Mississippi State heads to Minnesota on Saturday with a fresh spotlight on sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor, and the Bulldogs are walking into one of Week 2’s more interesting nonconference games. It’s a first-ever meeting between the programs, with the Golden Gophers hosting a Big Ten vs. SEC matchup that carries more weight than a typical September tuneup.
The backdrop is part of what makes this one stand out. Mississippi State rolled past Louisiana-Monroe 62-13 in Week 1, piling up 762 yards in a dominant opener.
Minnesota, meanwhile, handled Eastern Illinois with ease and held the Panthers to four first downs. Now both teams step into a much better measuring stick.
Taylor is the name to watch. Mississippi State used him sparingly as a freshman, but the Bulldogs clearly saw where this was headed.
By the end of the season, he was doing more and more, and his five-touchdown showing in the opener only cranked up the attention around what he could become in Year 3 of Jeff Lebby’s tenure. He brings a big arm and real threat as a runner, which gives Mississippi State a different gear when plays break down.
Minnesota’s challenge starts with its own identity. P.J.
Fleck has built the program on physical football and a heavy ground game, but the rushing attack hasn’t been nearly as sharp the past two seasons. The Gophers ranked outside the top 100 nationally in rushing offense in both years, even while finishing 8-5 each time.
Against Eastern Illinois, Darius Taylor ran for 56 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, while TJ Thomas added 52 yards on seven carries. That’s a decent start, but Mississippi State’s defense will be a far sterner test.
There’s also a broader conference angle hanging over the game. The SEC went 16-0 in Week 1, and now the league is facing a tougher Week 2 slate that should tell us a lot more.
The Big Ten, meanwhile, has won the last three national titles, so this kind of game feeds right into the early-season debate over which league is in the stronger position. Minnesota defending home field would matter for those perceptions, especially with the Gophers serving as a mid-tier Big Ten test against an SEC opponent.
The historical note is a quirky one, too. Minnesota’s last regular-season game against an SEC team came in 1959, while Mississippi State’s last regular-season game against a Big Ten opponent came in 1980.
As for the pick, the case starts and ends with Taylor. His off-script playmaking and arm talent give Mississippi State a chance to keep producing points, and Minnesota may need turnovers or special-teams help to stay in range. Pick: Mississippi State -1
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Mississippi State Finally Gets A Power Test Fans Will Want To See
Mississippi States nonconference schedule is getting a much-needed jolt with a home-and-home series against Minnesota beginning Sept. 12. The opener comes in Minneapolis, with the return trip to Starkville set for 2027, and the matchup checks a key SEC box by giving the Bulldogs a power conference opponent on the slate.
There is also a little added spotlight attached to the series, since the first meeting will air on CBS. For Mississippi State, that means a return to the network it last appeared on in 2020, and a chance for fans to follow a game that should carry a little more weight than the usual nonconference tune-up. [Read more 🡒]