Nick Saban didn’t hold back when asked about Kamario Taylor’s return to Mississippi State for the 2027 season. On The Pat McAfee Show, the former Alabama and LSU coach made it clear he sees Taylor as more than just a good quarterback coming back to Starkville.
Saban pointed to Taylor’s ability to change the direction of a program, saying, “For Mississippi State, Kamario Taylor is someone who can reestablish the tradition of that program,” Saban said. “I think Jeff Lebby has done a really good job there. But to have a quarterback of that caliber to make a commitment, he's going to draw other players in to come and play with him because he's that good.”
That’s the kind of endorsement that lands loudly in college football. Mississippi State isn’t just getting a quarterback back. It’s keeping a player who could become the centerpiece of what Jeff Lebby is trying to build, and Saban believes that kind of presence can ripple through the roster, especially through the transfer portal and recruiting.
Taylor’s value was already obvious from what he did in 2026. He helped Mississippi State race to a 4-0 start before injuries cut his season short.
Before season-ending surgery, he completed 65.4% of his passes for 1,460 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also brought enough threat as a runner to make him one of the SEC’s most intriguing young quarterbacks.
That production is why his return matters so much. Instead of starting over at the position, Lebby gets a proven difference-maker to build around.
Saban also used the moment to raise a bigger concern about where college football is headed financially. Taylor’s reported $7 million-plus agreement to return to Starkville drew his attention, and he questioned whether that kind of market can hold up.
“I don't know if that's sustainable as a model,” Saban said about players earning approximately $7 million. “I'm just hopeful that we continue to develop young people while they're in college, personally, academically and athletically.”
He said the long-term impact of the new financial reality is still unclear, and he noted the pressure that can come with young athletes suddenly handling that kind of money, including expectations from family, friends and their communities.
Still, Saban separated those broader concerns from his opinion of Taylor himself.
“I know Kamario Taylor is a great person, made of the right stuff, and I think he'll do a great job for Mississippi State,” Saban added.
For Mississippi State, the return is a major investment and a major signal. Keeping Taylor gives the Bulldogs a quarterback who can raise the ceiling of the offense and potentially help pull in more talent around him.
Saban’s comments only sharpen that point. He knows what elite quarterback play can do for a program, and he believes Taylor has the kind of ability and makeup that can help Mississippi State move forward.
The Bulldogs still have plenty to prove before they can consistently stack up with the SEC’s top teams. But with Taylor back, they at least have the one thing every program is desperate to find: a quarterback who can change the conversation.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Fans Suddenly Face Real Concern About The Oklahoma Trip
Auburns trip to Starkville turned into a long day before the teams even got to the field, with the SEC pushing kickoff from noon ET to 4:15 p.m. ET after FAA travel disruptions forced a ground stop and created a chain reaction around the game. The league has already locked in the new start time for Auburn at Mississippi State, but the television assignment is still unresolved, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that was already thrown off schedule.
For Ole Miss, the bigger concern is what happens next. The Rebels trip to Oklahoma is suddenly in doubt after reports that the team did not fly out Friday night, leaving the scheduled kickoff hanging and, potentially, the game itself in jeopardy. After watching one SEC game get pushed back by hours, Mississippi fans now have a very real reason to keep an eye on the weather, the airport and the league schedule all at once. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Oklahoma Disruption Creates A New SEC Weekend Twist
A scheduling wrinkle has turned Ole Miss trip to Oklahoma into one of the more unusual SEC weekends on the calendar. The Rebels game, originally set for Friday, was pushed back to November 15 in Norman after travel delays tied to an FAA ground stop on November 13, and the team is now expected to fly out on the afternoon of November 14.
The matchup will kick off at noon, with the television channel still to be announced in Week 11, though the broadcast is slated for a national audience with Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb on the call. For Mississippi State fans keeping an eye on the league race, it is another reminder of how quickly a conference slate can get reshaped, even before the teams ever take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State's First Loss Exposed A Worry Beyond Josh Hubbard
Mississippi States first loss of the season came with a familiar kind of warning sign, and it was bigger than just the final score. The Bulldogs fell to Xavier 81-63 after opening the year with three straight wins, but the more troubling part was how little offense they could generate from the perimeter. A team that had been shooting 38.7% from three-point range before the game managed only 4 of 29 from deep, a rough night that left the attack looking far more one-dimensional than it had in the seasons first week.
Josh Hubbard still led Mississippi State in scoring and assists, but even he had a below-average shooting night, which only sharpened the concern around the rest of the lineup. If the Bulldogs are going to keep pace once the schedule gets tougher, they will need more consistent help around Hubbard rather than asking him to carry the load every night. The first loss did more than end a winning streak. It exposed how thin the margin can be when the shots stop falling. [Read more 🡒]