Mississippi State arrives in Baton Rouge with a major cloud hanging over its offense, and it all starts with quarterback Kamario Taylor.
Taylor’s status is the biggest question heading into Saturday. The word around the Bulldogs is that he’s been dealing with a turf toe issue since the Missouri game, and if he can’t go, the entire shape of this matchup changes. Mississippi State is also waiting on running back Fluff Bothwell, which means the Bulldogs could be missing two of their three most important offensive pieces.
That’s a dangerous spot to be in against an LSU defense that needs a clean rebound after its uneven showing in Lexington.
Taylor has been productive all season, throwing for 1,450 yards with 17 touchdowns and only four interceptions while completing 66.2% of his passes. His play has powered Mississippi State into elite territory offensively. The Bulldogs rank second in the SEC in total offense at 487 yards per game and second in passing offense at 309 yards per game.
There is still a path for LSU to make this uncomfortable fast. Mississippi State has already given up 13 sacks, and if the Bulldogs have to lean on backup walk-on quarterback Parker “Billy” Puckett, the pressure points become obvious. Puckett is in his second year with the program and won the job over Jaden Rashada and former LSU backup AJ Swann.
Away from Taylor, the offense loses a lot of its shine. Mississippi State is ninth in the SEC in rushing offense at 177 yards per game, and if Bothwell can’t play, that weakness only gets more exposed. Even if Taylor is on the field, the injury could limit what he brings as a runner.
Still, the Bulldogs do have one dangerous weapon in Anthony Evans III. He’s averaging 114 receiving yards per game and has piled up 574 yards and five touchdowns on 40 catches.
No matter who is taking the snaps, Evans figures to be the main target. The real issue is whether Mississippi State can get him the ball against an LSU passing defense that has been tough all season.
Even after the loss to Kentucky, LSU still leads the SEC in total defense, giving up just 250 yards per game. The Tigers are allowing only 74 rushing yards per game, which lines up well against a Mississippi State offense that wants to attack vertically and run downhill.
The pressure standard also has to go up for LSU this week. Taylor was sacked five times against Alabama, and the Tigers need to be much more disruptive than they were against Kentucky, when they managed just one sack. If LSU can win at the line and keep Mississippi State from settling in, the Bulldogs’ rhythm could disappear quickly.
So the outline is pretty clear: if Taylor is out, LSU has a strong opening. If he plays, the job gets harder, but the Tigers still have the edge. Either way, this defense is expected to get back on track, and LSU is a 14.5-point favorite going into Saturday.
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The campus mood could use a lift, and the mens basketball team provided one with an 85-81 win over UCF in a wildly thin rotation. LSU played with only six players amid an eligibility controversy, yet Donovan Dent still delivered the game-winning layup and Abdi Bashir Jr. led the way in scoring. It was the kind of gritty result that gives the program something to point to while the football side works through its own far bigger problems. [Read more 🡒]
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LSU heads into Week 7 looking to steady itself at home against Mississippi State after the loss to Kentucky, and the Tigers have enough on their plate already without adding another layer of uncertainty. This is the kind of SEC game that can turn quickly if the matchup script changes early, especially with both teams dealing with injuries and LSU still trying to get back to the level of consistency that made it dangerous in the first place.
Mississippi States quarterback situation is the wrinkle LSU will be watching closely, because the Bulldogs offensive outlook shifts depending on who is available. For LSU, the path back starts with cleaner work on both sides of the ball, better execution in key moments and a sharper response than the one it showed a week ago, but the bigger question is whether the Tigers can prepare for the version of Mississippi State that actually shows up. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Catch A Huge Break In Mississippi State's Backfield
Mississippi State arrives on LSUs schedule with a couple of key offensive questions hanging over its backfield, and both of them trace back to the same injury-hit trip through Alabama. Quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell were each listed as questionable for the matchup with LSU after leaving the previous game hurt, leaving Jeff Lebby and his staff to sort through contingency plans as kickoff gets closer.
For LSU, the uncertainty matters because the Bulldogs offense could look very different if either player is limited or unavailable. Lebby has already identified possible replacements, but the Tigers will be watching to see whether Mississippi State can get either Taylor or Bothwell back in time, since their status could shape how much stress LSUs defense has to absorb on Saturday. [Read more 🡒]