Mississippi defensive end D.T. Shackelford (9) watches as Mississippi State players celebrate after an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. Mississippi State won 17-10 in overtime. (DM Photo Ignacio Murillo)
The Golden Egg is heading back to Starkville for a year. Ole Miss was able to put up just 10 points behind 318 yards of total offense and couldn’t hold Mississippi State in overtime, as the Bulldogs won their fourth Egg Bowl in the past five years, 17-10. The Rebels dropped to 7-5 with the loss and to 3-5 in conference play, while the Bulldogs became bowl eligible with their sixth win of the season.
“Its hard to talk about things after this game because its so emotional and means so much to both programs and our fan bases,” Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said. “Its always difficult when you lose games, but when you lose your rival game at the end of the year and you have the chance to put it away, it’s very difficult.”
It took nearly a half for either team to put points on the board, but with just over a minute left in the second quarter, Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson found the end zone on a one-yard run. However, the Rebels would answer with a blocked punt by Collins Moore that was recovered by Terrell Grant in the end zone to tie things up at seven heading into the half.
“That was a huge lift,” Freeze said of the blocked punt. “I thought that was really what we needed to get kick started and to win the game.”
Andrew Ritter had the only points of the third quarter on a 22-yard field goal, as both teams struggled to get anything going offensively.
That would change in the fourth quarter when Mississippi State would turn to Dak Prescott to take over at quarterback. Prescott, who had been questionable heading into the game, entered with just over 11 minutes to play, got the Bulldog offense moving, and would eventually carry them to the win. Prescott finished the day 11 of 20 for 115 yards and also added 29 yards rushing with a touchdown.
Mississippi State tied things up at 10 on a field goal with a little over two minutes left to play, but would have a chance to put away Ole Miss as the final seconds of regulation ticked off the clock. However, the Rebels would be granted a second chance as Evan Sobiesk missed wide right on a 39-yard field goal attempt.
The Bulldogs started with the ball in overtime and Prescott would rumble in on a three-yard touchdown run to give Mississippi State the lead again.
Ole Miss would get their chance, but failed to capitalize. Quarterback Bo Wallace, who appeared as though he was going in for a game-tying score, fumbled at the goal line and Mississippi State lifted the Golden Egg.
“It’s a blur,” Wallace said of the play. “I kind of relaxed I guess. I opened up, saw it, and made a cut, and thought I was in there. It’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
The Rebel offense struggled all night, running for just 117 yards. Running back Jaylen Walton lead the way with just 37 yards on 10 carries. The turnover bug also got to Ole Miss with Wallace tossing three interceptions.
“Certainly, I never want to talk negatively about any of our kids, but obviously, everybody watched the game and knows that he didn’t have his best game,” Freeze said of Wallace. “In this league, if you turn it over the number of times that we did, it is going to be difficult to win games.”
One possible bright spot the Rebels can take away is the play of the defense holding Mississippi State to just 296 yards of offense. However, they were forced to play a lot of snaps with the Bulldogs running 82 plays in the game.
The Rebels will now turn to their next challenge which will be a bowl game. However, the team will be forced to try and get past a loss to their bitter in-state rival.
“Of course,” linebacker Serderius Bryant said of the game weighing on the minds of players. “But right now, a lot of people are in the locker room saying we’ve got to get back to work this week.”
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss football, follow @SigNewton_2 and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— Matt Sigler
mcsigler@go.olemiss.edu
