The Egg Bowl will not be played on a Saturday this year, as initially scheduled. Instead, the bitter rivalry matchup between Ole Miss and Mississippi State will follow the recent trend of taking place on Black Friday.
A rivalry that dates back to 1901, the 2026 showdown will mark the 123rd meeting between the Rebels and Bulldogs and the 99th edition of the Battle for the Golden Egg. Currently, Ole Miss holds an overall advantage of 67-49-6 against its in-state foe, and a 61-30-5 advantage on the field since the trophy’s introduction in 1927. The Rebels won the most recent matchup 38-19 in what would ultimately be Lane Kiffin’s last game as head coach.
While we know the date of the upcoming Egg Bowl, which will be played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, a kickoff time and television information have not been released.
A new chapter for both teams
Ole Miss will kick off the 2026-27 campaign under the tutelage of first-year head coach Pete Golding, who led the Rebels on a historic College Football Playoff run — one that ended with the team being one play away from advancing to the national championship. Golding and company have had success in retaining existing talent on the roster, while landing proven commodities in the transfer portal.
Running back Kewan Lacy headlines the list of returning starters as quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ legal team is fighting for another season for their client. On the transfer side, the Rebels have had players jump ship, as applies to every Division I program, but have reeled in potential day-one contributors like linebacker Keaton Thomas (Baylor) and wideout Darrell Gill Jr. (Syracuse).
Meanwhile, in Starkville, year three of the Jeff Lebby era will feature a homegrown talent behind center. Noxubee County native Kamario Taylor has given Bulldog faithful hope that a turnaround is imminent after a daunting past few seasons. Taylor, a dual-threat signal caller, shone in his debut start, one that ironically occurred in last season’s Egg Bowl, accounting for 351 total yards and two touchdowns. He and the team averted disaster after a Duke’s Mayo Bowl injury proved not to be as severe as it initially looked.
Mississippi State, like Ole Miss, has also worked the portal. The Bulldogs have beefed up both lines of scrimmage, which were glaring weak spots this past year, adding the likes of offensive tackles Tyler Miller (LSU) and Mario Nash (Florida State), along with defensive tackle Dealyn Evans (Texas A&M) and defensive end Amaree Williams (Florida State).
The Rebels will begin the 2026 season in Nashville versus Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 5, while the Bulldogs will open things up at home against Louisiana-Monroe on the same day. Full scheduled for both teams can be found here.
