Mississippi State Football: Freshman QB to Start Against No. 1 Texas

Bulldogs will start Michael Van Buren on the road against No. 1 Texas. Is this a smart move for the Bulldogs' long-term plans?

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) runs the ball against the Florida Gators during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby announced on Monday who will replace Blake Shapen at quarterback this week against No. 1 Texas.

True freshman Michael Van Buren will start against the Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday. It will be his first-ever collegiate start.

Lebby added redshirt freshman Chris Parson could also see time at quarterback against the Longhorns, but it will Van Buren running onto the field for the Bulldogs’ first offensive snap.

Is that a mistake?

Think about what it will be like for Mississippi State’s starting quarterback when they run onto the field at DKR-Memorial Stadium with 100,000 fans in burnt orange hoping they fail.

Then they have to try and move the ball downfield against a defense that’s allowed 5.5 points per game and 211.8 yards per game. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible would struggle against that defense.

Sure, at first glance starting Van Buren instead of Parson seems like a mistake. Parson actually has experience starting against a SEC team in Texas and might not be as rattled by the hostile fan environment. That experience could help the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) walks off the field after a turnover against the Florida Gators during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

To be blunt, neither Van Buren nor Parson should be expected to have much success against Texas. The Longhorns are nearly 40-point favorites to win and with the offensive struggles the Bulldogs had against Florida, that type of point spread isn’t surprising.

However, there’s a long-term outlook to consider. For fans of EA Sports College Football who try to build their own Alabama-like dynasty, the decision to start Van Buren is an easy one.

NIL considerations aside, Van Buren is a talented quarterback you could start a college football dynasty with in the video game. Get him used to playing on the road and build up his experience (i.e. player stats).

So, why couldn’t that same logic apply in real life?

The former four-star recruit from St. Frances Academy in Maryland will get to experience an environment like no other he will see in the rest of his collegiate career. If he is to be the Bulldogs’ long-term starting quarterback, a trip to Tuscaloosa or Baton Rogue or Oxford won’t faze him.

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