COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In a dominant display, Marcel Reed showcased his talents by throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another in less than three quarters, steering No. 15 Texas A&M to a resounding 38-3 triumph over New Mexico State on Saturday night.

This victory marked a significant rebound for Texas A&M (8-2, ranked No. 15 in the College Football Playoff standings), which had previously suffered its first Southeastern Conference defeat, a 44-20 loss at South Carolina two weeks ago. Following a bye week, the Aggies were eager to reclaim their momentum.

The first quarter clearly belonged to Texas A&M, as the team held a commanding 17-0 lead, having outgained New Mexico State 273-50 in total yards. As the third quarter neared its conclusion, the Aggies maintained a commanding 31-0 advantage before Conner Weigman took the reins from Reed with just over three minutes remaining in the period.

Seth McGowan led New Mexico State (2-8), a Conference USA team, with 75 rushing yards, but the Aggies struggled to find their rhythm for the third consecutive game, bringing their losing streak to three and overall losses to eight in nine games.

Texas A&M put the first points on the board when Reed connected with Noah Thomas for a 16-yard touchdown during their opening drive. Shortly after, Amari Daniels increased the score to 14-0 with a breathtaking 71-yard touchdown run, breaking through a tackle near the line and dragging another defender across the goal line for his seventh touchdown of the season.

The Aggies extended their lead to 17 when Reed completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Moose Muhammad III, resulting in a 24-0 score early in the second quarter. Although Reed nearly scored again before halftime, his pass was intercepted by Keonte Glinton at the 1-yard line.

Midway through the third quarter, Reed barreled in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown to push the score to 31-0. Finally, New Mexico State got on the board early in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard field goal from Abraham Montaño.

Observations from the game show that Texas A&M did what was necessary against an inferior opponent after their recent setback to South Carolina. With an eye on their next matchup, the Aggies will look to refine their strategy before a highly anticipated Thanksgiving weekend clash against their rivals, No. 3 Texas, while hoping to secure a spot in the SEC championship game and the expanded College Football Playoff.

Looking ahead, Texas A&M is set to play an away game against Auburn next Saturday, while New Mexico State will face Middle Tennessee on the same day.