Nick Saban’s Transfer Portal Comments Draw Strong Response From Kamario Taylor

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor answered a public call from former Alabama head coach Nick Saban to enter the transfer portal, and the sophomore made his stance clear after leading the Bulldogs to a 4-0 start.

"If I was coaching right now, I'd be trying to get Kamario Taylor to get in the portal," Saban said Saturday on ESPN's College GameDay. Hours later, Taylor told reporters, "If you know me, you know I bleed maroon and white."

What did Nick Saban say?

Nick Saban’s Transfer Portal Comments Draw Strong Response From Kamario Taylor — Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Saban made the comment while picking Mississippi State to beat Missouri on College GameDay. He ended his pick by saying, "I'm taking Mississippi State."

ESPN analyst Pat McAfee said going after a player in the middle of the season would be "ethically suspect." Then he added, "If I was coaching right now, I'd be trying to find $10 million to get Kamario Taylor to my team."

Taylor was asked about the talk after the 31-24 win over No. 19 Missouri in Starkville. He said the timing made it tough for him to respond.

"It's hard because I'm in the season. I don't like to reply or look at everything like that during the season," Taylor said. "When people come to me, it's hard to talk to them how I want to talk to them."

Kamario Taylor's Mississippi State roots

Taylor grew up in Macon, Mississippi, about 35 miles from campus, and played at Noxubee County High School. He grew up a Bulldogs fan, and his uncle, Omarr Conner, also wore maroon and white.

Georgia made a late push to flip Taylor during recruiting, but he stuck with his home-state school. He also had a chance to transfer after his freshman season, when he mostly backed up former starter Blake Shapen. Instead, he stayed and took over as the starter.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore has made the most of it. Through four games, he has completed 69.2% of his passes with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Against Missouri, he went 27 of 38 for 360 yards and three scores. The Bulldogs trailed 24-17 in the fourth quarter before scoring the final 14 points, and Taylor hit teammate Sanfrisco Magee for a 24-yard go-ahead touchdown with 3:57 left.

After the win, Mississippi State jumped from No. 24 to No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. That's the program's highest ranking in four years.

Mississippi State hosts Alabama next

Taylor's next test comes against Saban's former team. Alabama at Mississippi State kicks off at noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Davis Wade Stadium on ABC.

Both teams are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in Southeastern Conference play. Alabama leads the series 88-17-3 and has won 16 straight games against the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State's last win in the series came in 2007, a 17-12 victory in Starkville during Saban's first season at Alabama.

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