Saturday will be the first all-time meeting between Minnesota and Mississippi State. Gophers fans are probably not too familiar with the Bulldogs’ roster, but here are five players you need to know before the highly-anticipated Week 2 matchup.
Kelley Jones, CB (4th year)
Jones is the top 2027 NFL Draft prospect on Mississippi State’s roster, and he’s viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in the country. Listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, he’s from Mississippi, and he has developed in the Bulldogs’ program every year. He totaled 34 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions last fall, and he’s a player that Minnesota’s receivers will be very familiar with on Saturday night.
Kamario Taylor, QB (2nd year)
Taylor is the Mississippi State player that everyone is talking about. Entering his first year as a starter, he received plenty of hype this offseason, and he added to it in Week 1 with more than 400 total yards and 5 total touchdowns against UL Monroe. He’s another Mississippi native, and he has all the trait of a dual-threat star, but he faces a big test in his first road start this weekend against Minnesota.
Anthony Evans III, WR (4th year)
Evans began his career at Georgia, but he has found his groove at Mississippi State after transferring to Starkville before the 2025 season. The Converse, Texas native had 67 catches for 831 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, and he had 7 catches for 118 yards and 1 touchdown in Week 1. Standing at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he does his work almost exclusively from the slot.
Isaac Smith, S (4th year)
Smith is another homegrown Mississippi native, who has developed at Mississippi State. He was a relatively highly-touted four-star high school prospect. After having 127 total tackles in 2024, he took a step back with just 64 total tackles last fall, but he’s arguably the best tackler on their defense.
Fluff Bothwell, RB (3rd year)
Bothwell transferred into Mississippi State last season from South Alabama. He finished the season with 142 carries for 677 yards and 6 touchdowns. Listed at 5-foot-10, 230 pounds, he was a bell-cow back with the Jaguars, but the Bulldogs have more options. Freshman J.J. Hill flashed for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 1, but Bothwell is probably still their top option.We are in the age of big media consolidation and content networks. But even with the proliferation of AI, nothing can beat the quality and inherent knowledge of local sports journalism. Our writing room consists of a Tommy, a Gopher, and even a Mustang. We know the Minnesota towns and the great names that played on its diamonds, courts, fields or rinks. Subscribe NOW to the new We would appreciate your readership and support!
This story was originally published by on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a