One SEC Program Has the Conference on Notice After Its Week 2 Win

The CBS Sports college football panel believes this SEC program could take the league by storm after an impressive non-conference road showing.

Sep 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) breaks the tackle attempt of Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back John Nestor (17) during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The SEC flexed a combined 5-2 record against non-conference Power Four opponents in Week 2.

The only two blemishes on the weekend were an ugly 17-10 Oklahoma defeat at Michigan and an uncompetitive 43-10 loss for Arkansas at Utah. Texas rallied late for a 24-23 victory against Ohio State, and the other four teams beat their Power Four opponents by 17 points or more.

No SEC team pieced together a more eye-opening performance in Week 2 than Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went into Minnesota and emerged with a 38-13 victory, running up the score with ease in the first half.

Mississippi State's win caught the attention of several college football media pundits, including the CBS Sports college football panel. Former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel highlighted the sense of urgency SEC teams needs to take in their preparation for the Bulldogs this season.

"They're at South Carolina next week," Neuheisel said. "I promise LaNorris Sellers and Shane Beamer are going to be looking at this film going 'we had better be ready.' That was an excellent football team."

How did Mississippi State defeat Minnesota?

Sep 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Anthony Evans III (3) scores a touchdown on a 15-yard reception against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was clear early that Minnesota lacked the athletes to successfully cover Mississippi State's wide receivers one-on-one.

Kamario Taylor threw multiple downfield strikes to his wide receivers early in the game. Each of the Bulldogs' top three wide receivers in this game had a long reception of 25 or more yards, and Anthony Evans III led the way with seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.

The run game is a staple of every veer-and-shoot offense, and Mississippi State excelled at it on Saturday. Fluff Bothwell led the Bulldogs with 113 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and Taylor added 86 yards worth of quarterback runs.

The defensive performance was the most impressive aspect of the win for Mississippi State. Drake Lindsey finished with 279 yards in the air, but early struggles to move the ball on the ground forced Minnesota to abandon the run as the game went on. The only touchdown the Golden Gophers scored was on a defensive fumble recovery in the end zone.

An intriguing quarterback matchup awaits at South Carolina

Sep 12, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) rushes for a 58-yard touchdown run against the Towson Tigers in the third quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pundits within the SEC footprint raved about Taylor all offseason.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is the highest-rated recruit in Mississippi State history, and he's proven why in the first two weeks of the season. Taylor appears to have struck a balance between elite playmaking ability and poise under pressure, a rare balance for a young quarterback to possess.

Taylor goes head-to-head with LaNorris Sellers in Williams-Brice Stadium this weekend (4:15 p.m. EDT, SEC Network).

The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder is in his third season as the Gamecocks' starter and has shown flashes of brilliance through his first two seasons, but the production has been inconsistent. The physical tools are there, but bad offensive coordination and at times, downright abysmal offensive line play have hindered what Sellers can do in South Carolina's offense.

Mississippi State is South Carolina's first real test of the season; the Gamecocks faced Kent State and Towson in the opening two weeks.

Sellers was an efficient 19-of-23 passing for 270 yards and three touchdowns against Kent State, but heavy rain dictated what he could do in the air against Towson. However, he made the Tigers pay with his legs, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown in the 45-9 win.