OXFORD
As the final seconds ticked off the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium scoreboard Thursday night, Mississippi State fans could take delight in the football team’s dominating 35-3 victory against Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg.
In the last two rivalry games played in this stadium, MSU has outscored its biggest rival 90-23.
Those numbers will make any MSU fan happy.
The end of the regular season also means those fans can come to terms with their feelings about an 8-4 regular season and upcoming bowl game.
Many fans felt like the team could be a 10-game winner and challenge Alabama for the Southeastern Conference Western Division title. Many national pundits had the Bulldogs slotted for eight or nine wins.
Joe Moorhead learned a new conference on the fly in his first season as coach of the Bulldogs. There were growing pains in early season losses to Kentucky and Florida.
In the end, the Bulldogs pretty much finished as expected. The team will play in a ninth-straight bowl game and finish in the top 20 of the College Football Playoff standings.
On defense, the Bulldogs held seven opponents to 10 points or less. Against Ole Miss, MSU allowed 189 yards. The Rebels ran 29 times for 37 yards. It was the first time this season Ole Miss was held without a touchdown.
Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop made the biggest impression on the MSU fan base. He inherited a talented defense but placed the players in a position to make plays. The unit surrendered a nation’s best 12 points per game this season.
On offense, Moorhead re-invented himself midway through the season. Known for his offensive pedigree, MSU managed one touchdown in a 28-7 loss to Kentucky and two field goals in a 13-6 loss to Florida.
If there is any regret this season, it would be the deflating home loss to Florida. That was the only loss in seven games at Davis Wade Stadium.
Still, the sport is all about positive momentum and the Bulldogs will carry plenty into the bowl game. The final two regular-season games were routs of Arkansas and Ole Miss by a combined score of 87-9.
The Bulldogs ran the football more in the second half of the season and the results proved satisfactory. Nick Fitzgerald (18 rushes, 117 yards) and Kylin Hill (17 rushes, 108 yards) topped the 100-yard mark against the Rebels. Aeris Williams added 11 carries for 64 yards in his final Egg Bowl.
Overall, the Bulldogs ran 51 times for 309 yards.
After committing five turnovers in a 31-28 loss to Ole Miss last season, the Bulldogs had a perfect turnover worksheet Thursday night.
The coaching staff should remain intact in the year ahead, and there is plenty of talent returning on both sides of the ball. It appears to be Keytaon Thompson’s show at quarterback. Moorhead has his future quarterback lined up as well. There also is a possibility Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant joins the fold.
A talented group of running backs and receivers will return.
On defense, Shoop has enough playmakers back to have another elite squad.
Another thing MSU fans saw Thursday night was a Bulldog team playing with passion in an Egg Bowl. The game was intense throughout with a benches-clearing melee at the end of the third quarter and a brief disturbance during the handshake line after the game.
Some thought Dan Mullen wasn’t as concerned about this rivalry game late in his tenure at MSU. That wasn’t the case Thursday night.
All in all, the future is bright. The right coaches are in place. Recruiting already was picking up before two dominating victories to close the regular season.
Now, as was so often the case under Mullen, the Bulldogs begin their quest for that next level.
Scott Walters is a sports writer for The Dispatch. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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