STARKVILLE — Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell was already thinking about next year when he heard the news that his team would be playing a bowl game.
“I was getting ready to go home, and (head coach Jeff Lebby) told me, so I was like, it gives us an opportunity to see what the future holds,” Bothwell recounted, “and how we can come back from what we’ve been through. And really just get us ready for next year.”
“Twin, we need this game,” Bothwell said to teammate and friend, Kamario Taylor.
The freshman quarterback was one of the first teammates Fluff became acquainted with at MSU, but even with Taylor’s stature in the incoming freshman recruiting class, Bothwell didn’t know who he was just yet. He soon found out.
“I actually didn’t know who he was when I first got here. I’d seen him on campus, I thought he was a receiver or something. I went to the academic center and he told me he was a quarterback, and showed me his highlights and stuff. I knew he was special then.”
Taylor and Bothwell quickly became friends, and over the course of the season their production on the field has made them the standout returners for the 2026 MSU offense.
Both players got to showcase their talents early on for the Bulldogs, though neither got to hit full speed just yet.
Bothwell quickly emerged as a primary back for MSU, recording 405 yards and six touchdowns through the first five games of the season, but an ankle injury against Texas A&M slowed him down. After missing games against Florida and Texas, Bothwell returned against Arkansas with limited use while he worked his way back to 100%.
Taylor meanwhile emerged as a situational weapon for the Bulldogs, but was too productive to keep on the sideline for long. He scored 10 total touchdowns in the final six games of the season, with at least one in each game.
Taylor’s presence helped open up lanes in the rushing game, and the pair combined for more than 250 yards in the Egg Bowl loss to Ole Miss, Taylor’s first start.
“The defense, it’s pretty hard for them to know what’s going to happen, who’s going to get it,” Bothwell said. “Everybody on the offensive side, we’re all weapons, so it’s pretty hard to keep up with that. It’s going to be awesome to see that next year.”
The pair realize that they’re stepping into leadership positions on the team. Taylor, in particular, has taken a lead in helping to recruit potential transfers, and he recognizes the opportunity the bowl game presents for the current squad to advertise what’s happening in Starkville.
“It’s building a lot of trust in it with everyone else,” Taylor said. “Showing the guys that are fixing to come in, guys who are going in the portal, this is going to be something they want to be a part of. Once they see the film, see the proof in the pudding. Those reps have made me very confident and more comfortable.”
Bothwell, who spoke to the media right after Taylor last week, echoed a similar message of confidence. He took the time to recommit himself to the program on social media, eliminating any doubts that he might enter the transfer portal again, and he let everyone know why.
“Just a belief I’ve got in the head guy, ‘cause Lebby and the guy ya’ll just got done talking to, I believe there’s going to be special moments and things created here,” he said. “And we’re going to get back to how it’s supposed to be.”
“I feel like I’m built for it,” Taylor said of stepping up. “I waited patiently, grinding every day, day in and day out. I feel like God’s time is the best time, and this is the time to show it.”
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