No. 8 Ole Miss Defeats Miss. State for First 10-Win Regular Season

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

No. 8 Ole Miss defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 31-21 in the 94th Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night.

“So proud of our guys coming on the road on a short week in a hostile environment,” Lane Kiffin said. “I have been here one time before with Alabama and there was a different energy in there.”

Ole Miss (10-2, 6-2 SEC) completed the first 10 wins in the regular season in program history.

“A lot of fifth and sixth-year seniors have been through to get to this point and watching them enjoy it at the end is neat,” Kiffin said. “It is really special to do something that has never been done before. (Ole Miss) has never won 10 games in the regular season and for these players and assistant coaches is cool.”

Junior Matt Corral threw for 229 yards a touchdown and an interception against the Bulldogs. Corral spread the ball around to six different receivers. Dontario Drummond pulled down 13 catches for 133 yards.

Junior Jerrion Ealy caught five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. Ealy added 16 touches on the ground for 60 yards.

In the first quarter, neither team found the end zone, only scoring field goals.

The Rebels took the lead in the second quarter on a one-yard dash by Snoop Conner.

Conner finished the game with 14 touches for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

Ole Miss’ defense kept Mississippi State out of the end zone in the first half and only surrendered six points off the boot of Nolan McCord. The two field goals came in the first quarter of action.

“Our defense was bend don’t break the whole day,” Kiffin said. “Keeping them to all those field goal attempts was huge.”

Kiffin added that the players rose to the occasion and found a way to win.

Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Will Rogers went 38-of-58 on the night with 336 yards in the air and a touchdown.

The Ole Miss defense was led by linebacker Chance Campbell who had a total of 12 tackles. Senior Sam Williams sacked Rogers twice with five total tackles.

In the fourth quarter, Mississippi State found the end zone twice as Rogers hit Jaden Walley for the first one. The Bulldogs narrowed the gap on an 11-yard run by Jo’Quavious Marks.

Ole Miss now waits to see what New Years Six Bowl Game they will head to in 2022.

“It is remarkable what these kids did,” Kiffin said. “They call themselves a band of brothers and they are.”