No. 7 Ole Miss cruises past Mississippi State in Egg Bowl as attention shifts to Lane Kiffin's decision

It certainly wasn't a perfect starting debut for Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor, but the true freshman did provide plenty of reason for hope in his first game leading the Bulldog offense. The former top-100 prospect completed just 15 of his 31 pass attempts for 178 yards with one interception. 

He did display nice arm talent and he made some good throws for a freshman. The interception also wasn't entirely his fault, as the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and then again by Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell right into the arms of Ole Miss defender Princewill Umanmielen. 

Taylor's biggest impact came when he ran the ball, which adds an extra dimension to Mississippi State's offensive attack. Taylor carried the ball 20 times for a game-high 173 yards and two touchdowns. 

He had one highlight rush when, on third-and-10, he escaped multiple sacks before taking off and outracing Ole Miss' secondary for a 35-yard touchdown. 

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will snatch most of the headlines after his stellar performance against the Bulldogs -- and deservedly so -- but its skill players deserve a ton of credit. They made tough catches and big plays all afternoon long, which alleviated the pressure on Chambliss while allowing him to maintain rhythm. 

The Rebels have a very well-rounded group of wide receivers, a position that they have continued to reload under coach Lane Kiffin. They've got big-play threats like Harrison Wallace III and Deuce Alexander, route technicians like Cayden Lee and big-bodied possession types like De'Zhaun Stribling, who was especially impressive in the Egg Bowl. 

Stribling caught two of Chambliss' four touchdowns. Both required a high level of skill, as he had to adjust his body as the ball was in there with a defensive back draped all over him. 

Though he was quiet against the Bulldogs, tight end Dae'Quan Wright also typically provides another reliable weapon for Ole Miss' passing attack. 

It's certainly impossible to ignore running back Kewan Lacy, who may be the most underrated ball carrier in college football. He scored his 20th rushing touchdown of the year Saturday, becoming just the 12th SEC player to accomplish such a feat, while also managing 143 yards on 27 carries. He's the definition of a bellcow back that's also a threat to score anytime he touches the ball. 

Ole Miss has done what it needs to do to make it to the College Football Playoff. Nothing should change that, no matter what happens in the next 24 hours. The Rebels still have a chance to snag a spot in the SEC Championship Game, if the cards fall their way.  

But there's plenty of reason to be concerned about the program's future. What should be a moment of triumph and celebration as Ole Miss reaches heights it's never been to before is overshadowed by Lane Kiffin's pending decision. That's the conversation that will dominate news cycles in the immediate aftermath of Friday's game -- not Ole Miss' accomplishments on the field. 

The Rebels may have to navigate that postseason without the coach that got them there. It's unprecedented for a playoff team to face such circumstances, but it's also a reflection of a modern calendar that crunches football coaches and makes times of transition difficult for all parties involved. 

For now, Ole Miss can celebrate. The Rebels are playoff bound. Time will tell who will be there for their run. 

Final: No. 7 Ole Miss 38, Mississippi State 19 

No. 7 Ole Miss won its third Egg Bowl in a row and likely punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff with a dominant performance against in-state rival Mississippi State Friday afternoon. The Rebels rode a big second half on both sides of the ball and a signature performance from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss to secure their first 11-win regular season in program history. 

Ole Miss outscored Mississippi State 24-9 from its last drive of the second quarter to the end of regulation and, most notably, kept Mississippi State out of the end zone in the second and third quarters to open up a sizable lead. Chambliss threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to keep the game out of reach, including an explosive 88-yard connection with wide receiver Deuce Alexander that answered a Mississippi State touchdown and restored Ole Miss' three-possession advantage. 

Chambliss finished the game with a season-high 359 yards and four touchdowns passing on 23 completions. The former Ferris State transfer produced 117 yards and two of those touchdowns in the fourth quarter. 

Ole Miss' defense deserves a tip of the cap, as well. The Rebels allowed a touchdown on Mississippi State's first offensive possession but largely controlled the game from there. The Bulldogs crossed the 50-yard line just twice in the second half and one of those drives ended in a field goal. 

For Mississippi State, this marks a third straight season that the Bulldogs have failed to win at least six games. They'll finish with a 7-17 record, including a 1-15 mark in SEC play, in their first two years under coach Jeff Lebby. 

• Ole Miss' SEC Championship Game hopes are still alive. The Rebels need Texas A&M to lose to Texas and Alabama to lose to Auburn. 
• Ole Miss has now won three Egg Bowls in a row for the first time since 2002-04. 
• Mississippi State has dropped its last 11 games against top-10 opponents, a skid dating back to 2020. 

