CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The initial returns on Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor are promising.
Now the dual-threat freshman looks to take the next step and establish himself as the program's quarterback of the future when the Bulldogs face Wake Forest on Friday night in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium.
Taylor shined in his only college start, completing 15 of 31 passes for 178 yards and rushing 20 times for 173 yards and two
touchdowns in a 38-19 loss in the Egg Bowl against No. 6 Ole Miss.
“He's dynamic,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said Thursday. “Any time you have a dynamic young player you are going to run what he does best. ... The X-factor is him creating the things that aren't on the play sheet, so we have to keep him corralled and we have to rush together and not to get selfish. We have to stay in our rush lanes.”
Taylor said he's been working on becoming a leader over the past month and gaining the respect of his teammates.
He's looking forward to a strong performance that would carry into next season and allow him to gain a firm grasp on the team's starting job.
“I'm working on being more vocal,” Taylor said. “As a freshman, I don't have that game experience. So with all of the guys I have to prove it to them that I'm a leader and gain the trust in them.”
Wake Forest was hit hard by departures, with running back Demond Claiborne, an Atlantic Coast Conference second-team selection, entering the NFL draft and top wide receiver Chris Barnes, who has doubled as the team’s kick returner, entering the transfer portal. Micah Mays Jr., the team's fourth-leading receiver, also is transferring from Wake Forest as is defensive lineman Mateen Ibirogba.
It's one of the reasons the Demon Deacons (8-4) are a 3-point underdog, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, to a Mississippi State (5-7) team that won just five games this season but got into a bowl game because of its high Academic Progress Rate (APR) and other teams opting out.
Wake Forest will turn to Ty Clark III in the running game against a Mississippi State defense that allowed the second-most points per game (29.2) and the most yards rushing (190.5) in the Southeastern Conference this season. That resulted in the firing of defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler.
Wake Forest used Clark in some two-back sets in the latter part of the season, and he also filled in when Claiborne was injured. Still, his experience is limited to 58 carries this season for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
“Ty really emerged as a very good 1B option for us as the season progressed with a downhill, aggressive run style,” Dickert said.
With so many skill position players out, Dickert will rely even more on the experience of sixth-year quarterback Robby Ashford, who previously played at Oregon (2020-21), Auburn (2022-23) and South Carolina (2024).
Ashford threw for 2,169 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games with seven interceptions. He also ran for 504 yards and seven touchdowns for the Demon Deacons, who finished the season by winning six of their final eight games.
“The big thing for Robby will be to make the right play at all times,” Dickert said. “Every situation, every play, distribute it correctly and play within yourself. The best part is our offensive line is intact. They’ll need to establish a certain level of physicality that is required for us to have success.”
The Duke's Mayo Bowl features one of the most intriguing traditions, with the winning coach being doused with a 5-gallon bucket of mayonnaise after the game.
"I've never been more excited about something I didn't want to do in my entire life," joked Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby.
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