Under the thousands of cowbells screaming all over the field, I just about heard what was happening in the 2021 Egg Bowl. A festival of rain and noise that gave us a gritty scrappy game, exactly what we wanted from a game like this.
Quarter 1 really set the tone for the game. Miss St getting an early field goal after Ole Miss failed to get a 4th down conversion. Then , after some chaotic but superb running from Ole Miss QB Matt Corral, the Rebel's backup kicker Cale Nation (no, not the local vegan restaurant down the road) tied it up with his first ever field goal. Two teams punching it out in the wet Mississippi rain. The Bulldogs 2nd drive seemed a bit more promising but Mississippi QB Will Rogers III missed a fade into the end zone and got sacked the following play, meaning they had to settle for yet another Field Goal. 3-6 Mississippi State. Nobody truly taking the game by the scruff of the neck.
The 2nd Quarter began halfway through an Ole Miss Rebels drive and, well, it didn't get any more explosive. Through the air, the Rebels just didn't seem to have much going, Mingo dropping a wide open ball on a third down and the rest of the drives yards mainly coming from the legs of, you guessed it, Matt Corral, but it ended in a rare punt for Ole Miss.
But, finally someone started to move down the field, Will Rogers throwing a lovely ball to Makai Polk, but the a few plays after, Polk went down with an injury, a tough blow for the Bulldogs and their fans, who rung their Cowbells in support of their fallen comrade, and to make matters worse, they had to settle for another field goal. One they missed. Still 3-6. Where was this aggressive offensive explosion I was promised?
Corral continued the famous horizontal passes Lane Kiffin is famous for whilst the running backs slipped and slid all over the field. The uproar of cowbells really getting into the heads of the Rebels. Well, until Corral threw a 26yrd ball for a first down, but still not anywhere near the end zone. That changed quickly with a lightning 16yrd run moved the Rebels within touching distance of games first touchdown. AND THEN THEY GOT IT. Snoop Connor barrelled his way in for a 1yrd touchdown, and Cale Nation made the extra point. 10-6 Ole Miss, game on.
Miss State relied heavily on chunk plays for their next drive, including an amazing catch by Lideatrick Griffin. His catch was then followed up by a smart screen play in which Griffin moved again to grab some good solid yards. Followed again by a great play from Marks to get the Bulldogs just a few yards away from the End Zone.
2nd and Goal, 27 seconds left, can they get it? No. Marks misses a wide open catch , cracking him in the face mask, these drops were getting contagious for Miss St now.
As if on que, Griffin then ALSO missed a wide open ball in the End Zone, the drive ends up hitting a dead end as even the field goal goes awry. Mississippi state will almost definitely regret that Ending the 2nd Quarter at 10-6.
Luckily, to start the 3rd Quarter, Mississippi State had the ball back and could forget their problems at the end of the first half with some good plays. However, those good plays would not come and after barely moving the ball, the Bulldogs had to punt it away, giving the ball to an efficient Matt Corral.
And Corral got right to work, sliding through progressions to dump it down for a check down, followed by another good play to get the first down. Were Ole Miss beginning to cook?
Maybe they were, Dontario Drummond making an amazing play, just sliding out for a 34yrd completion, of which he ran probably 30 of them and used his speed to glide past everyone.
Following up with a superb play by Matt Coral, making a 15yrd run to get Ole Miss to the 1yrd line, where the ball was punched in by, you guessed it, Number 24 Snoop Connor. 17-6 Ole Miss.
It makes you wonder, if Mississippi State had caught that touchdown at the end of the 2nd half, which way the shifting pendulum of momentum would have swung. But, as we enter the early stages of the 3rd Quarter, Ole Miss are the ones to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Comebacks aren't alien to Mississippi State who scored 40 unanswered points against Auburn just 2 weeks ago, however, Auburn and Ole Miss are two very different beasts, and this is a beast Miss St and Mike Leach didn't look like they could overcome, another drive going nowhere and the ball is back in the hands of Ole Miss.
But Ole Miss went nowhere. Matt Corral had one amazing run which went for over 20yrds, but sadly was called back for offensive holding, leaving Rebels with their first 3rd and out of the game. Is that pendulum swinging back now?
