How Much of a Threat is Mississippi State to Texas This Season?

The Mississippi State Bulldogs have not had a winning season since 2022 and went 5-8 last year. However, that does not tell the full story.

A 5-8 record is no stellar result but it was a marked improvement for second-year head coach Jeff Lebby, who oversaw a 2-8 2024 campaign Additionally, their 2025 season was stronger than most 5-8 efforts when examined closely.

Now, they head into Lebby's third season with exciting quarterback Kamario Taylor and defensive-guru Zach Arnett ready to take Mississippi State out of the dredges of the SEC. So, what kind of a threat will they pose to the Longhorns?

Nobody Can Afford to Count Out Mississippi State This Season

Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Kelley Jones reacts after a pass breakup during the first quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Mississippi State began last season 4-0, which included a victory over then-No. 12 Arizona State. They then opened Southeastern Conference 0-4, but with three of those losses by one score and two of them in overtime against top-25 teams.

Longhorns fans should remember trailing by 17 points with just over 13 minutes left in the game before miraculously pulling out a win. This season's Mississippi State will be a lot more like the one they saw for the first three quarters of that game than the one they saw in the fourth.

The Bulldogs finished the year with their lone SEC win over hapless Arkansas and four less-than-inspiring losses, but also witnessed the genesis of the Kamario Taylor-era, as the dual-threat freshman took the reigns in the final two games. Lebby has already learned how to scheme-up designed runs for him and has an entire offseason to tailor a passing-game around his strengths.

The offense around Taylor is lackluster but not devoid of talent, as he shares a backfield with Fluff Bothwell and takes snaps from Canon Boone. However, the Bulldogs will really surprise people with their defense.

Lebby brought back Zach Arnett as the defensive coordinator in Starkville, a role he served from 2020-2022 before being elevated to head coach and then fired before the conclusion of his first full season. While he was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a head coach, he was very successful as Mississippi State's defensive coordinator, leading top-five units in the SEC in each of his three seasons.

Arnett will get to work with a Bulldogs defense which is even less talented than the offense, however he always made the most of their limited resources. He will also get the benefit of being able to rely on the turbo-athletic cornerback Kelley Jones to shut down one side of the field.

Mississippi State already gave the Longhorns a scare in 2025 and are an ascending team. If Texas does not shut the door on the Bulldogs early, it could spell doom for a promising season.

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