Cowbell Corner MVP of the Game: Makai Polk
This one was an easy choice. Makai Polk, enough said.
In only his fifth game in the maroon and white, Polk has managed to captivate the MSU fan base with receiving performances we just haven’t been able to see in Starkville due to a multitude of reasons, the obvious one being that no receiver has had this many targets.
It’s what Polk managed to do with those targets tonight, however, that made this game the best of his young career as a bulldog.
Polk reigned in 13 catches for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns in the bulldogs’ winning efforts against 15th ranked Texas A&M, finishing just two receptions shy of the single-game catch record held by Kylin Hill and the ever familiar name Eric Moulds. To put this game (and in fact Polk’s season as a whole) in perspective, he totaled only 36 receptions and 478 yards in his two previous seasons at Cal. Before transferring to MSU. Polk has found his niche, to say the least.
His performance was key in Mississippi State’s 26-22 victory, and the play of the game from Polk was a 15-yard touchdown pass from Will Rogers to put the Bulldogs up 17-13. It was potentially one of the best throws Rogers has made in his young career as a bulldog: a perfectly placed back-shoulder throw to Polk, who drug the back toe in a statement score to get MSU rolling on offense.
Mississippi State and the fan base alike will surely be looking forward to more plays just like that one out of Polk, as he is very quickly becoming the favorite target for Rogers.
MSU will have a week to mull over this win and improve upon it before taking on Nick Saban, Bryce Young, and the rest of the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 16th at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville.
