Texas A&M Aggies Dismantle Mississippi State Bulldogs 51-10, Secure Bowl Eligibility

The Aggies secured their first bowl bid since 2021 after scoring a season-high against the Bulldogs in their final SEC home game.

COLLEGE STATION -- No QB1? No QB2? 

No problem in College Station. 

Third-string quarterback Jaylen Henderson scored four total touchdowns in his Texas A&M debut, leading the Aggies to a 51-10 victory over Mississippi State at Kyle Field in College Station on Saturday. Henderson scored two touchdowns on the ground and two through the air. 

With the win, A&M (6-4, 4-3 SEC) secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021. The Bulldogs (4-6, 1-6) must will their final two games to secure a bowl bid.  

Henderson, a redshirt sophomore who transferred from Fresno State this offseason, was named the starter pregame in place of the injured Max Johnson. Johnson reportedly suffered a rib injury in last week's 38-35 loss to No. 9 Ole Miss in Oxford. 

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher spoke highly of Henderson earlier this week in preparation for his potential start. After the Aggies allowed an opening 94-yard kickoff to Zavion Thomas for a touchdown, Henderson got a chance to shine and didn't disappoint. 

Texas A&M backup QB Jaylen Henderson / Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Henderson scored a 22-yard touchdown on his first drive to tie the game at 7-7. He'd connect with Anias Smith for a 19-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and extend A&M's lead by 24 with an 11-yard score with 1:20 remaining in the half. 

Jahdae Walker, who started in place of Evan Stewart, caught an 11-yard touchdown during the third quarter. Smith finished with a team-high four catches for 64 yards. 

Henderson finished the evening 11 of 19 passing for 150 yards. He also rushed for 60 yards on 12 carries. 

Amari Daniels scored on a 1-yard run during the first quarter to break the 7-7 tie. He finished with 59 yards on nine attempts. As a unit, A&M's run game totaled 246 yards and three touchdowns. 

Mississippi State's offense stalled from the initial snap. Zach Arnett turned to former Vanderbilt starter Mike Wright and freshman Chris Parson in place of Will Rogers, who remained sidelined with a shoulder injury. 

Neither quarterback ever felt comfortable against the Aggies' defense. Parson, who was named the starter just before kickoff, was picked off three times, including twice by Tyreek Chappell. He finished 5 of 12 passing for 36 yards. 

Wright, who started the previous three games in place of Rogers, completed 5 of 9 pass attempts for 68 yards.  

The Aggies finished with five sacks and seven tackles for loss. Defensive back Jared Kerr stripped-sacked Wright during the third quarter, which led to a 41-yard scoop-and-score from Shemar Stewart. The touchdown marked A&M's second defensive scoring drive of the season. 

Randy Bond drilled two field goals, including a 52-yarder in the second quarter. Freshman Marcel Reed entered the game with eight minutes remaining for the Aggies. He rushed for 16 yards on three carries. 

A&M returns to Kyle Field next Saturday for its home finale against Abilene Christian at 11 a.m. The Aggies will conclude the regular season at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge against No. 19 LSU on Nov. 25.