Mid 4Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 38, Mississippi State 19 

There's still 7:31 left to play, but Ole Miss' defense just sealed this one for the Rebels. Mississippi State went for a last-gasp fourth-and-1 attempt from its own 48-yard line. Quarterback Kamario Taylor was met at the line of scrimmage by linebacker Andrew Jones and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, who slammed the door on the conversion attempt. 

Mid 4Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 38, Mississippi State 19 

Well, so much for a potential Mississippi State comeback. Ole Miss has been picking on MSU's outside cornerbacks all game long, but -- though they have drawn multiple penalties in the defensive secondary -- they haven't been able to bust off a truly explosive play. Until now. On their first offensive snap after Mississippi State scored its touchdown, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss delivered a dime to wide receiver Deuce Alexander, who created some separation from his defender and then used his speed to race 88 yards all the way to the end zone. 

That will likely do it from Starkville, unless the Bulldogs have a miracle they want to pull off. 

Early 4Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 19

With its back against the wall, Mississippi State finally responded. It may be more appropriate to say that Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor responded. He kept the Bulldogs alive with a bit of magic as, on third-and-10 from Ole Miss' 35-yard line, Taylor escaped a couple of would-be sacks and used his athleticism to escape the pocket. He then raced past Ole Miss' secondary and just had enough gas to finish the run in the end zone. The Bulldogs still have a deep hole to dig out of, but they are a couple plays away from flipping this game thanks to Taylor's heroics. 

Early 4Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 13 

De'Zhaun Stribling is a contested catch monster. He just delivered what should be a knockout blow with another phenomenal touchdown grab, as he adjusted to a back-shoulder throw and snagged the ball out of the air over a Mississippi State defensive back. Stribling is now responsible for each of Ole Miss' last two touchdowns. That should be enough for Ole Miss to feel confident about its chances to close this one out and secure a program-first College Football Playoff appearance. 

End 3Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 13 

Mississippi State has done well to hang around all afternoon long, but it seems as if Ole Miss is on the precipice of landing a knockout blow. The Rebels will have the ball deep in Bulldog territory as the fourth quarter begins thanks to a long, sustained drive. 

Ole Miss has been able to pull away a bit thanks in large part to Mississippi State's continued offensive struggles. The Bulldogs scored a touchdown on their opening drive and have not returned to the end zone since. They've had to settle for two field goals and had another drive that ended with an interception in Ole Miss territory. 

The Bulldogs have also punted on half of their drives and they've gained just 70 yards since the second half began. If Ole Miss can finish this possession with a touchdown, it should feel good about its chances of pulling out the win. 

Late 3Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 13 

This game isn't getting out of hand yet, but Mississippi State can hardly afford anymore empty possessions. So it's not ideal that the Bulldogs just had to punt for a fourth time in their last six drives after Ole Miss expanded its lead with a field goal. Mississippi State's defense has done well to keep the game from getting out of control, but the Bulldogs have been on the field a lot. They'll need to dig deep to prevent another touchdown. 

Mid 3Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 13 

Dueling field goals here to start the third quarter. As with Mississippi State's possession to open the second half, Ole Miss moved the ball deep into Mississippi State territory before it had to settle for a 43-yard field goal from kicker Lucas Carneiro. Carneiro's attempt just barely snuck inside the right upright. He's now 1-for-2 after missing a kick from 37 yards out in the first half. 

Early 3Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 21, Mississippi State 13

Mississippi State's offense answered the call to start the second half... sort of. The Bulldogs marched all the way down to Ole Miss' 18-yard line with some easy passes and designed run plays for quarterback Kamario Taylor, which helped him get into a rhythm. But they stalled out there and had to settle for a 36-yard field goal from kicker Kyle Ferrie. The boot did cut Ole Miss' lead to one possession, but the Bulldogs are going to need more if they want to pull the upset off. 

Start 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 21, Mississippi State 10 

Mississippi State's defense has done its part thus far, though the Bulldogs did fold a bit near the end of the first half. Now it's time for the offense to pick up the slack. It has largely gone quiet after a thrilling drive to open the game and, as a result, Ole Miss was able to open up a late two-possession drive. There appeared to be some miscommunication between new starting quarterback Kamario Taylor and his wide receivers throughout the first half. That's to be expected for a true freshman, but it also has to be cleaned up. 

Half: No. 7 Ole Miss 21, Mississippi State 10 

Ole Miss has all the momentum entering halftime of the Egg Bowl. The Rebels executed a perfect 2-minute drill to score a touchdown with 12 seconds left on the clock and expand their lead to two possessions. They finished in the end zone with a spectacular connection between quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who somehow got a foot in bounds while falling backwards with a defensive back draped all over him. 

