COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Marcel Reed threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third score in less than three quarters to help No. 15 Texas A&M cruise to a 38-3 win over New Mexico State on Saturday night.
It was a bounce-back performance for Texas A&M (8-2, No. 15 CFP), handed its first Southeastern Conference loss after being shut out in the second half of a 44-20 defeat at South Carolina two weeks ago before an open date last Saturday.
Texas A&M led 17-0 at the end of a first quarter in which it outgained New Mexico State 273-50. The Aggies were up 31-0 when Conner Weigman took over for Reed with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the third.
Seth McGowan ran for 75 yards for New Mexico State (2-8), a Conference USA team that lost its third straight and eighth in the last nine games.
Texas A&M made it 7-0 when Noah Thomas grabbed a 16-yard touchdown reception from Reed on the first drive.
Amari Daniels extended the lead to 14-0 when he ran 71 yards for a score on the first play of A&M’s next possession. He escaped one tackle near the line and dragged another defender into the end zone to get his seventh touchdown this season.
Texas A&M led by 17 when Reed, who threw for 268 yards, connected with Moose Muhammad III for a 6-yard touchdown that made it 24-0 early in the second.
Reed got Texas A&M into scoring position again just before halftime, but Keonte Glinton intercepted him on the 1.
A 5-yard TD run by Reed pushed the lead to 31-0 midway through the third quarter.
Abraham Montaño’s 48-yard field goal gave New Mexico State its first points early in the fourth.
Texas A&M took care of business against a lesser team after the loss to South Carolina. Now the Aggies have one more game to improve before a Thanksgiving weekend showdown with rival No. 3 Texas as they chase a spot in the SEC championship game and expanded College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M visits Auburn, and New Mexico State visits Middle Tennessee next Saturday.
