Mississippi State Was 1-15 in the SEC and Kamario Taylor Is About to Flip the Script

Kamario Taylor just blew up the SEC. He torched South Carolina’s defense for 251 yards passing and four touchdowns in Saturday’s emphatic 41-34 road win. Seriously, this isn’t the same Mississippi State we’ve seen. They were a dismal 1-15 in their last 16 SEC games coming into that matchup, but after this victory, the turnaround under Jeff Lebby feels legit.

Kamario Taylor: Heisman Hopeful and SEC Nightmare

Taylor is straight up “super.” He’s made up more ground in the Heisman race than any player in the last two weeks, and you totally get it after watching him. The Bulldogs were down 16-0 early in the second quarter, right? Then they just *pummeled* South Carolina in the second half. That was all about brilliant offense and timely stops, with Mississippi State playing fast and dictating the game. Taylor totally owned the spotlight. He’s got the arm talent and the absolute confidence to bounce back from any mistake with relentless aggression. He’s in the running for the nation’s best quarterback, and this year’s 3-0 squad is way different from last season’s 4-0 start that ended winless in the SEC. Remember when they trounced Minnesota 38-13 last week? Yeah, those signs were there.

The Gauntlet Is Set for the Bulldogs

Alright, so this is where it gets real. Mississippi State is about to hit a five-game SEC gauntlet that starts with No. 20 Missouri on September 26. Then it’s No. 10 Alabama, No. 7 LSU, No. 24 Oklahoma, and finally No. 1 Texas by October 31. Brutal. This stretch is like what they faced in 2014 when Dak Prescott led them to No. 1, beating three straight top-10 teams. But Taylor isn’t doing it alone. Fluff Bothwell rushed for 115 yards against South Carolina, four different wideouts caught touchdown passes, and Zach Arnett’s defense nearly blanked the Gamecocks in the second half. If Mississippi State can hit nine wins with some of those against ranked opponents, their strength of schedule could absolutely put them in the CFP conversation. SEC defensive coordinators are not looking forward to this crew.

So, can they keep this wild ride going? The next challenge is huge, facing No. 20 Missouri at home. Get ready to see if this team is for real.

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Originally reported by CBS Sports.