Mississippi State’s 2025 season is drawing to a close with the 122nd edition of the Egg Bowl.
The Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6 SEC) face College Football Playoff hopefuls, No. 6 Ole Miss, in need of just one more win to attain bowl eligibility.
The Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC) have a lot to lose in the matchup. On top of in-state bragging rights, a win would all but guarantee a host bid for the playoff next month, and would also boost their resume in the event that head coach Lane Kiffin picks a Gators or Tigers hat during his special decision on Saturday.
Here’s how to watch the game, and what to watch for.
What: Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss
When: 11 a.m. on Friday
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville
TV: ABC
Betting line: Ole Miss favored by 6.5, over/under at 62.5
Weather: Partly cloudy and cool, with highs in the mid-50s and some cloud cover, per AccuWeather.
Records/rankings: MSU is 5-6, 1-6 in SEC play, and one win away from bowl eligibility.
Ole Miss is 10-1 and ranked at No. 6 with a real chance at reaching the College Football Playoff.
Series history: Ole Miss leads the all-time series 68-46-6 and has won four of the last five meetings. The Bulldogs haven’t won in Starkville since the 2019 Egg Bowl, which featured the infamous Elijah Moore urinating dog celebration on a last-minute touchdown. The celebration was penalized, adding 15 yards to a doomed point-after attempt that saw MSU win 21-20.
Mississippi State update: The Bulldogs saw Albert Reese IV return from injury in the last two games, but Isaac Smith was out against Mizzou after suffering an injury against Georgia. His status is uncertain at the time of reporting, as Lebby did not offer an update, but the first SEC availability report on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. will shed some light on the situation.
MSU receiver Brenen Thompson left the Mizzou game and did not return in the second half, but met with media on Sunday and noted that he is “back and rolling” for his Senior Day game.
Ole Miss update: There has been an avalanche of speculation about head coach Lane Kiffin’s future since the Florida and LSU jobs opened up midseason, and there will finally be an official update from the university after the conclusion of the Egg Bowl.
So, apart from the potential of a head coach abandoning his team in the midst of a national championship push, there’s a lot to be afraid of from this Ole Miss team. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has taken great care of the football as both a passer and a runner, and the offense has gotten a significant boost from the emergence of running back Kewan Lacy as well, who had a career-best game against the Gators with 224 yards and three touchdowns in his last outing.
Ole Miss players to watch: QB Trinidad Chambliss, RB Kewan Lacy, TE Dae’Quan Wright, DL Princewill Umanmielen, LB Suntarine Perkins, LB TJ Dottery
Prediction: This one is hard to predict. Not because Mississippi State is fresh off of two blowout losses yet carries all sorts of offensive potential, and not because Ole Miss is a playoff hopeful in the midst of a possible head coach departure.
It’s hard to predict because Egg Bowls are notoriously weird.
The immaculate deflection, the “piss and the miss,” head flips, “Wallacing”; the rivalry has seen all sorts of twists and turns regardless of what team was favored and why.
So, let’s get weird.
Both teams come to play and make for a fascinating offensive game, with Ole Miss eating up much of the game on the ground and MSU playing catch-up through the air. The Bulldogs take advantage of a messy second half and secure a late comeback victory.
Mississippi State 30, Ole Miss 28
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