Mizzou Football: Mississippi State Q&A with Maroon and White Daily

The 19th-ranked Missouri Tigers (3-0) get set for their SEC opener at No. 24 Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday night in Starkville. Mizzou is coming off a 27-17 win over Troy, while the Bulldogs notched a 41-34 road win over South Carolina to start conference play. Kick-off on Saturday night is set for 6:45 p.m. CST on the SEC Network.

To discuss Mizzou’s matchup with Mississippi State, we talked Tigers and Bulldogs with Colin Damms from On3’s Maroon and White Daily.

Sammy Stava: Mississippi State comes in ranked No. 24 after a 3-0 start with back-to-back road wins over Minnesota and South Carolina. What were the preseason expectations for the Bulldogs in Year 3 under head coach Jeff Lebby?

Colin Damms: There is always a preseason poll of beat writers by Brian Hadad from SuperTalk, and the consensus was either 6-6 or 7-5. I was in the 7-5 boat, but if the current trajectory continues, even that might have been an underestimation. Still, the expectation was for continued improvement and for more wins. Fans wanted payoff for three years of losing seasons and the consolation of a bowl game didn’t satisfy that last season. Winning record is certainly the aim now after a positive start.

SS: Through three games this season, starting quarterback Kamario Taylor is 56/82 with 832 passing yards for 11 touchdowns and one interception. Those early numbers are generating some well-deserved Heisman buzz. With what you have seen so far – is Taylor the real deal to make a push for the Heisman – or does he still need to prove it against tougher competition as the season goes on?

CD: The ceiling for Taylor is playing on Sundays, and that means he has the ability to be one of the best in the country, but there’s a long road ahead. Since Week 1 the opponents seem to get tougher each week, and that continues beyond Mizzou with Alabama and LSU as well. For now they’re taking it one week at a time, and Taylor is constantly looking for ways to improve his game, focusing on mistakes, etc. He wants the Heisman, he said as much in Week 1, but that’s a long way off right now.

SS: Besides the quarterback position, who are some names to watch on the offensive and defensive side of the ball? How has former Mizzou wide receiver Marquis Johnson looked so far with the Bulldogs?

CD: Anthony Evans III is the top returning receiver and has looked the part so far, with Zion Ragins and Sanfrisco Magee both stepping up around him as well. That trio has three TDs apiece through three games and do well to spread out opposing defenses with multiple options. That being said, Johnson has shown he’s got that ability too, and with two scores he’s already shown he has lethal speed and the ability to take the top off a defense. He’s a very promising weapon in this offense and is likely to get plenty more targets.

SS: What is the biggest strength of this Mississippi State team? What is the biggest weakness for the Bulldogs that Mizzou can possibly exploit?

CD: The biggest strength is the talent on offense at QB and skill positions. There is explosive speed throughout the wide receiver room and the running back position got a big boost with the return of Fluff Bothwell. He was key for opening up the offense last week and his big run up the middle sparked the first sign of life in the comeback against SC. They all help the offense tick and get things open for Taylor.

The biggest weakness is still probably in the trenches. The offensive line is much improved on the first two seasons under Lebby, but the continued competition at left tackle brought some worrying moments at SC. That was the first real blip of the season, but the Dline play only levels up from there. The defensive line is also improved, but thin on the depth chart after season ending injuries to two interior linemen. There is also injury concern at linebacker with Zakari Tillman missing the first three weeks. The lack of reliable rotation could come into play if the Bulldogs have a lot of long drives to manage again.

The biggest weakness is still probably in the trenches. The offensive line is much improved on the first two seasons under Lebby, but the continued competition at left tackle brought some worrying moments at SC. That was the first real blip of the season, but the Dline play only levels up from there. The defensive line is also improved, but thin on the depth chart after season ending injuries to two interior linemen. There is also injury concern at linebacker with Zakari Tillman missing the first three weeks. The lack of reliable rotation could come into play if the Bulldogs have a lot of long drives to manage again.

SS: Mississippi State is currently a 6.5 point favorite against Mizzou. How do you see this game playing out on Saturday in Starkville. Have a final score prediction?

CD: I had Mississippi State winning this one in the preseason and I think that’s the case again. It won’t be easy and I can see Mizzou’s defensive line causing problems, but this offense with Taylor is hard not to believe in. They can score in a flash if they need to, they can set the pace by going out in front, and they finally have a run game to balance what they want to open up downfield. I’ll go Mississippi State 34-23 Mizzou.

A big thanks to Colin for chatting with us. Feel free to follow him and Maroon and White Daily on Twitter (X) for Mississippi State coverage this week.