5 Games Out: Kamario Taylor Out for Season After Toe Surgery

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will miss the final five regular-season games of 2026 after the university announced Tuesday that the sophomore requires surgery on a toe in his right foot. The announcement follows a decline in team performance; after starting the season 4-0 with wins over South Carolina, Minnesota, and Missouri, the Bulldogs are now 4-3 following three consecutive losses.

Taylor, who became a full-time starter this year after taking over late in the 2025 season, struggled with the injury beginning in Week 4 during the win against Missouri. He missed a loss to LSU and was limited during an Oct. 3 loss to Alabama, a game he did not finish. He eventually left the first half of the Week 8 loss to Oklahoma.

Taylor Records 17 Touchdowns Before Season-Ending Injury

Before the injury hampered his play, Taylor recorded 14 touchdowns and two interceptions during the team’s initial undefeated stretch. He finishes the 2026 campaign with 1,460 passing yards on 104-of-159 attempts, totaling 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. On the ground, he recorded one touchdown and 147 yards on 46 carries.

Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor will miss remainder of the season following toe injury

In a school statement, Taylor said, Over the last few weeks, I’ve worked every day with our medical staff and done everything possible to be out there with my teammates. Missing the rest of this season is hard to accept, but I know God has a plan.

Quarterback Transition

Parker Puckett will replace Taylor as the starter for the remainder of the regular season. Puckett has appeared in four games this year, completing 41 of 64 passes for 368 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. In the 23-15 loss to Oklahoma, Puckett completed 17-of-24 passes for 158 yards and his first touchdown of the season.

5 Games Out: Kamario Taylor Out for Season After Toe Surgery

The Bulldogs face No. 11 Texas on Halloween, followed by matchups against Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee Tech, before concluding the season with the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss.

More on Kamario Taylor

Sources: Mississippi State star QB Kamario Taylor will miss the rest of the season, as he faces surgery on his injured toe. Taylor has an appointment today to get his toe checked out by a specialist and could have surgery as early as tomorrow. He’s expected to make a full… pic.twitter.com/pjGe4a6anQ

— https://x.com/PeteThamel/status/2115108649102184489