Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will miss the remainder of the 2026-27 season due to a foot injury.
The star signal caller had been dealing with the injury during his debut campaign as the Bulldogs’ starting signal caller. Taylor missed the Oct. 17 game against LSU and was sidelined after the first quarter of the Oct. 24 home game against Oklahoma after re-aggravating a right foot that had lingering pain. The Bulldogs fell to the Tigers 31-0 and the Sooners 23-15 with Taylor absent.
Sources close to the program told SuperTalk Mississippi News that Taylor is undergoing season-ending surgery. Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby and Taylor had the Bulldogs among the nation’s most feared offenses. Taylor tossed for 1,460 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, while adding 147 yards and a score on the ground before his campaign ended.
“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. Missing the rest of this season is hard to accept, but I know God has a plan,” Taylor stated after the news broke that he would miss the remainder of the season.
“I couldn’t ask for better people in my corner than my family, [Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby], our incredible medical staff, and Bulldog fans. Their care, support, and love mean everything to me.”
In the past two matchups, Lebby has turned to Jackson Prep alum and former walk-on Billy Puckett to commandeer the offense. In two games, Puckett has completed 33 of 50 passes for 279 yards, a touchdown, and a pair of picks.
Mississippi State brought in Appalachian State transfer AJ Swann and Sacramento State transfer Jaden Rashada in the offseason to add depth to the quarterbacks room. Before his time with the Mountaineers, Swann started at Vanderbilt and spent time at LSU. The transfer, according to Lebby, was banged up in the spring and in fall camp, limiting what he could do in practice.
Moving forward, Lebby has indicated that there is a battle between Puckett and Swann for the starting job. The decision on who to start will boil down to which signal caller turns the ball over the least and puts the maroon and white in the best position to earn a win.
“He’s a guy that’s done it. He’s played inside this conference. He’s played a lot of snaps, so his maturity and his experience give him something that we don’t have in that room right now without Kamario. He’s a guy that can get the football out of his hand,” Lebby said of Swann. “As we go through the week, being able to evaluate these two guys, who gives us the best opportunity to go win the game, will ultimately be the decision as we get closer to kickoff.”
Next up for Mississippi State is a road game against a No. 11 Texas team coming off a win against No. 12 Ole Miss. The battle between the Bulldogs and Longhorns will kick off on Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT. ESPN and participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations will broadcast the matchup.
“There’s a lot of football left, and I’m all in with my guys. Starkville is home, and I can’t wait to be back playing the game I love,” Taylor said.
