Cowbell Corner Liberty Bowl MVP: Rara Thomas

There aren’t just a whole lot of positives to take from Mississippi State’s 34-7 defeat at the hands of Texas Tech on Tuesday night, but if there is a silver lining, it’s that of a young wide receiver with a wicked upside.

Freshman wideout Rara Thomas caught MSU’s lone score on the night, with a 17-yard touchdown grab on a throw from Will Rogers. This wasn’t the only time Thomas has stepped up this season, though.

Thomas finished his freshman season with 18 receptions for 252 yards and 5 scores. While those numbers may not jump off the stat sheet, it’s just how Thomas gets those touchdowns that show his potential. Thomas’s longest reception on the season was for 37 yards, with an average of 14 yards per catch.

With the loss of some key players to the receiving corps, MSU is going to need some form of downfield or red zone threat going forward, and at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Thomas just might have the size and speed to do both going forward.

Without a doubt, Thomas has made an impact on this Bulldog team in a very short time in the system, so look out for him going forward as head coach Mike Leach looks to incorporate the talented wide-out into the system even more in the years to come.