Who are the best quarterbacks Mississippi State will face next season?

The Bulldogs' defense wasn't very good last season and it'll need to have made big improvements if they hope to stop some talented quarterbacks.

Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler is held back by assistant coach Matt Holecek as yells at officials as on a pass interference call against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Neyland Stadium. | Saul Young/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

The challenges facing Mississippi State defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler is not an envious one.

Hutzler and the Bulldogs will need to improve significantly from last year if they hope to win more than two games in 2025. But preparing for opposing offenses is a little bit tricky.

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Looking at the starting quarterbacks Mississippi State will face next year is a bunch of question marks. Most of them have limited-to-no SEC experience, including transfers and quarterbacks who split time behind center last season with another quarterback.

Two quarterbacks on the Bulldogs’ schedule were their team’s full-time starter in 2024, four players were on entirely different teams, three split starts, and one was a true freshman backup.

Good luck trying to figure out how to stop those quarterbacks. Some, of course, will be harder to stop than others.

Here are the three best quarterbacks Mississippi State will face next, starting with the obvious one:

Arch Manning, Texas

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rolls out to throw the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Mikala Compton/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

2024 Stats: 61-of-90 (67.8%), 939 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs; 25 rush, 108 yards, 4 TDs

Everything above about not knowing the quarterback doesn’t apply to Manning, who made his second collegiate start against Mississippi State last season. The Longhorns won that game with Manning throwing just five incompletions for 325 yards and two touchdowns. He also had six runs for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Based on his last name alone earns the Longhorns’ starting quarterback a spot on this list. The fact he’s really, really good just makes an even easier decision.

Taylen Green, Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) runs the ball while defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive lineman Deonte Anderson (91) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

2024 Stats: 230-of-381 (60.4%), 3,154 yards, 15 TDs, 9 INTs, 242.6 ypg; 602 rush yards, 8 TDs, 12 ypc

Green had a field day against the Bulldogs last season. He completed 23 of his 29 passes for 314 yards, five touchdowns and an interception. He also had eight runs for 79 yards.

There are questions about who Green will have to throw to and, well, it is Arkansas after all. But Green is a talented quarterback and will be a problem for the Bulldogs’ defense in their Nov. 1 game.

Joey Aguilar, Tennessee

Appalachian State Mountaineers quarterback Joey Aguilar (4) reacts after the touchdown against the East Carolina Pirates during the first half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. | James Guillory-Imagn Images

2024 Stats (at Appalachian State): 218-of390 (56%), 3,003 yards, 23 TDs, 14 INTs, 273 ypg; 207 yards, 2 TDs

There are four candidates for this final spot and all four could give Mississippi State difficulties next season. But let’s go with the fun choice.

Aguilar was a two-year starter at Appalachian State and had nearly 7,000 career passing yards and 56 passing touchdowns. He arrived in Knoxville after Nico Iamaleava suddenly left Tennessee a few days before the team’s spring game.

Aguilar may be the biggest question mark of all the SEC quarterbacks. He’s shown talent, but at a lower level of competition. Will it translate to the highest level of competition?

We’re less than three months from finding out that answer.