STARKVILLE — The difference in cheer was noticeable from the crowd at Davis Wade Stadium when Kamario Taylor led the offense onto the field for the first drive of the Egg Bowl. It was a cheer of realization at the history that was happening.

Taylor, a true freshman from just 30 minutes down the road, was getting his first start against “the school up north.”

The offense was already chasing the game after an opening touchdown by Ole Miss, as they would be for the rest of the contest. But even in defeat, there was belief that the program was moving in the right direction, and that giving the keys to Taylor helped showcase that.

“We are building this the right way,” head coach Jeff Lebby said. “You look at us from year one to year two, there’s been great growth and I think anyone can see that. I think we’ve got somebody, a man who’s going to catch a snap every single down that’s going to be an elite player in this conference, in America.”

The true freshman QB1 showed that confidence in his first press conference, particularly in the team’s offensive identity.

“With this offense, I feel like any wide receiver, any O-lineman, they’d want to play in this offense to showcase some good stuff on tape,” Taylor said when asked if he has a message for recruits or guys in the transfer portal. “I feel like they see what we’re building here. Once they have that conversation with Leb, because he’s a genuine guy, they’ll understand he means business and that this is something they want to be a part of.”

At the time, the positivity and confidence after a 38-19 loss was a little unusual, but just two weeks later, the glimpse of what is to come at quarterback next year has already had a measurable impact on the program’s offseason.

Going into the early signing window for high school recruits, the Bulldogs’ Class of 2026 ranked somewhere in the low 30s by most recruiting sites. By the end of early signing day on Wednesday, Dec. 3, the Bulldogs had a Top 25 class and had flipped a five-star and a four-star from rival SEC programs.

A few days later, as Lebby began making changes to his coaching staff, the Bulldogs made a surprise announcement that they would be playing in a bowl game despite a 5-7 record. The Duke’s Mayo Bowl became another stage to show what Taylor can do on the same day that the transfer portal officially opens, Jan. 2.

Just in case any fans needed more positivity, the day also came with a reaffirmation from running back Fluff Bothwell that he was a Bulldog.

There wasn’t much fear that MSU’s lead running back would return to the transfer portal, and one reason is Taylor. According to Bothwell, the pair became friends quickly when both arrived on campus in January and have only gotten closer as friends and teammates since. He saw his potential as a playmaker before many fans did, and redshirt freshman wide receiver Rickey Johnson even went as far as to predict a trip to New York for the Heisman trophy in Taylor’s future.

“Building it the right way around him, creating stability for (Taylor) will be huge,” Lebby said after the Egg Bowl. “We must go get the pieces that we need up front offensively, and that will be a huge point of emphasis as we get ready for the portal piece of it.”

Five-star safety Bralan Womack, the top player at his position according to 247 composite rankings, watched from the sideline at the Egg Bowl. Even in defeat, Taylor recorded more than 300 yards of offense, and that glimpse of the future stuck with Womack in the days leading up to his flip from Auburn to MSU.

“Growing up, I saw Mississippi State become No. 1 in the country. I saw Dak Prescott take over college football,” Womack told local media at his signing day event. “I see Kamario Taylor doing that in their future, and I want to be part of it. I want to leave a legacy, leave a footprint in this state that will live forever.”

Taylor had a similar sentiment in his process, though he remained committed to the Bulldogs through nearly the entire process. He told The Dispatch as a junior that he had wanted to play for MSU since he was a little kid, and that’s the kind of passion that Lebby has looked to tap into with top in-state recruits.

“Just so excited that at the end of the day, it was important for him to be a Bulldog,” Lebby said of Womack. “A guy that loves Mississippi State, and it was important for him to stay in the state and be a guy inside this signing class that we can lean on and depend on.”

Another top recruit, one who has been committed for more than a year, was Taylor’s younger brother, Jaiden.

A three-star recruit, Taylor played just about everything but lineman on offense, but caught Lebby’s attention in particular for his work at corner and safety.

Jaiden was on the field at Davis Wade for the first time with Noxubee County for the Class 3A state championship game last Saturday, a weekend headlined by a 7A title game featuring two running backs in MSU’s class from Tupelo and Gulfport.

Kamario brought Bothwell with him to the sidelines to support his younger brother and future teammate, but ultimately the Tigers lost in the title game for a fourth straight year.

Leaving the field, Jaiden spoke with The Dispatch about the heartbreak of falling short, but also the pride he felt with ending his Tiger career on the same field he’ll play on next year.

“It feels good,” he said of playing on Scott Field for the first time. “I see my brother on the sidelines and I love that.”

Just a week earlier, Jaiden watched Kamario and the Bulldogs suffer defeat in the Egg Bowl, but like his brother, he was holding his head high.

“It would have been better with a win, but I love that I came here and showed Mississippi State what I can do.”