Mississippi State’s worst fears have unfortunately come to fruition as quarterback Kamario Taylor will miss the remainder of the Bulldogs’ season due to injury.
Mississippi State issued a statement on Tuesday confirming earlier reports that the signal caller would be sidelined for the rest of 2026 due to “a foot injury that requires surgery.” ESPN reported that the season-ending surgery will be performed on his toe.
Taylor injured his toe during Mississippi State’s win over Missouri on Sept. 26.
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The Mississippi native played through the injury in State’s 56-23 loss to Alabama on Oct. 3, a game in which he threw for 258 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bulldogs then went into their bye week before playing at LSU on Oct. 17, a game Taylor did not suit up for, and one State was shut out 31-0.
Taylor started under center for the Bulldogs against Oklahoma on Oct. 24, but threw just five passes before being sidelined and later leaving the field in a walking boot on his right foot. The Bulldogs fell at home to the Sooners 23-15.
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“Over the last few weeks, I’ve worked every day with our medical staff and done everything possible to be out there with my teammates,” Taylor said in a statement.
“Missing the rest of this season is hard to accept, but I know God has a plan. I love this team and I love Mississippi State.”
It’s not an overreaction to say that Taylor being shelved for the rest of the year is among the most detrimental news any Power Four program in the country could be dealt.
Taylor, a sophomore, began the season putting up Heisman Trophy-type numbers with 15 total touchdowns, 1,192 passing yards, and just two interceptions over the course of the Bulldogs’ first four games of the season.
Mississippi State was not only on track to become the most surprising team in the SEC, but around the sport in general, mostly due to Taylor’s NFL-caliber arm and freakishly fast start to the year.
In the early stages of the season, one could easily make the argument that the two best quarterbacks in college football happened to be residing in the state of Mississippi, with Taylor in Starkville and Trinidad Chambliss under center for Ole Miss in Oxford.
With Taylor done for the year, Mississippi State will likely lean on Parker Puckett, a redshirt freshman who walked onto the program. Puckett has completed 64 percent of his 64 passes this season, thrown for one touchdown, and a pair of interceptions.