Texas A&M standout quarterback Marcel Reed exited Saturday’s game against visiting Utah State with an injury.
The 19th-ranked Aggies were forced to go to backup quarterback Miles O’Neill during a third-quarter drive. Reed, a sophomore from Nashville, ran for 1 yard with 3:44 left in the third quarter but was replaced afterward by O’Neill, who threw an interception to end the drive.
Texas A&M was comfortably in front, 37-14, when Reed went down, but his absence going forward would be a huge blow to the Aggies as they chase a College Football Playoff spot this season.
Reed went to the injury tent for a read on what exactly happened on the play, before he headed to the locker room.
O’Neill threw a 72-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give Texas A&M a 44-14 lead. But Reed was spectacular before getting injured, going 19 of 28 for 220 yards, 3 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions, as he helped the Aggies build that huge lead late in the third quarter before potential disaster struck.
SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang later reported that Reed was available to return to Saturday’s game but wouldn’t because of the lopsided score and the fact that Texas A&M plays No. 9 Notre Dame next Saturday night in South Bend.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
