MSU Defeats Ole Miss in the 2018 Egg Bowl

Matt Luke rallies the troops for the Egg Bowl. Photo by Joshua McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics

On Thanksgiving night the No. 18 Mississippi State Bulldogs defeated the Ole Miss Rebels 35-3 in the Vaught.

Ole Miss (5-7, 1-7) tried to open up the offense early in the game but was unable to reach the end zone to take an early lead against the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State scored the only score of the first quarter on a six-yard scamper by running back Kylin  Hill. The Bulldogs found paydirt less than a minute into the second quarter on an eight-yard run by quarterback Nick Fitzgerald.

Ole Miss was able to get on the scoreboard on a 32-yard field goal by Luke Logan with 6:46 left until halftime. Mississippi State answered with the final score of the half on a nine-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Deddrick Thomas.

The Bulldogs took a 21-3 advantage going into the locker room at the half.

Ole Miss senior quarterback Jordan Ta’amu injured his pinky on his right hand early in the game. Ta’amu finished the half going 8-for-16 for 87 yards.

Freshman quarterback Matt Corral came into the game for Ta’amu and went 5-for-8, passing for 65 yards and one interception in the game.

Mississippi State outscored the Rebels 14-0 in the second half of the game.

The Rebels had their only touchdown, by A.J. Brown, of the game called back at the end of the third quarter as time expired before the ball was snapped.

A scuffle broke out on the field between the two teams during the game. Referees charged each player on both teams with an unsportsmanlike personal foul. Four total players were ejected from the game – three from Mississippi State and one from Ole Miss.

Mississippi State held the Rebels to a total of 189 yards of offense and the Bulldogs gained 420 yards of offense.