Rivalry week in SEC Football officially gets underway Thursday night in Oxford as Ole Miss is set to host Mississippi State in the latest edition of the Egg Bowl. An in-state rivalry between the Rebels and Bulldogs that dates back to 1901, Ole Miss has won the last two meetings against Mississippi State, with last seasons being a 31-21 win in Starkville.
After beginning the season 7-0, Ole Miss comes into Thursday having dropped three of their last four games, a span that included a 42-27 road loss at Arkansas last Saturday night. Now holding an 8-3 overall record, the Rebels are ranked as the No. 20 team in the country according to the latest College Football Playoff rankings, with Ole Miss also holding a 4-3 mark in SEC Football play.
Averaging 35.3 PPG, the Rebels offense is led by one of the SEC’s top rushing attacks, one that is averaging 278.3 YPG on the ground. Headlining that group is the trio of Quinshon Judkins, Zach Evans, and quarterback Jaxson Dart, while the Rebels also have three clear top wide receivers in Jonathan Mingo, Malik Heath, and Jordan Watkins.
On defense, Ole Miss is allowing 24.2 PPG to opponents, and are led by the duo of Troy Brown and Otis Reese, both of which have 70+ tackles this season. AJ Finley and Tysheem Johnson are also among the Rebels top tacklers, while Jared Ivey, Cedric Johnson, Khari Coleman, Tavius Robinson, and JJ Pegues all have at-least three sacks this season.
Mississippi State however enters the Egg Bowl having won a week ago against East Tennessee State, which was also the Bulldogs second win in their last five games. Currently unranked, the Bulldogs also hold a 7-4 overall record, as well as a 3-4 mark in SEC Football play.
Led by one of the SEC’s top passers in Will Rogers (3,474 passing yards, 32:5 TD:INT), the Bulldogs offense is averaging 33.5 PPG, and features two names at the running back position in Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson. Mississippi State also has numerous names who have 200+ receiving yards this season, a group that includes Rara Thomas, Caleb Ducking, Rufus Harvey, Lideatrick Griffin, Austin Williams, Jaden Walley, and Justin Robinson.
The Bulldogs defense is allowing essentially the same to the Rebels as well at 24.4 PPG, with two clear top tacklers leading the way in Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson, both of which have 90+ tackles this season. Tyrus Wheat is the Bulldogs top pass rusher with five sacks on the year, while others such as Decamerion Richardson, Collin Duncan, Jalen Green, and Emmanuel Forbes are among the additional names to know.
Ole Miss vs Mississippi State Line, Spread, Over/Under
According to FanDuel, Ole Miss is a slim 2.5-point favorite over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl as of Tuesday. The over/under is currently at 58.5, while Ole Miss is -130 with Mississippi State at +108.
Ole Miss vs Mississippi State SEC Football Prediction
As indicated by the spread above, this game will likely be close between two offenses that are capable of making this contest a shootout on the scoreboard. As for who wins, I’ll say that the home field advantage for Ole Miss plays a factor, and the Rebels win the 2022 Egg Bowl in a one possession game. Prediction: Ole Miss 33, Mississippi State 28
What Channel is the Ole Miss vs Mississippi State Game On?
Played on Thursday, November 24 from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS, Ole Miss vs Mississippi State will begin at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN.
Ole Miss vs Mississippi State Live Stream
A live stream of the 2022 Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State can be found here on fuboTV.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change