A Most Valuable Bowl-Dog
January 03, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
Justin Robinson’s ReliaQuest Bowl showing displays his tremendous potential.
TAMPA, Fla. – The first play of the fourth quarter was about to go down in Monday's ReliaQuest Bowl and it was a big one. Mississippi State was trailing Illinois 10-3 at the time, but the Bulldogs were going for it on 4th-and-2 from the Fighting Illini 8-yard line. It was crunch time.
Before the play, MSU receiver Justin Robinson said discussions were ongoing. What would the Dawgs run?
"They told us it was going to be a post route," Robinson would later recall. "Then it was supposed to be a run play. I said, 'No, I'm trying to get a touchdown.' So, I definitely wanted that one."
Robinson wanted it, and Robinson got it. The football was snapped, quarterback Will Rogers made his reads, then Rogers fired a strike to Robinson in the back of the end zone. Robinson hauled in the ball and just got the toes on his right foot down for the score.
Just like that, the game was tied, State was on the way to an eventual 19-10 victory and Robinson had his highlight-reel moment from what was an award-winning day.
.@4Ljrob FOR THE TIE‼️#HailState🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/sWI2iD6tth
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) January 2, 2023
Robinson was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the ReliaQuest Bowl. He racked up 81 yards on seven catches, including his game-shifting touchdown reception.
All day long, Robinson was right in the middle of things to help State notch only its ninth nine-win season in program history.
It's easy to remember the touchdown grab, but what about the 25-yard reception late in the second quarter that helped State get on the scoreboard just before halftime? He had two other catches that resulted in double-digit yardage as well.
This was the Justin Robinson Mississippi State knew it had when the 6-foot-4 Georgia native made the call to transfer after two years with his home-state Bulldogs to Starkville's Maroon and White-clad bunch prior to this season.
All year long, it seemed Robinson's production increased by the week. But if anyone somehow overlooked it, Robinson made sure to reemphasize his progression with his career day Monday down in Tampa.
"There's a reason we brought him in and recruited him," State head coach Zach Arnett said of Robinson after the game. "You see it every day in practice. Obviously, he's a matchup nightmare [for an opponent's] defense. When you're that big and strong but yet you can also run, it makes it miserable as a defensive coach to try to find a way to match up on him.
"So, we've been on our fair share of the losing end of match-ups with him in practice. It was good to see him get the opportunity [on Monday] to go out and make the plays and execute because he certainly needed to."
Robinson needed to for his team, but he also needed it for himself as he continues to build personal momentum headed into a 2023 when he could be one of the Bulldogs' biggest weapons. That's certainly Robinson's plan.
Robinson's 2022 highlights were great. He had his first-ever collegiate start, led the Dawgs in catches in a huge win over Texas A&M and of course, took home his ReliaQuest Bowl hardware.
But if Robinson has it his way, all that's only the beginning. He's just getting started.
"I feel like I put something on my name a little bit," Robinson said. "Can only go up from here."
____________________________________________________________________________________Your @ReliaQuestBowl MVP ⤵️@4Ljrob 👏👏👏#HailState🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/iP3KASEPDq
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) January 2, 2023
