By Ole Miss Athletics

One of college football’s most heated rivalries delivered a competitive contest as No. 14 Ole Miss football withstood a strong start by Mississippi State in a 26-14 victory at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the annual Egg Bowl.

The Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8) came out inspired in search of their first SEC win, taking a 14-10 lead through the first quarter, but the Rebels (9-3, 5-3) didn’t allow a point the rest of the way to win the Battle for the Golden Egg for the second straight year and fourth time in five seasons under head coach Lane Kiffin.

It was a defensive battle on a cold evening as Ole Miss outgained its in-state rival 397-330, the Rebels dominating on the ground with a 254-39 advantage. Ole Miss forced three MSU turnovers, including interceptions on the first drive of each half and limited the Bulldogs to 1.3 yards per rush in the victory.

Offensive Leaders

Jaxson Dart became Ole Miss’ all-time passing yardage leader, surpassing Eli Manning’s career mark, going 14-for-24 for 143 yards with one touchdown, adding 77 yards on the ground. Ulysses Bentley IV sparked the Rebel offense with 136 yards on 20 carries, including an electrifying 89-yard touchdown run. Caden Prieskorn led the receiving efforts with 53 yards and a score on four catches.

Defensive Leaders

Walter Nolen had another monster game for the Rebels, leading the way with eight tackles, including 3.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks. Chris Paul Jr. was phenomenal as well with six tackles, a sack and an interception. Trey Washington notched the other interception, in addition to five tackles and a key pass breakup in the end zone. JJ Pegues had six tackles, including 1.5 for a loss and a shared sack, as well as a touchdown run.

First Quarter

Mississippi State started with the ball, but Ole Miss quickly notched a takeaway when Chris Paul Jr. intercepted Michael Van Buren Jr. on third down to give the Rebels possession at the Bulldog 34-yard line. The offense moved the chains once before settling for a 39-yard Caden Davis field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

State had a 39-yard completion down the sideline overturned, leading to an apparent three-and-out on its second drive, but the Bulldogs pulled a fake, and punter Nick Barr-Mira tossed an 11-yard lob to Justin Ball for a first down. Van Buren hit a 19-yard completion to Davon Booth to traverse in to Ole Miss territory, then MSU rolled the dice on 4th-and-7, and Van Buren found his top target Kevin Coleman Jr. open for a 34-yard catch-and-run to give the visitors a 7-3 lead.

Ole Miss answered, though. Jaxson Dart connected with Caden Prieskorn for 21 yards to convert 3rd-and-15 and spark the ensuing drive. The Rebel QB also had a 20-yard scramble to enter the red zone, and JJ Pegues finished the job, carrying Bulldog defenders into the end zone on a 5-yard TD run.

The Bulldogs quickly responded as Van Buren hit Coleman for 16 yards then Jordan Mosley for 42 before finishing the drive himself with a 6-yard touchdown run to make it 14-10 as time expired in the first quarter.

Second Quarter

Ole Miss went three-and-out to start the second quarter, but its defense responded with a quick stop of its own, though another Rebel three-and-out followed. MSU moved the ball into Rebel territory but a Trey Amos pass breakup in the end zone and an 11-yard sack by Paul erased the scoring threat.

Then the Ole Miss ground game finally broke through when Ulysses Bentley IV broke free for an electrifying 89-yard touchdown run, the longest in the SEC this season, to put the Rebels back on top 17-14.

MSU marched to midfield once again but a key tackle-for-loss by Jared Ivey and Walter Nolen stopped the drive there. Ole Miss similarly moved it to the logo but no further. Nolen and Paul stonewalled a second-down rush to lead to a three-and-out to give the offense one last chance. The Rebels drove down to the 27-yard line, but a holding call against Micah Pettus made it a 54-yard field goal attempt for Davis, and he pulled it just left to keep it a three-point game.

Third Quarter

Ole Miss went three-and-out to start the second half, and the defense, just like the first half, started the second half with a takeaway when Trey Washington intercepted Van Buren near midfield. However, the offense couldn’t turn it into points, moving the chains just once before punting it away, Fraser Masin’s boot pinning MSU at its own 10-yard line.

The defense pitched a quick three-and-out, but starting at its own 44-yard line, Ole Miss couldn’t capitalize on the good field position, notching one first down before a pair of negative plays doomed the drive.

The Rebels benefitted from an MSU special teams blunder when Coleman muffed the ensuing punt. Suntarine Perkins recovered at the State 24-yard line, and the Rebels turned it into a 43-yard Davis field goal to stretch the lead to six, 20-14.

Mississippi State marched its way to midfield once more before yet again the Rebels locked down as Pegues and Nolen combined on a sack. Nolen sacked Van Buren once more as the clock hit zeroes on the third quarter to force the punt.

Fourth Quarter

The Ole Miss offense found its rhythm to start the final frame when Dart hit Dae’Quan Wright for 17 yards and Cayden Lee for 11. The Ole Miss quarterback used a couple of 12-yard runs to help push the Rebels into the red zone, where he hit Prieskorn on a 19-yard touchdown over the middle. Ole Miss failed its two-point conversion to make the score 26-14.

It looked like State would answer right back, but the Rebel defense had other plans. Van Buren hit back-to-back long pass plays to Booth and Coleman to send State down inside the 1-yard line, where the Rebels stood tall. Nolen and Zxavian Harris teamed up for a key tackle-for-loss, then Washington broke up a fourth-down pass attempt for the turnover on downs at the 2-yard line.

Domonique Thomas burst ahead for a 10-yard run to get Ole Miss out of its own end zone as the Rebels were able to run the final 5:46 off the clock.