After a hot start to the year, winning their first four games with victories over UL Monroe, at Minnesota, at South Carolina, and at home against then-No. 19 Missouri, the Bulldogs have now lost five straight. Three of those were double-digit blowouts, albeit against ranked teams in Alabama, LSU, and Texas, and all five were against SEC opponents. Mississippi State is now 4-5 overall and 2-5 in SEC play heading into the final stretch of the season, with the College Football Playoff well out of reach.
But the Bulldogs did get some good news this week, as star quarterback Kamario Taylor signed an NIL deal worth around $7.5 million to return to the school in 2027. It immediately makes him the highest-paid quarterback in college football and ensures Mississippi State stays competitive beyond this season, which had become a big question mark with other powerhouse programs circling Taylor. On Friday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," Nick Saban spoke highly of the sophomore quarterback and explained why this is such a big deal for the program.
"For Mississippi State, Kamario Taylor is someone who can reestablish the tradition of that program," Saban said. "I think Jeff Lebby has done a really good job there, but to have a quarterback of that caliber to make a commitment, he's going to draw other players in to come play with him because he's that good ... I know Kamario Taylor is a great person, made of the right stuff, and I think he'll do a great job for Mississippi State." More news: Urban Meyer Sounds the Alarm on LSU Ahead of Massive Showdown With Texas Mississippi State isn't a traditional college football blueblood like Alabama, Ohio State, or Texas.
But it is one of the oldest programs in the sport, with a rich history and deep-rooted traditions, including the Bulldogs' iconic cowbells, a staple in Starkville. It's massive for the program to retain a talent like Taylor, especially when there was fear they could get outbid by one of their SEC rivals. And if the first half of the season was any indication of what's to come, the investment will pay off.
Taylor is out for the rest of the season with a right foot and turf toe injury, but his first six games were electric. Over that span, he completed 65.4% of his passes for 1,460 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions, along with 147 rushing yards and one rushing score. More news: Rhett Lashlee Delivers Strong Take on SMU Star Before Facing Wake Forest More news: Jake Dickert Makes Major Career Decision Amid Florida State Rumors Taylor was firmly in the Heisman conversation at the start of the year, and the Bulldogs went 4-2 with Taylor as the starter.
He was battling through the injury in those two losses as well, so both games could've easily swung the other way had he been 100% healthy. His rapid rise to stardom should help this program with recruiting and in the transfer portal, giving them a good chance to build on this success next year.
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