Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor has an absolute howitzer for an arm, and according to Brady Quinn of the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew, he is the secret weapon for a team flying way under the radar heading into Week 4 of the college football season. Quinn has been pouring over the tape, and this guy isn’t just throwing the ball; he is impacting the game with his extreme athleticism. We’re talking about a quarterback who can take off with his legs, throwing dots downfield, layering throws perfectly, and buying crucial additional time for his receivers to get open. This talent is already delivering.
Okay, so Quinn is all in on Taylor, and honestly, after hearing that breakdown, how could you not be? But the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew had more than one surprise contender on their minds. Joel Klatt threw down some serious stats for Iowa, calling them a team nobody is talking about that absolutely should be. They are not messing around, leading the entire country in yards per carry on offense and boasting the nation’s No. 1 total defense. That’s just classic Iowa, doing what they do. Klatt is even saying “don’t be shocked” if they roll into Ann Arbor and snatch a massive road win today. That’s confidence.
Matt Leinart jumped into the mix too, shouting out Virginia Tech. This one is all about James Franklin, a program builder and a winner. Remember when Virginia Tech was really legit, like “rolling back in the day?” Leinart sees them getting back there, especially with them leading the nation in sacks right now. The ACC is wide open outside of Miami, so why shouldn’t Virginia Tech jump into that conversation and make some real noise? Their disruptive defense makes a strong case for it.
Klatt wasn’t done. He hammered home the point that Kansas State and West Virginia are both flying super low, but Kansas State is the real deal for him. Yeah, Michael Hawkins for West Virginia has been solid with that dual-threat QB magic, but Kansas State is sitting at No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 2 in the *entire country* in total defense. They are getting after quarterbacks, and that kind of consistent pressure changes games, putting opponents on their heels.
The schedule just makes Kansas State even more appealing as an outside-the-box Big 12 title contender. They completely avoid tough road trips against Texas Tech, BYU, and Utah. West Virginia, on the other hand, has to go to Lubbock to face Texas Tech and then trek to Salt Lake City to battle Utah, both in November. Those are brutal road games that Kansas State just sidesteps, giving them a clear advantage with that suffocating defense.
So, as Week 4 kicks off, don’t sleep on these guys. We’ve got Iowa trying to pull off an upset in Ann Arbor, Virginia Tech looking to keep that sack-leading defense rolling in a wide-open ACC, Kansas State trying to prove Klatt right as a Big 12 dark horse, and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor ready to light up the SEC. Florida better prove itself against Ole Miss today because Taylor and the Bulldogs are coming, and they mean serious business. The stakes are absolutely real with these teams trying to crash the party and make noise this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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