Nick Saban didn’t need long to make his point about Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor.
On Friday’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former Alabama coach pointed to Taylor’s poise in the Bulldogs’ comeback win at South Carolina as a sign that the young quarterback has something special.
"Mississippi State gets behind 16-0 last week at South Carolina, and this Kamario Taylor guy is like, 'You know, shit happens,' and just keeps playing," Saban said Friday on " The Pat McAfee Show."
That calm showed up in a big way last Saturday. Mississippi State erased a 16-0 first-half deficit and beat the Gamecocks 41-34 on the road, one of the early defining results of the 2026 season.
Taylor’s start has become one of the biggest stories in the sport through three weeks. The 19-year-old has helped Mississippi State open 3-0 for the first time since 2017, and he has done it with production to match the buzz. He has completed more than 68% of his passes for 832 yards, thrown 11 touchdowns against just one interception, and added 178 rushing yards and another score.
That total of 12 offensive touchdowns ranks second nationally, trailing only USC’s Jayden Maiava. Among 121 qualifying FBS quarterbacks, Taylor sits fifth in passer efficiency and 14th in EPA/dropback, according to TruMedia.
Saban said Taylor’s response in a tough road environment was the kind of trait that separates quarterbacks from the pack.
"They take the game over on the road in a difficult place to play. And this guy is a young quarterback; I know he's not a freshman, but he is an outstanding player. So that shows me this guy has the right stuff to play this position."
He also noted the pressure that comes with the job, especially for younger players learning to handle the swings that come with playing quarterback.
"Because you're going to get criticized more at this position, you're going to get more credit at this position," Saban added when talking about Taylor. "You've got to deal with ups and downs more at this position. Young guys sometimes can do that; sometimes they struggle with that."
In Other News...
South Carolina Suddenly Faces A Bigger LaNorris Sellers Problem
South Carolinas rough stretch under Shane Beamer has only added more pressure around LaNorris Sellers, who continues to play in an offense that has not given him much stability to lean on. The Gamecocks have dropped nine of their last 13 games, and a recent home loss to Mississippi State only sharpened the sense that the quarterback situation is being shaped as much by circumstance as by execution.
CBS Sports analyst Cooper Petagna recently pointed to the programs inability to give Sellers a steady environment, from multiple offensive coordinators to a thin supporting cast around him. Still, Sellers has not been spotless in his own right, with a season that has brought both flashes and frustration in 2025, leaving South Carolina with a bigger question than just who lines up under center next. [Read more 🡒]