Mississippi State @ Mississippi preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2017 ) Mississippi 31, Mississippi State 28

Matt Luke will serve as head coach for his second Egg Bowl when Ole Miss hosts No. 20 Mississippi State on Thanksgiving, but the way he sees it, the Gulfport, Miss. native has been involved for most of his 42 years on Earth. "It's a game that means so much to so many people," Luke, who played for the Rebels from 1995-98 and was an assistant coach for 10 years, told reporters. "... It's a 365-day bragging rights. It's just always been important in my family ever since I can remember."

It matters little that the Bulldogs are winding down a season in which many believe they underachieved or that the Rebels need a victory to become bowl-eligible when the Battle for the Golden Egg ensues. “This game has all of the ingredients of what makes college football and a great rivalry special,” Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead, who will experience his first Egg Bowl, told reporters. “Two great opponents, proximity, familiarity, tradition, history. Really, quite frankly and most importantly, a lot of players from the state who have played with or against each other. I think that’s what makes this game unique and special.” The Bulldogs have struggled on the road in the SEC - albeit versus tough competition, losing to then-No. 17 Kentucky, No. 8 LSU and No. 1 Alabama by a combined 71-10. Ole Miss leads the series 64-46-6, including 58-27-5 since the Battle for the Golden Egg began in 1927, and has won three of the last four meetings after hanging on for a 31-28 upset victory last season after leading 24-6 in the third quarter.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Mississippi State -11

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (7-4, 3-4 SEC): The Bulldogs are coming off a 52-6 victory over Arkansas last week as senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (51.7 completion rating, 14 touchdowns, seven interceptions) passed for four scores and ran for another - extending his school-record total for career rushing TDs to 43. Fitzgerald has recorded team highs of 901 yards and 10 TDs on the ground, with sophomore Kylin Hill (583 yards) and senior Aeris Williams (438) combining for five scores. Senior defensive end Montez Sweat (9.5 sacks) and junior defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (12.5 tackles for loss, zero sacks) spearhead a defense that has allowed the second-fewest points in FBS at 12.8 per game.

ABOUT OLE MISS (5-6, 1-6): The Rebels have lost four straight after a 36-29 overtime setback at Vanderbilt last week in which quarterback Jordan Ta'amu (19 touchdowns, seven interceptions) passed for a career-high 457 yards with two scores and two interceptions. The senior from Hawaii is second in the country with 348.3 passing yards per game while junior wideout A.J. Brown (six touchdowns) is fifth nationally with 1,259 receiving yards. Ole Miss yields 489.2 yards per game - 123rd among the 129 FBS teams - and ranks 113th against the run (213.8).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mississippi State has allowed 12 touchdowns - fewest in the FBS.

2. Ta'amu needs 212 passing yards to break the school record for most in a season set in 2015 by Chad Kelly.

3. Fitzgerald joined Dak Prescott - his predecessor at Mississippi State - and Florida's Tim Tebow (2007-09) as the only SEC quarterbacks to rush for 10 touchdowns and pass for 10 in three consecutive seasons.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 35, Ole Miss 24