Mississippi State doesn’t have the luxury of sitting with that 31-0 loss to LSU for long. The Bulldogs are right back into the fire Saturday, Oct. 24, when Oklahoma comes to Starkville for a home matchup that suddenly feels like a measuring stick for everything in their season.
A week ago, Mississippi State had carved out real optimism. After the shutout in Baton Rouge, though, that early buzz has been replaced by a much tougher question: was the hot start real, or was it just that - a hot start?
The biggest swing factor is at quarterback. Kamario Taylor’s possible return could change the look of this offense in a hurry, but nothing is settled yet.
Taylor entered the LSU game with 1,450 passing yards, and his ability to push the ball downfield has been a major part of what the Bulldogs have done well on offense. Without him against LSU, Mississippi State was forced to lean on sophomore Billy Puckett, who made his first career start and showed some promise, but the Bulldogs couldn’t turn enough of that into points.
Taylor wasn’t the only absence that hurt. Running back Fluff Bothwell also didn’t play against LSU, and that mattered too.
Bothwell leads Mississippi State’s listed rushing leaders with 403 yards and three touchdowns. In the passing game, Anthony Evans III has been the top producer with 574 yards and five touchdowns.
Mississippi State’s offense wasn’t the only problem in the last two games. The defense has given up a combined 87 points against Alabama and LSU, a stretch that leaves little room for error against another capable opponent. Against the Tigers, the Bulldogs also hurt themselves with turnovers and failed fourth-down tries, the kind of mistakes that can flip a game before it ever really gets going.
Oklahoma arrives with its own confidence. The Sooners stunned Texas 27-24 last week, and that result showed they can handle pressure when the spotlight is brightest.
They also have another test before heading to Starkville, since Oklahoma faces No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday.
If the Sooners win that one too, they’ll only add more momentum to a road trip already carrying plenty of attention.
There’s also a quarterback matchup worth watching. Taylor’s 1,450 passing yards stack up against Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer’s 1,038. But for Mississippi State, the numbers matter less than the bigger issue: whether Taylor is healthy enough to return and give the Bulldogs the kind of spark they need.
That uncertainty hangs over a game that feels important for Mississippi State’s response as much as its result. The Bulldogs opened the year with expectations that were modest, with preseason projections putting them near the bottom of the SEC. Their early run challenged that outlook, but back-to-back losses to Alabama and LSU have brought the doubts back quickly.
Playing at home gives Mississippi State a chance to reset, but only if it cleans up the mistakes and puts together a more complete effort. If Taylor and Bothwell are back, the Bulldogs could look very different from the team that was overwhelmed in Baton Rouge. If not, the pressure only grows.
Either way, Saturday offers a clear chance to answer some questions. Oklahoma has already shown it can beat a major contender, and another win against Kentucky would only make the Sooners look more dangerous. For Mississippi State, this is the kind of game that can steady a season - or expose just how fragile it really is.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got The Break It Needed In The Playoff Chase
LSU heads into the second half of its season at 4-2, still needing both cleaner play and a little help if it wants to stay in the College Football Playoff picture. The next step on that road runs through Mississippi State, and the timing could hardly be better for the Tigers, with a matchup against a Bulldogs team already dealing with injury uncertainty at key spots.
Mississippi States quarterback depth could be a factor if Kamario Taylor is limited, leaving Parker Puckett and AJ Swann in the conversation behind center. The Bulldogs are also watching Fluff Bothwell's status, and the ripple effects matter for a team trying to stay competitive while LSU keeps chasing the kind of stretch it needs against ranked opponents to keep its postseason hopes alive. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Had A Brutal Response To Mississippi States Injury-Hit Loss
Mississippi States night in Baton Rouge never had much chance to settle into anything resembling a competitive SEC game, and the Bulldogs left with a 31-0 loss as LSU rode a polished performance from quarterback Sam Leavitt. Leavitt completed 31 of 38 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns, the kind of efficiency that can put a game out of reach before the fourth quarter ever becomes a factor.
Afterward, LSU coach Lane Kiffin made clear he wasnt interested in softening the edges of the result based on Mississippi States situation. The Bulldogs were already shorthanded, and the question hanging over the postgame discussion was whether those absences changed the meaning of the win at all, a point Kiffin brushed aside in a way that only added to the sting of an already lopsided night. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Turns To An Unlikely QB In A Brutal LSU Spot
Mississippi States quarterback plan took a sudden turn before kickoff against LSU, with sophomore Billy Puckett stepping into the starting job after Kamario Taylor was ruled out pregame because of an injury. Puckett, a former walk-on, has seen limited action this season, but this is his first career start, a significant change for a team already facing a difficult road environment and a tough opponent.
The move leaves the Bulldogs leaning on an unproven option at the most important spot on the field, and it comes with little clarity beyond Taylor being unavailable. Mississippi State has not disclosed the exact nature of the injury, so the focus shifts to how Puckett handles the moment and whether the Bulldogs can keep their offense steady in a game that suddenly looks much trickier. [Read more 🡒]