Why Egg Bowl history shows Mississippi State can capitalize on Lane Kiffin chaos
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STARKVILLE — In normal circumstances, the focus leading up to the Egg Bowl is typically about the game itself.
But the two weeks leading into the 2025 rivalry game between No. 6 Ole Miss football (10-1, 6-1 SEC) and Mississippi State (5-6, 1-6) on Nov. 28 (11 a.m., ABC) haven’t been a normal news cycle.
Lots of attention is on Rebels coach Lane Kiffin and whether he’ll leave for LSU or Florida. Kiffin hasn’t said publicly whether he’s staying or leaving. He declined to answer any questions about his future at his Nov. 24 news conference, only answering questions about the Egg Bowl.
Could the distractions be an advantage for MSU as it aims to clinch bowl eligibility? Ole Miss has denied that it’s impacting the team. Recent history of the Egg Bowl suggests otherwise.
Egg Bowl has history of coaching chaos. including Lane Kiffin
In the last 10 years, there have been two other instances where coaching rumors have circulated around the Egg Bowl. Kiffin was involved with one of them.
In 2022, Kiffin was tied to the Auburn job. He wound up staying with the Rebels after a pitch from his daughter, Landry. But the damage was done in the Egg Bowl.
Mississippi State won 24-22 in Oxford — its last win in the Egg Bowl.
In 2017, there was a lot of chatter about MSU coach Dan Mullen leaving for Tennessee or Florida. He was hired by Florida three days after the Egg Bowl. The Rebels won 31-28 in Starkville.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss players say they aren’t distracted
It’s no surprise to hear Kiffin and Ole Miss players saying they aren’t distracted. That’s a difficult thing to quantify though, especially when college athletes are glued to social media.
“Well, you say that but people said the same thing about the Florida game — that there was all this distraction and ‘How could the team focus?’” Kiffin said on Nov. 24. “I think they played pretty well, so I don’t have anything more to say about that. But I think our team has been very focused since noise has been out there all the way back to the Oklahoma game in the tunnel before that morning (interview) and everything.”
Ole Miss starting quarterback Trinidad Chambliss posted on X Nov. 24, saying that the team is focused on winning the Egg Bowl.
“To our fans, this team is completely locked in, living in the moment, and staying true to our 1-0 mindset for the Egg Bowl and future games,” Chambliss said. “We are unbothered by anything about next year and fully trusting Coach Kiffin’s leadership to keep up moving toward our goals.”
What Jeff Lebby said about Lane Kiffin rumors
Mississippi State coach Lebby was asked about Kiffin on Nov. 19 as the rumors started to escalate.
“I have spent no time thinking about that or if it will be (a distraction) as they handle things inside their walls,” Lebby said. “I’m fighting like heck to make sure we’re in a great spot. That’s where 100% of my focus and energy is.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Lane Kiffin Egg Bowl chaos gives Mississippi State opportunity
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