HOUSTON, Texas – Behind a sensational five-touchdown performance from quarterback
Josh Brown and a furious fourth-quarter rally, Mississippi Valley State University football stormed back from a 17-point deficit to defeat Texas Southern, 38-34, Saturday afternoon at W.W. Thorne Stadium.
The Delta Devils (3-4, 2-1 SWAC) scored 24 points in the final quarter, including the game-winning touchdown with just 42 seconds remaining, to secure their second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference victory under second-year head coach
Terrell Buckley.
Brown delivered a standout performance, accounting for all five of Mississippi Valley State's touchdowns. The quarterback completed 19 of 39 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns while adding 100 rushing yards and three scores on 19 carries. His 366 yards of total offense powered a Delta Devils attack that refused to surrender despite trailing 31-14 late in the third quarter.
After falling behind by 17 points, Valley outscored Texas Southern 24-3 in the fourth quarter to complete the dramatic comeback.
Mississippi Valley State wasted little time making its presence felt. Brown opened the scoring with an electrifying 54-yard touchdown run at the 7:39 mark of the first quarter, capping a five-play, 90-yard drive to give the Delta Devils an early 7-0 advantage.
Texas Southern (1-5, 0-3 SWAC) answered with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Cam'Ron McCoy to Zyion Claville, evening the score at 7-7.
The Delta Devils regained the lead early in the second quarter when Brown connected with
Jaylen King on a three-yard touchdown pass, putting Valley back in front, 14-7.
However, the Tigers responded with 17 unanswered points before halftime. McCoy connected with Daveon Walker on a 52-yard touchdown pass, while Athean Renfro added a 15-yard scoring run. Miguel Arana's field goal as time expired sent Texas Southern into the locker room holding a 24-14 advantage.
The Tigers extended their lead to 31-14 in the third quarter following a one-yard touchdown run by Renfro, placing the Delta Devils in a difficult position entering the final period. But Valley was far from finished.
The comeback began when kicker
Luka Sari connected on a 41-yard field goal just four seconds into the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 31-17. Brown then orchestrated a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive, finishing the possession with a five-yard touchdown run to pull the Delta Devils within seven, 31-24, with 10:40 remaining.
Texas Southern briefly extended its advantage to 34-24 on a 46-yard field goal by Arana, but Brown and the Valley offense continued their relentless pursuit. On the ensuing possession, Brown delivered one of the game's biggest plays, connecting with
Dayvian Bluitt on a 71-yard touchdown strike with 4:42 remaining. The explosive play brought Mississippi Valley State within three points, 34-31, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
After the Delta Devils' defense forced a crucial three-and-out, Valley took possession at the Texas Southern 44-yard line with 2:54 remaining.
With the game hanging in the balance, Brown engineered a six-play, 44-yard drive and delivered the decisive blow with a 16-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left on the clock. Sari converted the extra point to give Mississippi Valley State a 38-34 lead.
The Delta Devils held on during Texas Southern's final possession to complete the comeback and leave Houston with a statement road victory.
Brown's remarkable afternoon highlighted a productive offensive performance for Mississippi Valley State, which finished with 436 total yards, including 281 passing yards and 155 rushing yards.
Bluitt proved to be Brown's primary downfield target, finishing with three receptions for a game-high 107 yards and a touchdown. The versatile playmaker also contributed 26 punt return yards and 22 kickoff return yards, totaling 155 all-purpose yards.
Carter James added four receptions for 46 yards, while
Nicholas Buggs recorded two catches for 35 yards.
Christian Bond contributed three receptions for 26 yards, and King finished with five catches for 13 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground,
Dezmond Ray added 29 yards on four carries, while
Norman Taylor contributed 24 yards on nine attempts.
Defensively, the Delta Devils turned in several critical performances that helped swing momentum in their favor.
Jamari Stokes led Mississippi Valley State with six total tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Javieane Stevens continued to make his presence felt in opposing backfields, recording five tackles, 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.
Kamsi Arinze added five tackles and a sack, while
Deondri Clark Jr. registered three tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Malek Jackson finished with four tackles and a forced fumble, while
Douglas Franklin contributed four tackles and a tackle for loss.
The Delta Devils recorded five sacks, 10 tackles for loss and forced two turnovers while limiting Texas Southern to just 61 rushing yards.
Valley's defense also held the Tigers to two conversions on 11 third-down attempts, providing key stops throughout the contest and creating opportunities for the offense to complete the comeback.
Sari played an important role in the victory, finishing a perfect 5-for-5 on extra-point attempts while connecting on his lone field goal attempt from 41 yards.
Mississippi Valley State finished with 25 first downs compared to Texas Southern's 19 and controlled the football for 34 minutes and 10 seconds.
The victory moves the Delta Devils to 2-1 in SWAC competition and provides momentum as Valley prepares to return to Rice-Totten Stadium for one of the most anticipated weekends of the season.
UP NEXT: HOMECOMING 2026 – "LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL"
The Delta Devils return home Saturday, October 17, for Homecoming 2026 as Mississippi Valley State welcomes Bethune-Cookman University to Rice-Totten Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
With the theme "Let the Good Times Roll," Mississippi Valley State will welcome alumni, students, supporters and the entire Valley State family back to campus for a celebration of tradition, pride and Delta Devil football.
Coming off back-to-back SWAC victories, the Delta Devils will look to continue their winning momentum in front of the homecoming crowd.
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