Mississippi State took the field Saturday with an interim head coach, a skeleton staff and an opponent everyone expected them to lose to. Louisville had a Heisman winner at quarterback, while State had a true freshman making his first start ever after its usual starting quarterback was hurt in the final game of the regular season. The Bulldogs had injuries, absences, illnesses and more. By the end of the first half, only one of their four captains was even still able to play.
And MSU won, the 2017 Taxslayer Bowl Champions. Not only did they win, but that freshman stole the show on the same field as the winner of college football’s greatest award.