Looks like it may be, an 18yrd play by Johnson from a little shovel pass gave the Bulldogs that spark they have been in need of since the beginning of the quarter. Followed up by a superb athletic play by Jaden Walley, which sadly was called back for offensive holding, and then the play after is some more holding....a promising drive becoming a 2nd and 20 outside of field goal range...and then, after a 4th down attempt, Rogers gets sacked by Sam Williams, turnover on downs. Momentum was not swinging back in Mississippi State's favour.
At this point, as the clock struck 3am and I write the word Mississippi for what feels like the 100th time, I'll be honest with you, sleep is seeming comfortable and I need a spark. Can Matt Corral and his team of Rebels do it? It started off good, a solid 10yrd run by Snoop Connor to begin the drive and some slippery Corrall footwork adding some explosiveness (even if their aren't too many yards to show for it). Ok Ole Miss, I see what you're selling here as we end the 3rd quarter and slide into the final quarter, 17-6, still just an 11pt game.
The Rebel's drive continued but there was no energy and they quickly hit 4th down, and, in true Lane Kiffin fashion, went for it. 4th and 4. If they get it, it's a real statement piece. Well, of course they got it, tossing a ball to the running back and, with a good block by Mingo, they grab a fresh set of downs. A few more hard run plays and, boom, Ole Miss hit a 3rd and goal. They needed something special, so who did they turn to? None other than Matt Corral. He stepped back in the pocket and after not seeing anything on, snuck through a hole, threw a cheeky spin move and ended up in the end zone, this man looks good. 24-6 Ole Miss.
Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi State (please imagine me tutting and shaking my head as I write that). Where is the passion? The heart? With 11:17 to play, it looks like the Golden Egg is going back to Oxford, and it hasn't even been a fight.
Maybe a chance here though? Mark Robinson of Ole Miss gets ejected for targeting, is this the difference that Mississippi St need? Honestly, I'm just feeling like a broken record here now, but let my late night optimism guide you.
Another holding for the Bulldogs but, the penalty is declined, another 4th down for Miss St, but this time they go for it, taking a page out of Ole Miss's book.
But the ball is angrily rejected at the line of scrimmage and the ball bounces down limply onto the ground...
Miss State just can't do anything here. Ole Miss are just using their superior athletes to almost toy with this conservative Defence as the rebels just look to salt away this win.
BUT THEN THERE IS A CORRAL INTERCEPTION! Now, that added some spice, on a third down, the line backer Jett Johnson made a lovely play giving the Bulldogs possession of the ball in the red zone and the game is back on with Will Rogers throwing a dart between the defenders into Jaden Walley's hands, 24-13 Ole Miss.
Back to an 11pt game. 7:20 seconds remaining.
After a failed onside kick, Ole Miss recover and begin to continue to salt away the game.
After a few runs to run down the clock, Ole Miss chuck it downfield and, surprisingly for once, don't make it to the end zone...but pass interference is called and the very next play, Jerrion Ealy soars through the O-Line to make a 15yrd run. 31-13.
As the game hit the 4m mark, it was clear who would win this, no heroics and especially no cowbells (which decided to quieten up as soon as that last touchdown went in) would save the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Jo'Quavious Marks grabs a touchdown though, a nice 11yrd run and a 2pt conversion to boot, as Miss State continue to fight, even if the clock is about to hit the 2m warning. 31-21.
And the game finishes there, a 31-21 win for Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and the Golden Egg Trophy stays in Oxford for another year.
MVP for the game? Matt Corral had a solid good game, even if the interception is a blemish on his CV for this game and Sam Williams played great, grabbing 2 sacks and pressuring the Mississippi State O-Line almost every play, making his presence felt, but lets give a shout out to Cale Nation. The Ole Miss kicker, a backup forced into the limelight at the last moment, made every kick that was asked of him, so for that reason, the first Some College Game Ball (SCGB) goes to Cale Nation, for is solid no mistake kicking whilst up against the elements and having little time to prepare, I don my cap to thee Cale, even if your name does remind me of the years spent at home with kale chucked in almost every meal.
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