Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State prediction, pick, odds, spread: Rebels, Bulldogs renew Egg Bowl rivalry
Ole Miss and Mississippi State are set to meet Friday in the 122nd installment of the Egg Bowl
By
Will Backus
•
3 min read
No. 7 Ole Miss and Mississippi State are set to meet Friday afternoon for the 122nd installment of the Egg Bowl, one of the most underrated feuds in all of college football. Though the Rebels tout the ranking entering this rivalry showdown, there's a lot on the line for both teams.
Ole Miss could secure an at-large bid in the College Football Playoff with a win. The Rebels are also hunting their third straight series win, which is something they have not accomplished since 2002-04. They do hold a 66-46-6 all-time advantage against Mississippi State.
Mississippi State, meanwhile, could attain bowl eligibility by beating Ole Miss. The Bulldogs have not been to the postseason since 2022, when they downed Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl. They also have not finished above .500 in that same span.
Mississippi State will have homefield advantage, but Ole Miss is actually 2-0 in the last two games played in Starkville. The Bulldogs have not beat the Rebels within the friendly confines of Davis Wade Stadium in six years. State fans also haven't seen a home victory this season since Sept. 20, when the Bulldogs downed Northern Illinois.
Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State: Need to know
All eyes on Lane Kiffin: The Egg Bowl is appointment viewing, but a lot of the focus around this year's rivalry game is off the field. Kiffin is currently weighing his future with Ole Miss. The noise swirling around his pending decision -- Florida and LSU are each trying to convince him to fill their coaching vacancies -- got so loud that athletic director Keith Carter released a statement saying that Kiffin's final decision will come the Saturday after Ole Miss' game against Mississippi State. Kiffin's conundrum will surely be on everyone's minds as the game goes on.
Ole Miss looking to make program history: Not only can Ole Miss lock down a College Football Playoff spot with a win against its in-state rival, but the Rebels can also make a little history. With a win, they would improve to 11-1. That would tie the program record for the most wins in a season -- set in 2023, when Kiffin's Rebels went 11-2 -- and it would also be the first time that Ole Miss has ever won 11 regular season games.
Mississippi State trying to snap skids: While Ole Miss is on the precipice of making history, Mississippi State is one win away from bowl eligibility. That's a little extra motivation for the Bulldogs, who have not won six-plus games since 2022. They're also 2-21 in conference play since the start of the 2023 season, which is the worst mark among FBS teams. Mississippi State has not won against an AP top-10 team since 2020. It's 0-10 since. The Bulldogs can reverse all of those trends and secure a postseason appearance by downing Ole Miss.
Where to watch Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State live
Date: Friday, Nov. 28 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Davis Wade Stadium -- Starkville, Mississippi
TV: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State prediction, picks
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)
Who will win and cover in each Week 14 college football rivalry game? Legendary Vegas expert Bruce Marshall is on a 38-29 roll on college football picks. Visit SportsLine now to see all his college football picks.
