Mississippi State delivered one of its biggest wins of the young 2026 season Saturday, traveling to Minneapolis and taking down Minnesota 38-13.
The Bulldogs came out firing and never allowed the Golden Gophers to establish control. Mississippi State scored 14 points in each of the first two quarters, taking a commanding 28-6 lead into halftime before cruising to the finish.
Taylor Leads The Way
Quarterback Kamario Taylor was excellent throughout the afternoon. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Taylor also made an impact with his legs, rushing for 86 yards as Mississippi State consistently found ways to move the football.
Running back Fluff Bothwell added another major weapon to the Bulldogs’ offense. He rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, including a 30-yard run.
Anthony Evans III was Taylor’s favorite target, finishing with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Bulldogs Control The Game
Mississippi State finished with 479 total yards, averaging seven yards per play. The Bulldogs were especially effective on the ground, rushing 46 times for 252 yards.
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for 279 yards, but the Gophers struggled to turn those yards into points. Minnesota finished with just 292 total yards and managed only two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs briefly gave Minnesota life when Taylor fumbled in the end zone in the third quarter, allowing the Gophers to cut the deficit to 28-13. Mississippi State immediately answered with a field goal and another touchdown from Bothwell.
A Big Win For Mississippi State
The victory moves Mississippi State to 2-0 and gives the Bulldogs plenty of momentum heading into SEC play.
After opening the season with a 62-13 win over ULM, Mississippi State has now scored 100 points through its first two games.
The Bulldogs will enter their next matchup with plenty of confidence after proving they can travel into Big Ten territory and dominate a quality Minnesota team.
