By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Mississippi State starting quarterback Kamario Taylor was downgraded to doubtful on Friday night for Saturday’s game at LSU because of a turf toe injury after he was listed as questionable on Wednesday and Thursday on the Southeastern Conference availability reports.
Taylor has completed 102 of 154 passes for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing 43 times for 159 yards and a score for the Bulldogs, and he has played on the injury in State’s last two games. But it has apparently gotten worse.
State leading rusher Fluff Bothwell was also downgraded to doubtful on Friday for the game after being questionable the previous two days. Bothwell has gained 403 yards on 74 carries and scored three touchdowns.
LSU is favored by 14.5 points in the game after that was just 10 early in the week because of Taylor’s questionable-to-now-doubtful status.
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) and No. 22 LSU (4-2, 1-2 SEC) kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Tiger Stadium on ESPN. There will be game day status reports issued by the SEC office at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
If Taylor doesn’t play, Mississippi State is expected to start redshirt freshman Parker “Billy” Puckett, who is listed as the No. 2 quarterback. He has completed 8 of 14 passes for 89 yards on the season and rushed for 24 yards on two carries. The No. 3 quarterback is fifth-year senior AJ Swann, a transfer from Appalachian State who played at LSU in 2024 and Vanderbilt in 2022 and ’23..
“Billy and AJ obviously are the two guys that have been competing since day one in camp and really last spring,” State coach Jeff Lebby said. “So, those guys have the ability to get work if Kamario isn’t ready to roll.”
Mississippi State also has former Florida quarterback Jaden Rashada, who previously played at Arizona State and Sacramento State.
LSU’s only new injury reported is backup linebacker Tylen Singleton, who is doubtful for the game.
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