Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State gets scare with Taylor injury, early outlook positive

Bulldogs freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor left the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on a cart, but the early word afterward brought cautious relief.
Andy Hodges|
Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) scrambles in the pocket pressured by Wake Forest Demon Deacons lineman Jayden Loving (8) and defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth (7) during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium.
Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) scrambles in the pocket pressured by Wake Forest Demon Deacons lineman Jayden Loving (8) and defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth (7) during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Folks who’ve followed Mississippi State football long enough know this feeling.

You see a young quarterback go down late, legs tangled, trainers running, teammates kneeling. And before the cart even rolls out, your mind starts racing three steps ahead of the medical report.

Reports later on social media seemed to indicate the injury might not be as bad as feared. We'll get that out of the way straight up and not drag this out. None of that is official that we've seen.

That’s where Bulldogs fans found themselves late in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl when freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor took a hard hit and didn’t bounce back up. He stayed down, and that alone was enough to quiet a stadium that already knew how this night was ending.

Taylor was eventually placed on a cart and taken off the field with under two minutes remaining. The towel over his head did little to block the mood.

In the South, we’ve seen enough of those rides to know they can mean anything from “just shaken” to “this changes next season.”

Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby didn’t have a final answer after the game, but he did offer something that matters in moments like this — perspective. And maybe a little relief.

“Initial reports have been good so we’ll continue to evaluate and get more information,” Lebby said.

That sentence may not sound like much, but in the language of college football injuries, it’s the difference between sleeping and staring at the ceiling.

Taylor injury overshadows late moments of bowl game

Taylor’s injury came late, after he’d already done his part. The score was settled. The night was drifting toward its conclusion.

And then the one thing Mississippi State couldn’t afford — another quarterback scare — arrived anyway.

This was just Taylor’s second career start. His first came against Ole Miss. This one came on a bowl stage. In Charlotte, the freshman completed 13 of 22 passes for a career-high 241 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball 18 times for 63 yards and another score.

Those numbers don’t jump off the page nationally, but in Starkville they tell a story. They speak to opportunity. They speak to direction. And they speak to why the cart mattered so much.

Taylor was being asked to do a lot, and for most of the night, he handled it like someone who plans to be around awhile.

Then came the hit.

Lebby offers measured optimism after Taylor evaluation

After the game, Lebby said he was able to talk with the medical staff and see Taylor again. That matters more than press conference tone or body language.

Coaches don’t offer details when they don’t have to, and Lebby didn’t here.

But Taylor was later seen walking around with a limp — no crutches, no visible brace. It wasn’t a victory lap, but it wasn’t a worst-case scene either.

For a Bulldogs program that spent much of the season searching for consistency, that small detail carries weight. Taylor’s health is tied directly to what Mississippi State hopes to build moving forward.

Nobody is rushing timelines. Nobody is putting dates on returns. But at least, for now, the conversation has shifted from fear to patience.

Taylor’s health biggest issue for Mississippi State offseason

Mississippi State finished the season 5-8 after the 43-29 loss to Wake Forest. That record tells you what kind of year it was — uneven, transitional, and searching for answers at quarterback more often than not.

Taylor’s emergence late in the year offered a glimpse of something steadier. He ran with purpose. He threw with confidence. And he showed enough composure to suggest this wasn’t too big for him.

That’s why seeing him walk afterward mattered. That’s why Lebby’s words landed the way they did. This wasn’t just about finishing a bowl game. This was about protecting a future plan that’s still being drawn up.

The offseason will bring evaluations, rehab, and quiet updates that don’t always make headlines. But Mississippi State didn’t need a headline Friday night. It needed reassurance.

For now, it got just enough.

Key takeaways

  • Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor was carted off late in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl after a hard hit.
  • Coach Jeff Lebby said initial reports were good, and Taylor was later seen walking with a limp.
  • Taylor’s late-season emergence makes his health central to the Bulldogs’ plans moving forward.

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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