With Kamario Taylor ruled out, Parker "Billy" Puckett makes his first career start as No. 16 Mississippi State tries to steal one in Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. — The oldest series on LSU's schedule gets a brand-new face under center.
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC) visits No. 22 LSU (4-2, 1-2) at noon ET on ESPN without quarterback Kamario Taylor, who was ruled out on the final SEC availability report. Taylor has thrown for 1,450 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. Redshirt freshman Parker "Billy" Puckett, who has never started a college game, gets the call, with senior transfer AJ Swann also available.
That is a hard first assignment. ESPN's Football Power Index rates the LSU defense third in the country, and Princewill Umanmielen already has eight sacks. Tiger Stadium seats 102,321, and the Tigers are 4-0 there this season.
Puckett will also be without leading rusher Fluff Bothwell (403 yards), who is out. His best friend should be Anthony Evans III, who has 40 catches for 574 yards and five touchdowns. The Bulldogs come in rested after an open week that followed a 56-23 loss to Alabama on Oct. 3.
LSU has its own wounds. Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green are out, and the Tigers are still stinging from last Saturday's 35-34 overtime loss at Kentucky, their second road defeat of the year. Sam Leavitt has thrown for 1,496 yards and 10 touchdowns, though his eight interceptions give the Bulldogs something to hunt. Dilin Jones has 482 rushing yards, and Winston Watkins Jr. leads the team with 416 receiving yards.
Both teams need this one in a crowded league race. LSU, in Lane Kiffin's first season, cannot afford a third SEC loss before a trip to Auburn. Mississippi State, in Jeff Lebby's third season, hosts Oklahoma next.
The history leans purple and gold. The schools first met in 1896, and LSU leads the 117-game series 76-38-3. LSU's four national championships came in 1958, 2003, 2007 and 2019. Mississippi State's lone SEC title came in 1941.
Weather could matter, too. ESPN's forecast calls for gusts near 27 mph, which could make life harder on both passing games and on a quarterback making his debut.
Our score assumes Puckett starts, because Taylor was ruled out on the final SEC report. With Puckett, we see LSU 34, Mississippi State 18. If Taylor had played, it would look more like LSU 32, Mississippi State 21.
Our call: LSU 34, Mississippi State 18.