In one of the most anticipated Egg Bowl matchups in recent years, the Mississippi State Bulldogs fell 41-24 to the Ole Miss Rebels.
In a game featuring an Ole Miss team searching for a bowl berth and a State team looking for attention from major bowl representatives, Ole Miss came out on top, knocking MSU to an 8-4 (4-4) record and moving the Rebels to 6-6 (3-5).
Ole Miss jumped off to a great start, scoring in the first two minutes of the game; however, State would not let the Rebels hold the lead for long. On the ensuing kickoff, Jameon Lewis quieted the Rebel fans, returning the kickoff 100 yards to tie the game at seven.
The Bulldog defense opened the game with two lackluster defensive tries, allowing Ole Miss to gain over 130 yards on its first two drives. But on the Rebels’ second drive, State senior Cameron Lawrence intercepted Rebel quarterback Bo Wallace after Ole Miss drove to the MSU three-yard-line.
However, this turnover resulted in zero points, as the Dawgs drove down to the Rebel 24-yard line, followed by a missed 41-yard field goal attempt by Devon Bell.
Head coach Dan Mullen said the team struggled throughout the game.
“We just did not play well,” Mullen said. “We did not execute, and we didn’t capitalize on opportunities.”
After stopping Ole Miss on its next few drives, junior Tyler Russell found senior Chad Bumphis for a 42-yard touchdown pass after an athletic scramble by Russell to get away from pressure.
Following a second interception by Lawrence, State still could not find a way to put points on the board. The first quarter ended with a 14-7 lead by the three-time defending Egg Bowl Champions, MSU.
The Rebel offense began the second quarter the same as the first, ending its drive with a score. The 43-yard field goal by Bryson Rose had the Rebels within four points of the lead at 14-10.
After MSU drove the ball to the Ole Miss 18-yard line, a risky fourth down decision to go for the first instead of kicking a short field goal resulted in a turnover on downs for the Dawgs.
Two plays later, Bo Wallace connected with Serderius Bryant for a 77-yard touchdown strike to put the Rebs in the lead with a score of 17-14 late in the second quarter.
The offense for State kept its head up and drove down into Ole Miss territory, resulting in a 23-yard field goal for the Bulldogs, tying the game at 17-17. In a game full of lead changes, the half ended with the score tied at 17-17.
Offensive coordinator Les Koenning said the play the Dogs ran on fourth down had gone for a touchdown in practice earlier that week.
“I felt really confident in that play,” Koenning said. “We just didn’t execute.”
The second half started off with an MSU opening drive that resulted in a punt, followed by an Ole Miss field goal. On the ensuing Bulldog drive, Russell threw his second interception of the game, landing the Rebs at the 50-yard line with a 20-17 lead midway through the third quarter.
An untimely facemask penalty by Lawrence allowed Ole Miss to continue to drive down the field, leading in another touchdown reception for Donte Moncrief.
The third quarter spelled the end for the Bulldogs, as the defense could not stop Moncrief and Wallace’s aerial attack. Moncrief ended the third quarter with 173 yards and three touchdowns on only seven receptions. The Rebels ended the third quarter ahead 34-17, shutting out State in quarter number three.
Defensive coordinator Chris Wilson said his defense struggled with the tempo of the Rebel offense.
“The blame is on everyone’s shoulders,” Wilson said. “Now it is time to work on bowl preparation.”
But the scoring barricade did not end for the rest of the game, as Ole Miss would score again, ending the game in a 41-24 Rebel victory after Dak Prescott ended State’s scoring with a touchdown pass to Bumphis with seven seconds remaining in the game.
As the final horn sounded, Mississippi State was handed its first Egg Bowl loss since 2008. Now Bulldog nation must wait to see where the Dogs will land in their bowl game, a decision which will be announced next Sunday night.
