Week 5 of college football just kicked off with a whopping 22 unbeaten FBS teams, but only one Saturday matchup pits two of those titans against each other early on: No. 7 Alabama (4-0) rolling into Starkville to face a red-hot, big surprise No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0). It’s the first time these two have met since 2023, and the stakes could not be higher for a couple of major Heisman Trophy candidates, especially Mississippi State’s own Kamario Taylor.
Kamario Taylor’s Heisman Heist?
Seriously, has anyone seen what Kamario Taylor is doing right now? The dude is an absolute machine. Coming into Week 5, Taylor is tied for the national lead with a ridiculous 14 touchdown passes. Last Saturday, he pulled off an electric 31-24 home win against then-No. 19 Missouri, throwing for 360 yards and three scores, including the tie-breaking 24-yard bomb with only 3:57 left on the clock. That kind of clutch performance has launched him to +700 odds as the third favorite for the Heisman Trophy over at DraftKings, a huge jump from Week 3 to Week 4. If he keeps this pace up, he’s looking to become only the fourth quarterback this century to throw for at least three touchdowns in his first five games. Plus, the guy grew up super close to Starkville, which might just keep all those aspiring transfer portal bidders away next offseason.
Bulldogs Shock the SEC Media
Let’s be real, nobody saw this coming. The SEC media picked Mississippi State to finish 15th out of 16 schools in their preseason polls, with only Arkansas getting the “dead last” nod. How silly do they look now? Under coach Jeff Lebby, the Bulldogs had a measly one total SEC win in two seasons heading into 2026. One. Now, they’re 4-0, ranked No. 16, and hosting a top-10 Alabama squad. This team is proving every single doubter wrong, week after week. It’s a testament to what they’ve built, and it’s making for some truly compelling college football.
Stakes, Storms, and Surprising Bets
This game is absolutely loaded with storylines, folks. Not only do we have Taylor pushing for Heisman glory, but Alabama’s sophomore QB Keelon Russell is also right there in the Heisman conversation. Kickoff is at noon ET on ABC, anchoring the early college football window. Weather.com is calling for mostly cloudy skies early, with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day, high 84F, and a 50% chance of rain. Could get sloppy out there, which might play a role. On the betting side, Mississippi State is getting some serious love at +6 on DraftKings, pulling in 59% of the handle and 52% of the bets. And the Over 60.5 points? That’s seeing over 80% leans in both handle and tickets. If you’re into parlays, FanDuel has a Bulldogs alt +10.5 and Alt Over 52.5 for +109. This isn’t just another game, folks. It’s a huge moment for Mississippi State to cement themselves as legit contenders and for Kamario Taylor to truly launch his Heisman campaign.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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