That was a much-needed drive for Ole Miss' offense, which went quiet for a majority of the second quarter. The Rebels had just 47 yards on 14 plays between their missed field goal to start the second quarter and that last touchdown drive near the end of the half. 

Mississippi State, meanwhile, is still trying to find its footing after marching down the field for a touchdown on its first possession. The Bulldogs did kick a 40-yard field goal just after the 2-minute timeout, but they're not going to beat an explosive Ole Miss team with field goals. Four of Mississippi State's first-half possessions lasted five plays or fewer. 

The Bulldogs do get the ball to start the second half, so we'll see if they can make some noise with a scripted drive. 

Late 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 21, Mississippi State 10 

After a sleepy second quarter, Ole Miss' offense decided to wake up and give the Rebels some serious momentum entering halftime. They have wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who made one of the best catches of the season, to thank. Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss lofted a fade pass to Stribling, who used all of his 6-foot-2 frame to box a defender out and snatch the ball out of the air. He somehow managed to get his right foot in bounds, as well. 

Late 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 10

For the first time in almost 20 minutes of gametime, we have points. Mississippi State broke the drought with a 40-yard field goal from kicker Kyle Ferrie to eat into Ole Miss' lead as halftime approaches. This came after a promising drive stalled at Ole Miss' 22 yard line. Ole Miss will have just under two minutes to march down the field and respond. The Rebels have just 47 yards on 14 plays in the second quarter. 

Late 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

Never discount the Egg Bowl's ability to devolve into chaos. A brawl just broke out between Mississippi State and Ole Miss after the Bulldogs forced and recovered an apparent fumble off of a sack of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Bulldogs and Rebels shoved each other as they were going to recover the ball and that devolved into an all-out scrum between players from both teams. Several players exited the bench area to join the fracas. 

Review overturned the call to an incomplete pass. Personal fouls were also assessed to both Ole Miss and Mississippi State players, though there weren't any ejections. 

Mid 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

After a high-octane offensive start, both defenses have seemingly settled into this one. Neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State have scored since 5:22 were left on the clock in the first quarter. Ole Miss' latest punt marked a sixth straight drive without any points. Mississippi State has thrown an interception and the Rebels missed a 37-yard field goal in that span. 

Early 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

Just as it seemed as if Mississippi State was recapturing some momentum, the Bulldogs just committed a crucial error. Quarterback Kamario Taylor attempted a quick dumpoff pass to running back Fluff Bothwell, but it was tipped at the line of scrimmage by Ole Miss edge rusher Will Echoles. Bothwell then batted the ball into the air as he tried to make the catch, which allowed fellow Ole Miss defender Princewill Umanmielen to come down with a big interception. 

Early 2Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

That was a much-needed win for Mississippi State's defense. Ole Miss looked as if it was poised to march down to the end zone on a third straight possession, as the Rebels had second-and-8 at Mississippi State' 21-yard line to start the second quarter. But an incomplete pass, a false start and then a short run forced the Rebels into a 37-yard field goal attempt, which kicker Lucas Carneiro missed. Now the Bulldogs are driving with a chance to tie the game. 

End 1Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

Ole Miss is getting whatever it wants against Mississippi State's defense thus far. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is putting together one of his best performances of the year, as he completed all seven of his first-quarter pass attempts for 117 yards and one touchdown -- a gorgeous 24-yard strike to wide receiver Harrison Wallace III. Chambliss has also been an effective rusher with two carries for 10 yards, including one that converted a third down. 

Speaking of effective rushers, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy did not take long to remind the nation that he's one of college football's top offensive weapons. He opened the scoring with a 30-yard rushing touchdown, his 20th of the season, and he also converted a fourth down at the end of the first quarter that will give Ole Miss the ball on State's 21-yard line once the second quarter begins. 

The difference thus far is that Ole Miss' defense was able to manufacture one stop. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor has played well in his first career start, but it will be interesting to see how he responds if his team falls behind by more than one possession. 

Late 1Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

Turns out at least one defense decided to join the Egg Bowl. After pulling ahead on a beautiful Trinidad Chambliss touchdown throw, Ole Miss' defense did its part with a quick stop against the Bulldogs. Mississippi State made it to its own 40-yard line, but there appeared to be miscommunication between quarterback Kamario Taylor and an intended wide receiver on third-and-8. Taylor's pass flew out of bounds without a single Bulldogs nearby, which forced Mississippi State to punt for the first time this afternoon. 

