Mike Elko’s Texas A&M team now turns to a road test at No. 10 LSU on September 26. LSU is 2-1 after a 32-24 loss at No. 8 Ole Miss. Texas A&M is 2-1 after a 31-21 home loss to Kentucky that dropped the Aggies from No. 9 to No. 23. But Texas heads into Death Valley without one of their most versatile players.
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Texas A&M wide receiver and return specialist Terry Bussey is out for the rest of the 2026 season.
“We kind of thought that was going to be the case, and that was that way, so it’s a lower-body injury, and we’ll look forward to him recovering,” Head coach Mike Elko confirmed on September 21, during his weekly media availability. “And he’ll be back with us next year,” he added.
Elko has not disclosed a specific diagnosis. He has only called it a lower-body or lower-leg injury. The news followed the concern that started right after Saturday’s game.
Bussey was injured on the opening kickoff against Kentucky, about four seconds into the game. The play happened about four seconds into the contest. Bussey fielded the kick as the returner and tried to cut around a Kentucky defender. It was a non-contact injury, and he slipped on his right leg and went down.
Trainers helped him onto a cart and took him to the locker room. Bussey later came back to the sideline in street clothes in the second quarter but did not play again.
“That’s probably going to be a long one. We’ll hold a little bit on that one until Monday, but there are no signs that indicate that it’s good right now,” Elko already sounded worried after the game on Saturday.
Kentucky won 31-21 and scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. Marcel Reed went 26-of-49 for 236 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Bussey is a former five-star athlete and was the primary kickoff returner and a main punt-return option, plus an offensive piece. Before the injury, he had 7 receptions for 92 yards, a 13.1 average, and 0 touchdowns. That ranked second on the team.
He also had 4 carries for 10 yards and 1 rushing touchdown, 3 kick returns for 43 yards, and 2 punt returns for 32 yards.
Bussey had stayed available through most of his career until now. He played 12 games as a freshman in 2024 and all 13 games as a sophomore in 2025. Then, he played two full games in 2026 before the Kentucky kickoff. He had a knee issue in his first college offseason that limited some work but did not end the year.
An undisclosed injury in October 2024 made him miss one game against Mississippi State, and a hamstring issue in spring 2025 caused him to miss several practices, but he returned and played every game that fall. In spring 2026, he had an ankle or lower-body issue after getting tangled with a cornerback and missed some practices.
“I had a little ankle injury in the spring, which set me back a little bit, but I got back from that really, really, really quick, so it wasn’t too bad, wasn’t too major,” Bussey explained that the spring injury slowed his preparation.
He already played two games, so there is no redshirt. He is expected back in 2027 as a senior. That leaves the Aggies short one of their most useful pieces right as they walk into a ranked road night game.
What Can Texas A&M does without Bussey at LSU
Texas A&M cannot replace Bussey with one player. He handled both receiver duties and return jobs. Ashton Bethel-Roman was already out against Kentucky, and running back Jamarion Morrow was also unavailable or doubtful. Tiger Riden Jr. is out for the season, whereas KJ Edwards left the Kentucky game too. The staff will likely use a committee.
Mario Craver became Reed’s main target against Kentucky. He had 11 catches for 119 yards on 19 targets, a career high. That was more than half of Reed’s 236 passing yards.
He also took the punt-return job that night, with 1 return for 0 yards, and has 4 punt returns for 27 yards this year. He will take on more of the load, though he already had a big role.
Isaiah Horton is another option. He has 12 receptions for 170 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. Against Kentucky, he had 5 catches for 61 yards.
Ashton Bethel-Roman missed Kentucky with an injury and was listed as a co-starter and a kick-return option. He has 2 catches for 13 yards so far in 2026 after a 2025 breakout of 24 catches for 503 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Elko has not named one next to Bussey. The Aggies could use more two-tight-end or running-back looks if the receiver room stays short. They now go from a tough Kentucky loss into a ranked road night game without him for the rest of the season.