Running back, Mississippi State, 2024–⁠26

Xavier Gayten

Number
No. 5
Height
6′0″
Weight
205 lb
Class (2026)
Junior
Hometown
Brookhaven, MS

Xavier Gayten plays running back for Mississippi State. Last time out, at LSU: 8 carries, 36 yards.

2026 so far

87 rushing yards, 1 TD

Last game: 8 carries, 36 yards at LSU, L 0–⁠31

Next game: vs. Oklahoma, Oct 24

Game by game this season, rushing yards
  1. 28ULM
  2. 13@MINN
  3. 10ALA
  4. 36@LSU

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2024Mississippi State811514.4172
2025Mississippi State291575.4225
2026Mississippi State24873.6120
Career613595.9472

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2024Mississippi State5RBFr.
2025Mississippi State5RBSo.
2026Mississippi State5RBJr.6′0″205

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2024Mississippi State90.89––8.0–
2025Mississippi State34-0.04––-1.46%
2026Mississippi State240.01––0.28%

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2025Mississippi State69%5.002.802.800%
2026Mississippi State29%2.101.100.7033%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Mississippi State 4 games, 87 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Sep 5vs.UL MonroeW 62–⁠13328114––
Sep 12atMinnesotaW 38–⁠13313011––
Oct 3vs.AlabamaL 23–⁠56101005––
Oct 17atLSUL 0–⁠31836020––
2025 Mississippi State 8 games, 157 rushing yards, 2 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 30atSouthern MissW 34–⁠17––––1−4
Sep 13vs.Alcorn StateW 63–⁠0450125––
Sep 20vs.Northern IllinoisW 38–⁠10445122––
Oct 18atFloridaL 21–⁠23627012––
Oct 25vs.TexasL 38–⁠45330215
Nov 15atMissouriL 27–⁠495160911
Nov 28vs.Ole MissL 19–⁠382806––
Jan 2 ✦vs.Wake ForestL 29–⁠435804––
2024 Mississippi State 5 games, 115 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarYdsTDLongRecRec yds
Aug 31vs.Eastern KentuckyW 56–⁠7316012––
Sep 7atArizona StateL 23–⁠30––––––
Oct 19vs.Texas A&ML 24–⁠341202––
Oct 26vs.ArkansasL 25–⁠58228017110
Nov 2vs.MassachusettsW 45–⁠20269172––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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