Cowbell Corner

Could Michael Van Buren Be Mississippi State’s QB of the Future?

Despite a tough loss to Texas, Bulldogs' QB showed potential in his debut. Check out the top 5 stats from his performance.

Taylor Hodges

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) runs the ball in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) runs the ball in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby may have found his starting quarterback for the rest of 2024 and beyond.

True freshman Michael Van Buren wasn’t expected to lead the Bulldogs to a shocking upset win against No. 1 Texas, but he and the Bulldogs came close to doing just that. Alas, the Longhorns would win their SEC debut 35-13.

Mississippi State fans should be happy about what they saw from Van Buren on Saturday in Austin. Here are five stats to highlight in his first collegiate start:

9

That’s how many true freshman have started games at quarterback for Mississippi State. That’s not necessarily a bad thing (not a good thing either) and it looks the Bulldogs won’t have to look for No. 10 for a while.

2

That’s the number of players to have scored a touchdown against the Longhorns’ defense. The first was UTSA’s Robert Henry Jr. and Van Buren became the second with his 12-yard run into the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

0

That’s the number of interceptions Van Buren threw against Texas. Van Buren didn’t try to keep pace with Arch Manning. He completed just 12 passes for 144 yards and would’ve had more if not for a couple dropped passes.

6

That’s the number of times Van Buren was sacked against the No. 5 defense in FBS. Saturday was never going to be a smooth day for whoever lined up at quarterback for Mississippi State. Van Buren surely knew he was going to get hit and he did. The good thing, though, is he didn’t get injured and only had one strip-sack fumble.

34:57

That’s how long Van Buren and Mississippi State’s offense was on the field for. As previously noted, part of the Bulldogs’ upset formula required keeping Texas’ high-powered off the field and they did that, especially in the first half (22:03).

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs On SI:

Mississippi State's Future Brightens with Jeff Lebby's Ability to Adapt His Offense

Can Mississippi State Build on Strong Texas Performance to Secure an SEC Victory?

Mississippi State Football Exceeds Expectations In Loss: What Went Wrong?

Texas Avoids Upset to Mississippi State: What Went Right For Bulldogs?

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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