⚡ CFB Dashboard

Kamario Taylor is certainly the quarterback, and a winning one now. Yet this Bulldog triggerman sounds more like a coach after even a great big road success. "It means a lot just winning the game, period. No matter the score or what," Taylor said. "But I feel we all know we could have been better and executed better." Beating Minnesota 38-13 on Golden Gopher ground does mean a lot to Mississippi State and the official head coach. Taking down a Big Ten team on their turf is encouraging evidence Jeff Lebby's program is on a much better track. Still it is the coach's job to keep his club grounded. Same, seemingly, for the second season quarterback. "So we're not satisfied at all," Taylor said. Most Mississippi State folk are satisfied with a dominating victory against a respectable host. Ditto with Dog #1. In his first true road game start, Taylor put on a strong show. He was 16-of-22 passing for 227 yards and added three touchdowns to his early season total. Every completion netted 14 yards, and Taylor has yet to be intercepted in '26. Add in his 86 rushing yards on just 13 attempts, several of those making the chains move farther along, and there wasn't a lot not to like about Taylor's performance. There was one big dis-like though, which took quite some shine off success to this perfectionist signal-caller. It was the second-down sacking with the Bulldogs backed up on their five-yard line while leading 28-3. Coach Jeff Lebby's call looked to be a get-it-out quick throw to the left side. Instead a rare lapse in Bulldog blocking and pick-up protection left Taylor vulnerable in the end zone. Gopher Joey Gerlach got there to force the ball out of a spinning Taylor's off-hand where Aydan West recovered for a touchdown. Being the leader ahead of his years he is, Taylor took all blame for giving up six. Once in trouble he could, should have tucked and eaten the ball. Taylor said he could have thrown it away and risked the flag. "If it's grounding, it's going to be a safety anyway," he said. "Instead of giving them the opportunity to get seven points." That turn of traumatic events could have damaged Dog confidence to close things out even still up 28-13. Instead, "We knew we had to answer back, fast," Taylor said. "We just try to get the game going back our way." Which he and Fluff Bothwell combined to do. The Bulldog running back got seven, then 30 yards on a fast drive into Kyle Ferrie's field goal range, in this case 52 yards. Then the Dog defense took over with consecutive stops to get the ball back. On the State four-yard line, but that's all Taylor and team needed. Ten snaps later Bothwell was bulling into the end zone to break Golden Gopher backs and hearts. "That was huge," Lebby said. "I love our response in the quarter, being able to hold the ball the way we held it." Quarterback and running back got the stats. Their blockers earned the credit. Taylor has an instant answer for why this year's offense has gotten off to such a strong start, including scoring on all eleven possessions in the two first halves. "Definitely our O-line," he said. Thanks to strong run blocking and consistent protection, Taylor is able to show his developing talents more fully. So is some mighty fine hand-work by his receivers who had Gopher defenders gulping dust. Taylor had it easy getting on-target this day, especially in that first-half assault when Anthony Evans, Zion Ragins, and Sanfrisco Magee found their openings early and often. Lebby's own play calling deserved regard as well, mixing the run and throw against a Minnesota defense which seemed off-stride for the whole first half. "I feel like we went out there and executed at a very high level. But I feel like I've got a lot of things I can learn from," Taylor said. "We're happy that we won and got the Dub, but we know we should have put that game away." Spoken like a coach on the field, eh? Which is where Taylor gave his own self-scout to CBS while teammates celebrated. Was he satisfied with this big Bulldog win? "No, I turned the ball over down there. I know I've got to take a sack right there. So I'm not satisfied at all."