A longstanding tradition on the gridiron will take place once more with bitter rivals Ole Miss and Mississippi State set to square off for the 121st Egg Bowl.
Though this year’s rivalry matchup may not be as consequential as it has been in years past, there is still incentive for both the Rebels and Bulldogs to come out victorious. Ole Miss won last year’s battle 17-7, meaning the motivation of revenge will lie with Mississippi State.
For No. 14 Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC), a win would give Lane Kiffin and company a slight ray of hope in the pursuit to compete for a national championship after playoff odds were greatly diminished this past weekend.
Completely eliminating the Rebels from the playoff conversation would give a Mississippi State (2-9, 0-7 SEC) club hungry for its first conference win a palatable ending to an otherwise lackluster start of the Jeff Lebby era.
Below is a preview of each team, plus how to watch and listen to Friday’s game.
Ole Miss
Winning the Egg Bowl has somewhat been a ritual for Kiffin and his Rebels. In his tenure at Ole Miss, the frontman boasts a 3-1 record over the program’s in-state nemesis — keeping in line with an all-time record of 65-47-6 in favor of the Rebels. This year, Kiffin intends to keep Ole Miss at the apex of football in the Magnolia State.
“It’s a huge game. Obviously a lot of history with this matchup. It means a lot in this state,” Kiffin said in his weekly press conference. “It wasn’t one that we were very familiar with coming in five years ago. It became very familiar, especially when going around the state speaking with people.”
Ole Miss has struggled to run the ball this year, which is uncharacteristic for a Kiffin offense. Nonetheless, veteran quarterback Jaxson Dart has solidified himself as one of the most reliable field generals in the sport. For the Rebels to come out on top on Friday, Dart will need to be sharp and utilize a cornucopia of weapons in the nation’s top passing offense.
At this time, star wideout Tre Harris is listed as questionable to play after suffering yet another injury at Florida. Starting running back Henry Parrish, Jr. is notably ruled out for the contest.
On the other side of the ball, the Rebels will lean on stalwart defense, and for good reason. Pete Golding’s group has consistently been one of the best in the nation all season. Veteran defensive tackle Jared Ivey and standout linebacker Suntarine Perkins have helped Ole Miss emerge as the sack leader in the NCAA. Their experience and talent will be used to slow a high-powered offense led by a talented, up-and-coming Bulldog quarterback.
Ole Miss is currently favored by 26.5 points in the rivalry game. If the Rebels just stick to a solid game plan and avoid costly turnovers, a victory will more than likely be on the horizon.
Mississippi State
Lebby, a former offensive coordinator at Ole Miss, has a golden opportunity to show up his former boss. The Bulldogs’ struggles have especially magnified in conference play this season, but Lebby and company are looking at the Egg Bowl as a new lease on life to close out their inaugural campaign.
“This game is a huge deal. Knowing what it means to our fanbase, to our university, to our community, and Starkville — it’s a big deal from a recruiting standpoint and how we recruit against each other inside this state,” Lebby said in his weekly press conference. “We’ve got a ton to play for and we need to be at our best.”
Mississippi State’s record does not accurately reflect how improved the Bulldogs have been offensively this year compared to last season. If Lebby’s squad desires to go toe-to-toe with one of the country’s most ferocious defenses, freshman signal caller Michael Van Buren, Jr. will have to be at his best.
Fortunately, Van Buren will have reliable weapons in Kevin Coleman, Jr. and Mario Craver as well as a solid ground attack led by Davon Booth to rely on in the in-state showdown.
Defense has visibly been the Bulldogs’ weakest area as a team. On Friday, Mississippi State will simply need its defensive linemen and linebackers to get pressure on Dart. That task, as tall as it may seem with the Bulldogs only logging eight total sacks all year, is not impossible considering Ole Miss’ woes on the offensive line.
Odds are certainly not in Mississippi State’s favor in the annual affair, but the Bulldogs have proven formidable in other contests against conference foes this year. A bout of good fortune and a series of heroic plays could move the pendulum in the visiting team’s favor.
How to watch
Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
TV: ABC
Radio: Participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations
