Kamario Taylor kept his name in the spotlight on Saturday, and Mississippi State kept the SEC from going winless against the Big Ten in Week 2.
The Bulldogs went into Minneapolis and left with a 38-13 win over Minnesota, a game that never really tightened once Mississippi State got rolling. Taylor was the centerpiece again, putting together another polished performance as the Bulldogs controlled the afternoon from start to finish.
Taylor completed 16 of 22 passes for 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 13 times for 86 yards, finishing as Mississippi State’s No. 2 rusher behind Fluff Bothwell.
All told, Taylor accounted for 310 of the Bulldogs’ 479 total yards. Minnesota managed 292 yards of offense.
Fluff Bothwell did his part too, giving Mississippi State a steady punch on the ground. He ran 18 times for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns, reaching triple digits for the first time since October 2025.
The Bulldogs’ offense had answers all day, while Minnesota struggled to get anything going on the ground. Gophers quarterback Drake Lyndsey threw it 48 times and completed 31 passes for 279 yards. Minnesota ran the ball just 15 times and finished with a net of 13 rushing yards after losing 12 yards on 2 sacks of Lyndsey.
Minnesota’s lone touchdown came on a fumble recovery after Taylor was sacked in the third quarter. By then, Mississippi State had already taken control, building a 28-6 halftime lead and never looking back.
Now the 2-0 Bulldogs turn to SEC play. Mississippi State heads to South Carolina in Week 3 for its first conference game of the season.
In Other News...
Mississippi State Just Took A Step Toward The Rankings
Mississippi States early-season progress got a little more attention this week, as the Bulldogs earned their first votes of the year in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll. The boost came after a 38-13 win over Minnesota, a result that gave the program a more visible foothold as it tries to climb back into the national conversation.
The Bulldogs are still outside the top 25, so there is work left to do before any ranking becomes real. The next chance to build on that momentum comes Sept. 19, when Mississippi State opens SEC play at South Carolina in what should be its first true measuring stick of the season. [Read more 🡒]