Hello from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., where the No. 25 Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-4 overall, 3-4 SEC) and Ole Miss Rebels (4-7, 1-6) are set to meet in the 83rd edition of the Battle for the Golden Egg.The roles of the two teams are reversed from a year ago, as the Bulldogs are playing to climb the ladder of bowls, while the Rebels will be playing for pride.
GAME NOTES:
—The two teams started playing for the Golden Egg trophy in 1927 and Ole Miss holds a 54-23-5 advantage in the game, and a 60-40-6 advantage overall.
—The home team has won 10 of the last 11 games in the series. Ole Miss holds a 21-10-3 advantage in games played in Oxford and is currently riding a five-game home winning streak.
—Ole Miss running back Brandon Bolden has scored 13 rushing touchdowns this season, the second-highest total in school history behind Kayo Dottley, Deuce McAllister and Archie Manning, who each have 14. Bolden’s 22 career rushing TDs tie him for second in program history with John Fourcade and Joe Gunn. McAllister is the Ole Miss’ all-time leader in rushing TDs with 37.
—Bolden needs 69 yards rushing to achieve the sixth 1,000-yard season in program history.
—Senior QB Jeremiah Masoli needs 11 yards rushing to break Norris Weese‘s single-season school record for a QB of 542.
—There was a moment of silence prior to the game for former Mississippi State player Nick Bell, who passed away earlier this month from cancer.
—TNA’s Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter did the “Are You Ready” pre-game.
GAME SUMMARY:
6-0 OLE MISS: The Rebels capitalized on a Jeremy McGee forced fumble and fumble recovery on Mississippi State’s 16 thanks to a 16-yard TD run by Jeff Scott. The PAT was blocked, however.
— — — SECOND QUARTER — — —
6-7 MISSISSIPPI STATE: Chris Smith atones for his earlier fumble with 13:09 remaining in the first half, catching his first career TD on a 15-yard pass from Chris Relf.
9-7 OLE MISS: Kicker Bryson Rose put Ole Miss back ahead with 10:03 left in the first half on a 34-yard field goal.
9-14 MISSISSIPPI STATE: Relf completes a 33-yard pass to running back LaDarius Perkins in solo coverage to put the Bulldogs back ahead with 8:53 remaining in the half. The TD was set up by a 44-yard pass from Relf to former Tupelo High standout Chad Bumphis two plays earlier.
9-21 MISSISSIPPI STATE: Two plays after MSU stuffs Ole Miss on fourth-and-1 at the Bulldogs’ 43, and one play after Rebel DT Ted Laurent is called for a 15-yard personal foul, Relf hits Perkins for a 36-yard TD. Perkins caught the pass in the flat, made Jonathan Cornell miss and found his way into the end zone with 42.4 remaining in the first half.
— — — THIRD QUARTER — — —
9-24 MISSISSIPPI STATE: After forcing Mississippi State to punt, Jesse Grandy fumbles and the Bulldogs cash in four plays later when Derek DePasquale knocks 40-yard field goal.
9-31 MISSISSIPPI STATE: A 71-yard screen pass from Relf to Perkins sets up an 8-yard TD run by Vick Ballard with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter.
16-31 MISSISSIPPI STATE: Ole Miss gets back on the scoreboard for the first time since the first quarter thanks to a 10-yard touchdown run by Bolden on fourth-and-1. The TD ties Bolden for first in the program’s history with 14 rushing scores on the season.
— — — FOURTH QUARTER — — —
23-31 MISSISSIPPI STATE: Ole Miss would cap its scoring with 4:21 remaining in the game when Masoli connected with Ja-Mes Logan on a post route over the middle for a 25-yard score. Ole Miss would force the Bulldogs to punt on their next drive, but the Rebels never crossed back over the 50-yard line. (November 27, 2010)
