC Concepcion in the back of the end zone and Concepcion comes down with the catch for his second TD on the night. Aggies up by double digits. (Texas A&M, 14-3 | 3:30, 3rd)
KC Concepcion with effortless separation for his second TD of the night pic.twitter.com/xOdRX0fllQ
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 5, 2025
- A&M forces a punt and quickly moving down the field. Reed finds Craver for a 42-yard gain down to the MSU 3 for a first-and-goal.
- MSU evades danger by recovering a fumble inside its 10.
- Drive bogs for A&M and Aggies have to punt, with MSU fielding a fair catch inside its 10. Aggies punt it away for the fourth time this evening.
- Reed checks it down and finds Owens for a 19-yard gain into MSU territory but, while trying to hurry it up, A&M is flagged for false start.
- Reed over the middle and finds Boerkircher for a first down at the MSU 30. We're five minutes into the half now.
- A&M forces a three-and-out on MSU's first second-half series, and after the punt, the Aggies take over at their own 17.
- Reed gets sacked on third down and A&M is going to punt the ball deep in its own territory. But Tyler White gets a good bounce on the kick, and it goes 54 yards to the MSU 35.
- A&M gets the ball to start the second half. But instead of taking a knee in the end zone, Aggies run it back and they get brought down just past the 10.
HALFTIME
- Texas A&M had 179 yards of total offense in the first half. But the Aggies held MSU to 107 total yards.
SECOND QUARTER
- A false start penalty affects A&M and Mike Elko decides to run out the clock and be content with a four-point halftime advantage.
- Punt goes to Concepcion and he appeared to fumble the ball on the return, but was ruled down on the field. A&M ball near its 45 with 1:23 left in the half.
- A&M forces a three-and-out and takes its final time out with 1:32 left in the first half.
- Shapen sacked on first down by Cashius Howell. A&M calls its first time out.
- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Out of the two-minute time out, Reed launches a deep strike to a wide-open KC Concepcion inside the 5, and Concepcion carries an MSU defender into the end zone to finish off a 34-yard score. PAT is good. (Texas A&M, 7-3 | 1:51, 2nd)
KC Concepcion with the 34 yard TD🔥🔥🔥
— Kannon Torres (@TorresKannon) October 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/jokmBUl4UR
- MSU flagged for pass interference and A&M is inside the Bulldog 40 as we are now at the two-minute warning.
- A&M converts on third-and-short and now has the ball near midfield.
- INTERCEPTION TEXAS A&M. Tipped pass, and Daymion Sanford grabs it at the Aggie 26 and brings it back 10 yards. Cashius Howell with the tip.
Another angle of the defensive effort from this defense, forcing the pick!
— Kannon Torres (@TorresKannon) October 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/SaJ1MeGAPs
- A&M flagged for roughing the passer. Five Aggie penalties for nearly 50 yards, and MSU has the ball just past midfield.
- INTERCEPTION MISSISSIPPI STATE. Kelley Jones picks off a Marcel Reed pass inside the Bulldog 20, and A&M is still searching for answers.
- Blake Shapen launches a deep one on third-and-long but just overshoots his receiver. A&M gets good field position and KC Concepcion breaks off a long return inside the MSU 20. But wait, there's a flag. Holding on the return. Another tough penalty against the Aggies with more than six minutes left in the half.
- A&M gets stuffed on a misdirection handoff. Aggies drove 82 yards in 17 plays on a drive that took 8:25 off the clock, but they come away with zilch.
- Ruling on the field is that Owens was short. Take the points off the board - for the time being. Fourth and goal from the 1.
- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Or is it? Rueben Owens II plows forward from a yard out on third-and-goal but the play is being reviewed.
- Third-and-short and Nate Boerkircher, the hero of the Notre Dame win a few weeks ago, takes a handoff and plows forward. First-and-goal A&M at the 2.
- KC Concepcion with an end-around on a first down, and A&M is now inside the 10.
- A&M is revived by the late hit, and the Aggies now have a first down at the MSU 25.
- MSU chases Reed out of bounds short of a first down, but the Bulldogs are flagged for a late hit, giving A&M an automatic first down. Is that the break the Aggies are looking for?
- A&M had 61 yards of total offense in the opening quarter.
FIRST QUARTER
- A&M faces a third-and-6 as the first quarter comes to an end.
- MSU goes three-and-out and punts. The Bulldogs get a 61-yard kick, flipping the field, and A&M starts deep in its own territory late in the first.
- Third-and-long for A&M, Reed misfires and the Aggies will kick it away.
- FIELD GOAL MISSISSIPPI STATE. Bulldogs get to the 1, but the penalty proves costly as Blake Shapen throws an incomplete pass on third-and-goal. Kyle Ferrie comes on to kick a 24-yard field goal, finishing off a 15-play, 83-yard drive. (Mississippi State, 3-0 | 4:21, 1st)
- Third-and-goal at the 1, but MSU just got flagged for a false start.
- MSU knocking on the door, and the Bulldogs are inside the A&M 5.
- Third and long, Reed gets pressured and he scrambles to look for a receiver, but a pass goes incomplete. Aggies will punt it away. MSU has the ball just past its own 10 as we take a time out nearly five minutes in.
- Le'Veon Moss converts a first down, and then KC Concepcion runs a reverse 16 yards for another Aggie first down. Aggies out near midfield.
- A nice run on the first play was erased with another holding penalty, backing A&M up to its 8, but gets a bit of breathing room with a pass from Marcel Reed to KC Concepcion, setting up a second-and-short.
- Following a holding penalty on the punt return, A&M begins its first series at its own 15-yard line.
- MSU QB Blake Shapen sacked twice on the opening drive, and the Bulldogs punt it away. KC Concepcion with a short return, and the Aggies will have the ball for the first time tonight.
- Texas A&M will kick off to start the game.
PREGAME
- And another pregame development. Reveille, the Aggies' mascot, is wearing an eye patch.
Eye-patch Reveille! pic.twitter.com/nggIt9Q2aM
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) October 4, 2025
- It's going to be a "Blackout" at Kyle Field, as A&M is wearing its black helmets and black jerseys along with black pants.
- Live from Kyle Field in College Station, as the undefeated Texas A&M Aggies welcome in the Bulldogs of Mississippi State.
Texas A&M 2025 Schedule
Aug. 30 UTSA W 42-24
Sept. 6 Utah State W 44-22
Sept. 13 at Notre Dame W 41-40
Sept. 27 Auburn W 16-10
Oct. 4 Mississippi State W 31-9
Oct. 11 Florida
Oct. 18 at Arkansas
Oct. 25 at LSU
Nov. 8 at Missouri
Nov. 15 South Carolina
Nov. 22 Samford
Nov. 28 at Texas
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