Mississippi State is still waiting to crack the top 25, but the Bulldogs are finally back on the radar after their win over Minnesota.
After rolling past the Golden Gophers 38-13 in Minneapolis on Sept. 12, Mississippi State picked up 20 voting points in the US LBM Coaches Poll released Sept.
- That placed the Bulldogs 31st overall and marked the first time this season they’ve received votes.
It also ended a long wait of sorts, since Mississippi State has not been ranked since the final poll of the 2022 season.
The victory mattered on its own, too. It was Mississippi State’s first double-digit win over a power conference team since 2022.
The Bulldogs are 2-0 heading into their SEC opener at South Carolina, which is also 2-0. That game is set for Sept. 19 at 3:15 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
In the Coaches Poll, Texas remained No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Alabama. Mississippi State joined a group of teams receiving votes that included Florida, Louisville, Boise State, Kansas State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Duke, Nebraska, Pitt, Oklahoma State, Auburn, Western Michigan, Virginia Tech, UCLA, Tulsa, North Dakota State, New Mexico, Clemson, Wake Forest and Arizona.
The AP Top 25 told a similar story. Mississippi State also received votes there, finishing with 17. The AP rankings had Texas at No. 1, then Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama in the top 10.
Other teams receiving votes in the AP poll included Washington, Florida, Boise State, Oklahoma State, Western Michigan, Tulsa, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, UCLA, James Madison, Arizona, North Dakota State, Pitt and Kansas State.
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Kamario Taylor Just Gave Mississippi State Real SEC Momentum
Mississippi States 38-13 win over Minnesota in Week 2 looked less like a one-off hot afternoon and more like the kind of performance that can settle a team into the SEC season. The Bulldogs piled up 479 total yards, moved the ball with confidence and finally had the kind of rhythm on offense that makes a September game feel a little bigger than it should.
Kamario Taylor was at the center of it, steering the offense through the air and on the ground while giving Mississippi State a dual-threat edge Minnesota never really solved. Fluff Bothwell also kept the pressure on with a strong night running the ball, and together they gave the Bulldogs a clear offensive identity to build on as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]