HOUSTON (Interstat) — Josh Brown rushed for a 16-yard touchdown with 42 seconds remaining, and Mississippi Valley State completed a late comeback to beat Texas Southern 38-34 on Saturday in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Shell Energy Stadium. The Delta Devils, the visiting team, improved to 3-4. The Tigers, the home team, fell to 1-5. Mississippi Valley State trailed for much of the second half but closed with a decisive final drive after Texas Southern had answered with a field goal. Brown, the Delta Devils’ top star, produced through the air and on the ground. Texas Southern quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy kept the Tigers in front for long stretches with big throws, but the Delta Devils defense made enough late stops and Brown finished the winning march. The victory gave Mississippi Valley State a second straight win after a recent one-point decision over Prairie View. Texas Southern remained in search of its second win of the season.

McCoy, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound quarterback from Saint Louis, Mo., completed 15 of 30 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Brown, a 6-foot-3 quarterback, completed 19 of 39 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 19 times for 100 yards and three touchdowns, accounting for all five Mississippi Valley State touchdowns. Luka Sari added a 41-yard field goal for the Delta Devils.

Texas Southern’s MJ Hinson, a 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back, made four tackles. Brian Mays punted seven times for 307 yards. Athean Renfro Jr. ran 16 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns and added one reception for minus-1 yard. Jacob Washington, a 6-foot running back, carried twice for 6 yards. Fatu Mukuba caught four passes for 60 yards, returned two kickoffs for 35 yards and two punts for 2 yards. Daveon Walker, a 6-foot-2, 188-pound wide receiver, caught five passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. Zyion Claville, a 6-foot-4, 201-pound wide receiver, had a 40-yard touchdown reception. Xavier Phipps, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end, caught one pass for 37 yards. Roriyon Richardson, a 6-foot, 188-pound wide receiver, had one reception for 26 yards. Kordell Rodgers, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound cornerback, caught one pass for 11 yards, and Jaquan McGee had one reception for 7 yards.

Darius Sims made 10 tackles for Texas Southern. Donovan Jones, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker, had nine tackles. Jacob Williams, a 6-foot, 209-pound linebacker, finished with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks. Aaron Kizzee made seven tackles, and Jordan Thompson had six tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hurries. Miguel Arana III handled the kicking duties and made field goals from 15 and 46 yards while converting extra points. Nico Guerra made four tackles. Garfield Lawrence, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive lineman, had four tackles and one sack. Lajuan Zaccaro, Ryan Robinson Jr. and Quinton Murray each made three tackles. Robinson, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound cornerback, and Murray, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound cornerback, were among the Tigers’ leading tacklers in the secondary. Joel Williams, a 6-foot-2 defensive back, made two tackles. Knowledge Davis, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound defensive lineman, had two tackles and one quarterback hurry. Fabian Wells, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound cornerback, made two tackles and intercepted two passes. Charleston Waugh also made two tackles. Jaheim Miller, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound safety, made one tackle. Nathan Morcom, David Kency, Malachi Philen, Noddyn Bailey and Kalvin Green each recorded one tackle. Kency, a 5-foot-8, 190-pound running back, Philen, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound cornerback, and Bailey, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound linebacker, were credited with one stop apiece.

For Mississippi Valley State, Malek Jackson, a 6-foot-1 defensive back, made four tackles. Jordon Davis completed his only pass attempt for 15 yards. Dezmond Ray carried four times for 29 yards. Norman Taylor, a 5-foot-10 running back, ran nine times for 24 yards, caught one pass for 17 yards and made two tackles. Carter James, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back, ran four times for 5 yards, caught four passes for 46 yards and made one tackle. Caleb Brownlow, a 5-foot-10 wide receiver, caught one pass for 24 yards. Dayvian Bluitt had three receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown, returned two kickoffs for 22 yards and two punts for 26 yards. Nicholas Buggs caught two passes for 35 yards. Christian Bond had three receptions for 26 yards and one kickoff return for 17 yards. Jaylen King caught five passes for 13 yards and a touchdown. Jackson Hampton caught one pass for 13 yards. Donavin Green, a 5-foot-10 defensive back, made one tackle. Jaquez Estera did not record a tackle. Jamari Stokes made six tackles. Kamsi Arinze, a 6-foot-1, 204-pound linebacker, had five tackles and one sack. Javieane Stevens added five tackles, 1.5 sacks and one quarterback hurry.

Mississippi Valley State opened the scoring when Brown broke free for a 54-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Texas Southern answered when McCoy found Claville deep right for a 40-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, Brown connected with King on a 3-yard touchdown pass. McCoy countered with a 52-yard scoring strike to Walker, and Renfro added a 15-yard touchdown run. Arana’s 15-yard field goal gave Texas Southern more breathing room. Renfro scored again in the third quarter on a 1-yard run. The final period belonged to Mississippi Valley State. Sari made a 41-yard field goal, Brown scored on a 5-yard run, Arana answered with a 46-yard field goal, and Brown found Bluitt for a 71-yard touchdown. Brown then capped the comeback with his 16-yard scoring run in the final minute.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas Southern 53, Mississippi Valley State 24. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Texas Southern with a 90 percent probability to win. Mississippi Valley State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +14. The total score of 72 went under the over/under line of 56.5.