Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
'Go Big Or Go Home'
April 26, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – Ben Raybon has kicked at nearly every level college football has to offer.
After playing at the community college, Division II and FCS levels and degree in hand from Northern Colorado this past December, Raybon took a leap of faith that landed him on the biggest stage college football has to offer, the Southeastern Conference.
"The SEC is the cream of the crop," Raybon said. "It's just a little step below the NFL. To be able to come into the SEC West was the ultimate goal. I was definitely chasing after those big schools because I know that's where my talent level is and what I've always dreamed of doing. When I decided to jump in the (transfer) portal, it was go big or go home. I wasn't going to settle for anything less."
Raybon was contacted by a host of programs from around the country, including Mississippi State. The Bulldogs offered him a preferred walk-on position to join the team in the summer but he was able to convince the coaching staff that he needed to enroll immediately in order to compete in spring practices.
So less than a day after MSU called, Raybon packed his belongings and made the 19-hour drive from his hometown of Arvada, Colorado to Starkville to start classes in January.
"I really wanted to get here in the spring because I know how important it is to get integrated with the team and for (the coaches) to get eyes on me during spring ball and they can get to know me," Raybon said. "All of that plays a factor. It's such a golden opportunity for me to be able to get here during the spring and get to work right away."
Raybon was blown away when he saw the Bulldogs' facilities for the first time. Needless to say, it was a far cry from what he was accustomed to during his college football journey.
"It's a world of difference," Raybon said. "Our facilities here are on steroids times 10 compared to what we had back there. They did everything they could with the resources that they had and I definitely got to experience some really cool things while I was there. The resources that we have here allow me to really make the most of this opportunity and excel my kicking to a level it hasn't been before. It's honestly been more than I could have ever imagined."
Raybon began his collegiate kicking career at Division II Fort Collins in 2017, then transferred to Garden City Community College in Kansas before moving on to kick at the FCS level at Northern Colorado in 2019 and 2021. Through those four seasons, the left-footer converted 39 of his 52 field goals (75 percent) with a long of 57 yards last year.
Raybon also served as the Bears' kickoff specialist. Last fall, 22 of his 35 kickoffs resulted in a touchback.
At Mississippi State, Raybon is competing with another graduate transfer the Bulldogs brought in from Coastal Carolina in Massimo Biscardi.
"Both those guys can compete for the kicker and kickoff jobs," said special teams coordinator Eric Mele. "Those are two guys who are combo guys that have played in college before and been successful. It'll be exciting to see who wins that job."
And while there's a position battle between the two, Raybon and Biscardi have developed a friendship during their short stint in Starkville this spring.
"It's a wide-open competition and will go to whoever outperforms the other one," Raybon said. "I've gotten to know Massimo and we've gotten pretty tight. It's a competition and we both recognize that. But at the end of the day, we both still support each other and are still teammates and friends. In football, competition breeds success."
Raybon began playing college football in 2017 and is grateful to get the opportunity to conclude his collegiate career at Mississippi State and live out a lifelong ambition of his.
"All I've been thinking about is how excited I am for fall and Saturdays," Raybon said. "All the work that I've put in for the past five years basically has all been building up to this point. I couldn't be more thrilled to be here for my last year. It literally could not be more of a dream come true. I've been dreaming about this since I was a kid."
After playing at the community college, Division II and FCS levels and degree in hand from Northern Colorado this past December, Raybon took a leap of faith that landed him on the biggest stage college football has to offer, the Southeastern Conference.
"The SEC is the cream of the crop," Raybon said. "It's just a little step below the NFL. To be able to come into the SEC West was the ultimate goal. I was definitely chasing after those big schools because I know that's where my talent level is and what I've always dreamed of doing. When I decided to jump in the (transfer) portal, it was go big or go home. I wasn't going to settle for anything less."
Raybon was contacted by a host of programs from around the country, including Mississippi State. The Bulldogs offered him a preferred walk-on position to join the team in the summer but he was able to convince the coaching staff that he needed to enroll immediately in order to compete in spring practices.
So less than a day after MSU called, Raybon packed his belongings and made the 19-hour drive from his hometown of Arvada, Colorado to Starkville to start classes in January.
"I really wanted to get here in the spring because I know how important it is to get integrated with the team and for (the coaches) to get eyes on me during spring ball and they can get to know me," Raybon said. "All of that plays a factor. It's such a golden opportunity for me to be able to get here during the spring and get to work right away."
Raybon was blown away when he saw the Bulldogs' facilities for the first time. Needless to say, it was a far cry from what he was accustomed to during his college football journey.
"It's a world of difference," Raybon said. "Our facilities here are on steroids times 10 compared to what we had back there. They did everything they could with the resources that they had and I definitely got to experience some really cool things while I was there. The resources that we have here allow me to really make the most of this opportunity and excel my kicking to a level it hasn't been before. It's honestly been more than I could have ever imagined."
Raybon began his collegiate kicking career at Division II Fort Collins in 2017, then transferred to Garden City Community College in Kansas before moving on to kick at the FCS level at Northern Colorado in 2019 and 2021. Through those four seasons, the left-footer converted 39 of his 52 field goals (75 percent) with a long of 57 yards last year.
Raybon also served as the Bears' kickoff specialist. Last fall, 22 of his 35 kickoffs resulted in a touchback.
At Mississippi State, Raybon is competing with another graduate transfer the Bulldogs brought in from Coastal Carolina in Massimo Biscardi.
"Both those guys can compete for the kicker and kickoff jobs," said special teams coordinator Eric Mele. "Those are two guys who are combo guys that have played in college before and been successful. It'll be exciting to see who wins that job."
And while there's a position battle between the two, Raybon and Biscardi have developed a friendship during their short stint in Starkville this spring.
"It's a wide-open competition and will go to whoever outperforms the other one," Raybon said. "I've gotten to know Massimo and we've gotten pretty tight. It's a competition and we both recognize that. But at the end of the day, we both still support each other and are still teammates and friends. In football, competition breeds success."
Raybon began playing college football in 2017 and is grateful to get the opportunity to conclude his collegiate career at Mississippi State and live out a lifelong ambition of his.
"All I've been thinking about is how excited I am for fall and Saturdays," Raybon said. "All the work that I've put in for the past five years basically has all been building up to this point. I couldn't be more thrilled to be here for my last year. It literally could not be more of a dream come true. I've been dreaming about this since I was a kid."
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