Late 1Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 14, Mississippi State 7 

So far, defense is optional in Starkville. Both quarterbacks are dealing and, as a result, the Rebels and the Bulldogs have combined for 21 total points in less than 10 minutes. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss just helped his team pull back ahead with a beautiful throw to wide receiver Harrison Wallace III. Chambliss put the ball in a perfect spot for Wallace, who made a nice catch in the end zone with a defensive back right behind him. 

Chambliss has now completed all six of his passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. He's also picked up a couple of first downs with his legs.  

Mid 1Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 7, Mississippi State 7

So far, so good for new Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor. The true freshman looked like a stud in his first drive as the Bulldogs' starter. He found himself backed deep into his own territory after Mississippi State bobbled a fair catch, but a quick 18-yard strike to wide receiver Brenen Thompson got the Bulldogs out of the shadow of their own goal line. That was the first of three straight completions for Taylor, who covered 59 yards through the air and also scored MSU's first touchdown of the game with an athletic 22-yard scamper on a designed quarterback run. 

Gutsy stuff from the first-year signal caller in such a big spot. 

Early 1Q: No. 7 Ole Miss 7, Mississippi State 0 

That didn't take long for Ole Miss. The Rebels started Saturday's Egg Bowl with the ball and took less than two minutes to march down the field for the first touchdown of the game. Who else could it have been but Kewan Lacy? Ole Miss' star running back took the ball off left tackle and sprinted past Mississippi State's defense for his 20th touchdown of the year. 

Mississippi State will start true freshman Kamario Taylor in Saturday's Egg Bowl showdown against Ole Miss. The Bulldogs are turning to Taylor in lieu of veteran Blake Shapen, who did not go through the pregame Senior Day festivities. He was spotted throwing on the sideline with Taylor. This will be the first career start for Taylor, who did play extensive minutes in Mississippi State's last two games against Missouri and Georgia. The former top-100 prospect had three touchdowns rushing against the Bulldogs and completed four passes for 36 yards and one touchdown against the Tigers. 

Never change, Egg Bowl. In the latest unexpected turn of college football's most chaotic rivalry, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin claimed during an interview on SEC Network that Mississippi State fans broke into his team's locker room inside Mississippi State's Davis Wade Stadium twice ahead of Friday's showdown between the Rebels and the Bulldogs. 

The first incident occurred at 10 p.m., according to Kiffin, who said Ole Miss had "secret cameras" in its locker room and he reported the initial break-in to Mississippi State. 

The (presumably) maroon-clad burglars returned at 3 a.m. and stole Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss' jersey, Kiffin said. 

"I guess you expect nothing less from these people," Kiffin said while gesturing to Mississippi State fans. 

Lane Kiffin: Mississippi State fans broke into Ole Miss locker room, stole QB Trinidad Chambliss' jersey

Will Backus

Distractions aside, this is a game that Ole Miss should win handily. The Egg Bowl is a weird game, so it can be hard to predict, but the Rebels have a distinct advantage in almost every major category. They should be able to move the ball at-will against a Mississippi State team that ranks 15th in the SEC in total defense (393.2 yards per game) and scoring defense (28.4 points per game). Ole Miss wins by at least a touchdown (plus the extra point) for the third year in a row. Pick: Ole Miss -6.5 (-120)

If No. 7 Ole Miss beats Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Friday to finish its regular season at 11-1, the Rebels are headed to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history as one of the selection committee's seven at-large picks.

They've earned it -- even if that means taking the field for the first round without the coach who helped lead them there.

Don't buy the doomsday scenarios suggesting Lane Kiffin's potential departure to LSU will keep Ole Miss out of the 12-team bracket. While that would be a new "data point," according to committee chair Hunter Yurachek. An 11-win SEC team isn't getting tossed aside.

It would be unfair to penalize the players after a terrific three-month stretch. The reward is a playoff appearance.

Let's dive into how the selection committee would view a team without a full-time coach. 

How the College Football Playoff Selection Committee would view Ole Miss if Lane Kiffin leaves Rebels

Brad Crawford

Mississippi State defensive back Isaac Smith is expected to play Friday after missing his team's Week 13 loss to Missouri with a lower body injury, according to ESPN. Getting Smith back in the lineup is huge for the Bulldogs, as the former four-star prospect has emerged as one of Mississippi State's top defenders over the last couple of seasons. Though his 2025 campaign has been hampered by various injury issues, Smith led the SEC and finished seventh nationally with 127 total tackles in 11 starts last season. He has 51 tackles, one for a loss, and one interception in nine games this year.