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- Fleck's Week 2 scouting assessment credited Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor with improvement in accuracy, progressions, decision-making and extending plays. He described Jeff Lebby's offense as combining fast receivers, tackle-breaking backs and big linemen with the ability to accelerate or slow its pace. This was an opposing coach's pregame assessment based on limited 2026 film. - In that pregame interview, Fleck described Mississippi State's defense as multiple in fronts, blitzes and coverages, with substantial disguise. He said more than 60 new players and only one current-season game limited personnel evaluation from older tape. That is a scouting and continuity caveat, not confirmation of a newly installed defensive package.

- Running Back Fluff Bothwell Cornerback Jett Jefferson WATCH: Postgame Press Conferences At Minnesota - Mississippi State: Cornerback Jett Jefferson September 12, 2026 | Football

- The writer expects heavier Darius Taylor usage after 17 opener touches and emphasizes Minnesota's Greg Johnson/Ashton Beers inside blocking against Mississippi State. New DC Zach Arnett is described as varying three-, four- and five-man fronts around a 3-3-5 base after the Bulldogs allowed over 36 points per game to Power Four opponents in 2025. The usage call is a projection, not a confirmed workload. - Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor averaged about 98 rushing yards and held the ball 3.48 seconds per pass across three career starts, per this preview. Four offensive-line starters are new, with the right guard and tackle making first starts in the opener. The writer proposes disguised zone and pocket discipline for Minnesota; that is analysis, not a disclosed defensive game plan. - Mississippi State's 2025 offense averaged 77.3 plays per game; the preview cites PFF's second-fastest tempo at 18.9 seconds remaining on the play clock. Anthony Evans III took over 95% of his opener snaps in the slot. On defense, CB Kelley Jones allowed 28.9% completions on throws his way last season. These are historical/early-season matchup indicators, not settled 2026 unit ratings. - The Minnesota preview says kicker Luke Drzwiecki's status remains unknown, leaving Daniel Jackson as the conditional alternative; it does not confirm a clearance or absence. Javon Tracy scored twice on punt returns in the opener and added five catches for 98 yards. Mississippi State kicker Kyle Ferrie went 8-of-11 from 40-plus yards in 2025, a historical contrast rather than a guaranteed kicking edge.

- Pick/market: What: Mississippi State at Minnesota When: 2:30 pm CT, Saturday Where: Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.

- Mississippi State true freshman J.J. Hill came off the bench for 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Louisiana-Monroe in his college debut, giving the backfield an immediately productive reserve option. - Mississippi State's Hill received a 95.8 PFF grade that the article reports as the highest among true freshmen, although that opening performance does not establish how he will handle stronger opponents. - Mississippi State's veteran backs are still expected by the reporter to receive most of the work as the season progresses, so Hill's explosive debut is not presented as a confirmed promotion to the lead role.

- RB: I bet he is the only one (freshman or even maybe any rb) to do it just one quarter.

- Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor was described by the opposing coordinator as dangerous both scrambling and throwing deep, with Collins citing a roughly 70-yard throw as evidence of his arm strength rather than viewing him as only a running quarterback. - Mississippi State's running-back pairing presents contrasting problems in Collins' scouting assessment: No. 24 runs low and powerfully through contact, while No. 6 supplies burst, within a rushing scheme that includes gap concepts rather than only inside zone and stretch.

- RB/LB: A true FR RB will emerge this weekend and by the time they come here in 18 days he will have 6 rushing TDs and 275yds rushing and be on the Heisman watch list

- RB: There should be some games where we can run out a fresh RB on a gassed defense late in the game.

- Pick/market: That’s the problem though.

- Injury: I don’t know exactly what we’ll see, but their #1 RB was in and out with injury stuff all year last year.

- Pick/market: just hard to make predictions on a season.

- P.J. Fleck sees significant year-over-year improvement in Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor's decision-making, progression reads, accuracy and ability to keep plays alive, framing Minnesota's task as limiting rather than eliminating his production. - Fleck highlighted Mississippi State's receiver speed as a major challenge, describing the wideouts as 10.3- or 10.4-second 100-meter athletes who can turn apparently routine gains into rapid field-position changes. - Fleck described Mississippi State's returning running backs as strong tackle-breakers with good vision, identifying an additional source of offensive difficulty beyond Taylor's passing and mobility. - Fleck said Mississippi State's defense uses varied fronts, blitzes and coverages with substantial disguise, creating a preparation challenge for Minnesota's offense.

- RB/LB: He did a great job, but he was running against worn out 2nd teamers who were trying to get the game over.

- Mississippi State opened with 762 yards and 62 points against Louisiana Monroe, with Jeff Lebby's offense using 11 receivers and eight ball carriers. - KaMario Taylor threw for 352 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score, but Lebby noted the ball was at risk on early dropped interceptions. - Taylor's pocket awareness and improved offensive-line play helped Mississippi State allow no sacks in the opener. - Freshman running back Jaeden Hill added 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns, giving Mississippi State productive backfield depth behind the starting group. - Mississippi State's defense allowed a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown but kept ULM out of the red zone and showed good third-down defense.

- RB/LB: As far as a ball carrier he is better , but there is more to playing running back than running the ball.