Ole Miss football gets convincing Egg Bowl win with Lane Kiffin decision a big unknown

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

STARKVILLE — Ole Miss football could not afford to slip up in a high-stakes Egg Bowl at Mississippi State. The Rebels played like they knew it.

The No. 6 Rebels beat the Bulldogs 38-19 on Nov. 28 at Davis Wade Stadium. A 14-point fourth quarter turned what felt like a close game into a relatively comfortable Ole Miss victory.

The Rebels won despite not knowing whether coach Lane Kiffin will return in 2026 or take a job at LSU or Ole Miss. That decision is expected to be announced on Nov. 29.

With the win, Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 SEC) essentially clinches a College Football Playoff appearance. The Rebels are No. 7 in the latest CFP poll. It would be the first CFP appearance in program history. A loss would have put Ole Miss on the CFP bubble, which the Rebels were on the wrong side of in 2024.

It also gives the Rebels a shot at hosting in the first round of the CFP. Teams ranked No. 5 through No. 8 will host in the first round on either Dec. 19 or Dec. 20.

The game was the last chance for Mississippi State (5-7, 1-7) to secure bowl eligibility. There’s an outside shot MSU could be selected to a bowl despite having only five wins, but the most likely scenario is that the Bulldogs miss out on a bowl game for the third straight season.

Both starting quarterbacks were making their Egg Bowl debuts. Ole Miss senior Trinidad Chambliss was 23-for-34 for 359 yards and four touchdowns. He formed a strong pair with star running back Kewan Lacy, who carried the ball 27 times for 143 yards and one touchdown. Ole Miss leaned on him late to close out the game.

Freshman Kamario Taylor started made his first-career start for MSU. He played over veteran Blake Shapen. Taylor is a dual-threat player who starred at instate Noxubee County in Macon. Taylor was 15-for-31 for 178 yards. He also rushed for 173 yards.

MSU scored a touchdown on its first drive. It was an impressive 97-yard, 10-play march. After that, the Rebels’ defense locked down. Ole Miss allowed 12 points the rest of the game after MSU’s first drive.

The game was full of wackiness that has come to typify the Egg Bowls rivalry. Before the game, Kiffin said Chambliss’ jersey was stolen from the locker room at 3 a.m.

There was also a mid-game scuffle that broke out after Chambliss was sacked. Three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties where thrown, but no players were ejected.

Despite the postseason implications for both sides, Kiffin’s future with Ole Miss overshadowed the rivalry game. Kiffin has been heavily rumored as the leading candidate for job openings at LSU and Florida. He was asked pregame about the rumors and he deflected to talk about the game.

Kiffin has not publicly commented on his decision, other than to say that him being considered for other jobs is a testament to his players and assistant coaches.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Lane Kiffin decision doesn’t impact Ole Miss in Egg Bowl win

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos