Mississippi State host Alabama at Davis Wade Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for Noon Eastern (11:00 AM Local) on October 3rd.
Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor are two of the most exciting sophomore quarterbacks in the country, and they will go head-to-head on Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi.
Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor has arguably been the biggest surprise of the 2026 college football season, rapidly climbing the Heisman Trophy odds. The young quarterback makes throwing the deep ball look easy and has the athleticism to create plays with his legs.
Taylor joined Mississippi State as a four-star recruit and the No. 3 overall prospect in the state of Mississippi. After serving as a backup for most of his freshman season with the Bulldogs, he has emerged as one of the most exciting players to come out of Starkville since Dak Prescott.
Russell was a much higher-rated prospect out of high school, joining Alabama as a five-star recruit and the No. 2 overall prospect in the nation from Duncanville, Texas.
Russell appeared in only two games during his freshman season before beating senior quarterback Austin Mack for the starting role this year. He has shown remarkable poise in the pocket and possesses a similar frame and skill set to Taylor.
The Alabama quarterback has also made an early case for the Heisman Trophy, and both players will undoubtedly be watched closely by NFL scouts across the country this weekend, despite not being eligible for the NFL Draft until 2028.
Keelon Russell vs. Kamario Taylor 2026 Season Stats
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
Games Played | 4 | 4 |
Pass Attempts | 110 | 120 |
Completions | 78 | 83 |
Passing Yards | 1,129 | 1,192 |
Passing TDs | 8 | 14 |
Yards Per Attempt | 10.3 | 9.9 |
Completion Percentage | 70.9 | 69.2 |
Interceptions | 2 | 2 |
Sacks | 8 | 8 |
Russell and Taylor have had nearly identical sophomore seasons thus far, however, only one quarterback can remain undefeated after they meet on Saturday.
Taylor has the slight edge in counting stats (completions, yards, and touchdowns), but Russell has been slightly more efficient, connecting on 70.9% of his passes compared to Taylor's 69.2%.
Keelon Russell vs. Kamario Taylor's Player Props
All odds written in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. College player props are not available in all states.
Touchdown Odds
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
Anytime Touchdown | -125 | -115 |
First Touchdown | +700 | +750 |
2+ Touchdowns | +425 | +500 |
Passing Touchdowns
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
Over | 1.5 -130 | 1.5 -145 |
Under | 1.5 +100 | 1.5 +115 |
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
1+ Passing TD | -800 | -750 |
2+ Passing TDs | -130 | -145 |
3+ Passing TDs | +265 | +240 |
4+ Passing TDs | +800 | +725 |
5+ Passing TDs | +1700 | +1600 |
Passing Yards
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
Over | 269.5 -115 | 256.5 -115 |
Under | 269.5 -115 | 256.5 -115 |
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
200+ Passing Yards | -800 | -440 |
225+ Passing Yards | -350 | -230 |
250+ Passing Yards | -180 | -130 |
275+ Passing Yards | -105 | +130 |
300+ Passing Yards | +172 | +220 |
325+ Passing Yards | +300 | +375 |
350+ Passing Yards | +500 | +600 |
Interceptions
Keelon Russell | Kamario Taylor | |
1+ INT | -105 | -135 |
2+ INTs | +500 | +350 |
3+ INTs | +1500 | +1050 |
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