COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Graduate running back Miles Davis had a career high two touchdown catches and graduate wide receiver Brady Boyd had a career game with six receptions for 87 yards as Utah State fell on the road to No. 19 Texas A&M, 44-22, on Saturday at Kyle Field.
 
Utah State trailed 10-6 going into the second quarter before Texas A&M scored 20 points in the period to take a commanding 30-6 lead at the half. USU out-scored TAMU 16-14 in the final 30 minutes.
 
Graduate quarterback Bryson Barnes was 15-of-30 passing for 169 yards and the two touchdowns, while Davis had 72 all-purpose yards as he rushed for 50 yards on 10 carries and caught three passes for nine yards, to go along with one kickoff return for 13 yards.
 
Texas A&M finished with 554 yards of total offense as it passed for 319 and rushed for 235. Marcel Reed was 19-of-28 passing for 220 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another 66 yards and a score on 10 carries. USU finished with 250 yards as it passed for 172 and rushed for 78.
 
After neither team scored on their opening drive, A&M opened the scoring with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Reed to Terry Bussey. USU answered immediately, going 75 yards in nine plays with sophomore quarterback Anthony Garcia scrambling on fourth down before finding Davis in the end zone for the score. Utah State's 2-point try came up short, however, preserving a 7-6 lead for Texas A&M.
 
The Aggie defense stood strong in the red zone on the A&M's ensuing possession as graduate linebacker John Miller recorded a sack on third down to force a field goal. Now down 10-6, Utah State gained one first down before being forced to punt. This time, the home Aggies converted in the red zone for a touchdown, the first of three-straight A&M scores during the second quarter.
 
Barnes engineered a methodical drive to begin the second half as the Aggies picked up three first downs to reach the A&M red zone. Barnes then found junior wide receiver Braden Pegan for a 16-yard touchdown to bring USU back within two scores. Utah State then forced a turnover on downs on A&M's first possession of the second half. With a chance to further cut into the deficit, however, a second-down sack doomed USU's next possession. Texas A&M scored on the next possession to again push the lead to three possessions. 
 
Utah State's defense continued to fight as senior cornerback Noah Avinger intercepted A&M's Miles O'Neill. USU could not muster a drive following the pick, though, and TAMU scored on the next possession with a 72-yard pass from O'Neill to Mario Craver. 
 
USU would cut into the deficit a final time as Barnes found senior wide receiver Kahanu Davis for a 36-yard pass down to the 2-yard line, setting up a a one-yard scoring pass from Barnes to Miles Davis. Another 2-point conversion, this time from Barnes to Pegan, cut the deficit to 44-22. Utah State again drove into the red zone on its final possession but a sack and third-and-long led to a fumble recovered by A&M to seal the game.
 
Junior safety Brevin Hamblin led the Aggie defense with eight tackles while senior cornerback Bryson Taylor finished with seven. Miller finished with seven tackles, including a career-high-tying 2.0 sacks. Avinger added six tackles plus the interception, and senior linebacker Carl Nesmith and senior cornerback Dylan Tucker each recorded one pass breakup. Senior linebacker Enoka Migao, senior defensive tackle Naki Fahina and junior linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. each also added one tackle for loss each.
 
Up Next
Utah State football (1-1, 0-0 MW) begins Mountain West play next weekend, hosting Air Force at Maverik Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7:45 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on FS1.
 
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