Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State preview: Egg Bowl showdown with top-10 stakes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Egg Bowl doesn’t need hype; this rivalry has been throwing gasoline on the fire for over a century. When Ole Miss and Mississippi State meet, logic goes out the window, rankings get blurred, and pride becomes the only thing that matters. That’s what makes this matchup so dangerous for a top-10 Ole Miss team looking to solidify its postseason résumé.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLane Kiffin’s Rebels enter the week ranked No. 7, powered by one of the nation’s most efficient offenses. Ole Miss averages 36 points per game, good for 13th in the country, and they pair that with a defense allowing 22.2 points, ranking a respectable 36th nationally. Balanced, explosive, and confident—this is a program eyeing the playoff conversation.
But rivalry week is where underdogs make their living, and Mississippi State embodies that spoiler energy. The Bulldogs score 28.4 points per game (50th nationally) and give up 31.2 (106th), but none of that matters when the Egg Bowl trophy is on the line. This is a game built on emotion, grudges, and decades of moments that defied expectations.
Ole Miss leads the historic series 66–46–6, yet anyone who follows this rivalry knows that records have never protected a favorite. If Mississippi State can force this game into chaos early, we could have another classic.
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