Kamario Taylor Gives Mississippi State a Shot At Alabama

Kamario Taylor grew up watching Mississippi State from the stands, and now Alabama is coming to town with a defense that has taken him seriously. The Bulldogs haven’t beaten the Crimson Tide since 2007, but their sophomore quarterback has given this meeting a different feel.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack made that clear Monday, comparing Taylor with quarterbacks he has faced since arriving in Tuscaloosa.

“Kamario Taylor is a fantastic quarterback,” Wommack said. “He may be the best that we have faced in the last three years since I’ve been here.”

That is quite an endorsement before No. 16 Mississippi State hosts No. 7 Alabama at noon ET Saturday on ABC. Both teams are 4-0 and unbeaten through two SEC games, so Taylor’s breakout comes with a chance to change the conference race.

What Kamario Taylor changed in the pocket

Taylor’s opener against ULM captured both mistakes that remain and his ability to recover. After overthrowing Zion Ragins on the first snap, he passed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in a 62-13 win.

Afterward, Taylor explained why his offseason work had centered on staying in the pocket, even when running might have felt like the easier answer.

“A lot of times I probably would’ve ran out of the pocket, ran around and just created stress for myself for no reason,” Taylor said.

That admission matters because Taylor can turn a broken play into a big gain. However, leaving too early cuts off routes before receivers have a chance to get open, making him solve a problem the offense might already have answered.

Through four games, the numbers suggest Taylor has found a better balance. He has completed 69.2% of his passes for 1,192 yards, with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, while adding 185 rushing yards.

And with Anthony Evans III supplying 408 receiving yards, Taylor has a reason to trust what develops downfield. His legs remain a threat, but Alabama also has to respect the throws he makes before the protection breaks.

Alabama can make that patience expensive

The catch is that Alabama has allowed opponents to convert just 23.1% of their third downs. If Mississippi State repeatedly asks Taylor to rescue third-and-long, Wommack can pressure the pocket knowing the running game poses less of a threat.

Taylor also needs help from Fluff Bothwell, whose 402 rushing yards give the Bulldogs another way to move the chains. If Bothwell can find room on early downs, Taylor has more options when Alabama adjusts its defense.

Mississippi State can press that advantage with run-pass options, letting Taylor choose between handing off and throwing as the defense reacts. If Alabama’s linebackers step toward Bothwell, the space behind them becomes an invitation to throw before the rush gets home.

There is room to test Alabama on the ground, after South Carolina ran for 216 yards against the Tide last week. But Alabama still won 49-18, a reminder that finding one weakness does not necessarily keep an opponent within reach.

Alabama’s rebuilt defensive front faces a balancing act, pressuring Taylor without losing the spacing that keeps him from escaping. For Taylor, the challenge is recognizing when the rush has won and moving on without turning a difficult play into a turnover.

Keelon Russell threw for 365 yards against South Carolina, so Mississippi State cannot assume its quarterback will get chances to make up for a wasted possession.

The hometown connection makes the stakes personal

Taylor’s connection to the Bulldogs started well before he became their starter. The Macon native’s uncle, Omarr Conner, played quarterback and receiver at Mississippi State, and Taylor attended every home game during his senior high school season.

Now he is helping a team that erased a 16-point deficit at South Carolina and outscored Missouri 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Those comebacks explain the growing belief in Starkville, although another slow start would give Alabama too big a head start.

Jeff Lebby has kept his message focused on improvement and ball security, rather than the attention surrounding his quarterback.

“If we’ll do that and take great care of the ball, we’ll be right where we need to be,” Lebby said.

For Taylor, that means trusting the progress that brought him here. The winning throw might be spectacular, but the possession that makes it possible could begin with an ordinary completion.