Oklahoma didn’t make this one pretty, but the Sooners did enough to leave Starkville with a 23-15 win and get back in the win column.
After a home loss, Oklahoma went on the road and had to grind through a Mississippi State team that lost star quarterback Kamario Taylor to injury in the first quarter. From there, the Bulldogs struggled to find their footing early and spent the rest of the night trying to dig out of an early double-digit hole they never fully escaped.
John Mateer was the difference for Oklahoma. The Sooners quarterback stayed clean all game, going 22-of-29 for 283 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the ball around, too, with nine different Sooners catching passes.
One of Mateer’s biggest throws came early in the third quarter, when he hit Rocky Beers on a 32-yard touchdown to push Oklahoma’s lead to 17-0. Mississippi State finally got on the board later in the third after recovering a Beers fumble and turning it into a 51-yard drive in six plays for its first touchdown.
With Taylor out, Mississippi State turned to Parker “Billy” Puckett at quarterback. He finished 17-of-24 for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception after coming off the bench.
The Bulldogs did get a strong night from Fluff Bothwell, who led all rushers with 17 carries for 111 yards. Even so, Oklahoma kept Mississippi State at arm’s length by forcing the Bulldogs into field goals the rest of the way.
Mississippi State made things tight late, slicing the margin to 23-15 with 2:10 remaining on an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by a successful 2-point conversion. But Oklahoma bled off the final 2:10 and never let the Bulldogs get another shot at overtime.
In Other News...
Jeff Lebby Pinpointed What Mississippi State Must Fix Fast
Mississippi State walked away from a 23-15 loss to Oklahoma at Davis Wade Stadium with the kind of issues that tend to linger long after the final whistle. The Bulldogs had trouble sustaining drives, converting just one of 11 third-down chances, and the offense never found much rhythm as the Sooners hit enough big plays to keep the home crowd from ever fully settling in.
Jeff Lebbys attention afterward landed on the same place most coaches would point after a game like this: the moments when momentum flipped. Oklahoma receivers Isaiah Sategna and Rocky Beers made the Bulldogs pay for a handful of explosive plays, and Mississippi State also had to navigate quarterback Kamario Taylor leaving early with an injury and not returning. The result left the Bulldogs with a short week and a clear message about what has to tighten up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Suddenly Has A Texas Week QB Decision To Make
A sudden quarterback decision has landed on Mississippi States doorstep ahead of a Texas matchup that already figures to demand a clean offensive plan. Kamario Taylor left the Oklahoma game with a right-foot injury, and his status going into the next week is uncertain enough that Jeff Lebby is already having to think through contingency plans.
If Taylor cant go, Billy Puckett and AJ will be the ones competing for the job in practice, with Puckett bringing the advantage of previous starts. Lebby has seen enough from him to know there is ability there, but also some mistakes, and the focus now is on who can best protect the football and give the Bulldogs their best chance to win. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Suddenly Faces A Kamario Taylor Problem
Mississippi States quarterback situation took an unwelcome turn late in the first quarter against Oklahoma when Kamario Taylor went down after being tackled out of bounds. He was able to walk to the locker room on his own, but the Bulldogs had to turn the offense over to backup Billy Puckett as soon as Taylor exited.
The bigger issue now is the uncertainty around what happened and how long it might linger. Mississippi State has not revealed the exact nature of Taylors injury, leaving the Bulldogs to wait on more clarity while trying to settle a position that was already under a bright spotlight. [Read more 🡒]