Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is taking the college football world by storm and has a chance to do something no Bulldogs signal caller has done since 2014, when program legend Dak Prescott was under center.
Taylor, a first-year starter, is rising into Heisman Trophy consideration with 832 passing yards with 11 touchdown passes to one interception through three games this season. The 6-4, 230-pound quarterback also has 178 rushing yards and another score.
Taylor and the Bulldogs are 3-0, with a chance at starting SEC play with a 2-0 record for the first time since Prescott and Dan Mullen were also the story of college football.
There are lots of
similarities between Mississippi State in 2014 and now, although Taylor and the Bulldogs have to keep winning to reach that level. With a quarterback like Taylor leading the charge, they'll likely always have a chance, though.
Why Dak Prescott is bought in on Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
Prescott is arguably Mississippi State's greatest quarterback ever. He led the Bulldogs to three consecutive wins against top-10 ranked teams in 2014, as they defeated No. 8 LSU, No. 6 Texas A&M and No. 2 Auburn to give the school their first No. 1 ranking.
Mississippi State started 2014 with a 9-0 record, but late-season losses to Alabama and Ole Miss kept the Bulldogs out of a potential College Football Playoff berth before losing to Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Taylor is hoping to be Mississippi State's next Prescott in terms of elevating the program to new heights. The two quarterbacks have already talked a few times, too.
"We've shared some messages," Prescott told reporters Sept. 18. "I definitely have watched him play. I've talked to numbers of people that obviously know him that work hand-in-hand with him that only have amazing things to say. It makes me more of a fan of him. I just know from our short conversations through text and just hearing his interviews that I love the mentality.
"I love the belief in himself and what he's allowed Mississippi State to feel again. The excitement, I'm as excited about that program as I've ever been since I was playing."
Prescott, the longest-tenured starting quarterback with one team in the NFL, broke the Dallas Cowboys' all-time passing touchdown record in Week 2. He now is the franchise's all-time leader passer in yards and touchdowns, and is closing in on Troy Aikman's record for wins (94) by 10.
Kamario Taylor NIL: KC Chiefs Chris Jones says he'll donate to keep QB at Mississippi State
All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who played at Mississippi State from 2013-15, says he's willing to open the checkbook to keep Kamario Taylor in Starkville amidst growing transfer speculation (speculation generated elsewhere, not from Taylor or his camp).
"I'm going to donate some (toward NIL). We've got to keep this quarterback, we've got to keep him around," Jones said. "With all these NIL teams spending $45-50 million a year, the salary cap doesn't exist in college, so definitely trying to keep our quarterback with us."
The extended riff from Chiefs DT Chris Jones on college NIL that is 💯 hilarious and 💯 true.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) September 24, 2026
It started with Jones saying he was going to donate to Mississippi State to keep QB Kamario Taylor and ended with Jones advocating for a college salary cap. pic.twitter.com/jnv3THgvf7
Kamario Taylor transfer: What QB has said about his future
“Never really thought about it,” Taylor said this summer. “I mean, all I see is Mississippi State. My dream has been to play quarterback here. Why would I walk away from that?”
Kamario Taylor stats
- 2026 (sophomore): 56-of-82 passing (68.3%) for 832 yards with 11 touchdowns to an interception; 27 carries for 178 yards with a touchdown
- 2025 (freshman): 43-of-77 passing (55.8%) for 629 yards with five touchdowns to an interception; 82 carries for 458 yards with eight touchdowns
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kamario Taylor is chasing Dak Prescott's legacy. Dallas Cowboys star is watching
