Week 14, Rivalry Week SEC Football Picks Against the Spread
Nov 28, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs players hold up the egg bowl trophy after winning the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs defeat the Mississippi Rebels with a score of 17-10 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
#4 Mississippi State Bulldogs (-2) at #19 Ole Miss Rebels, Saturday November 29, 2:30PM CT, CBS
Last year, there was the Mother of All Iron Bowls. Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers met in the season finale with the SEC West on the line and national title hopes at stake.
A couple of weeks ago, this looked like the Mother of All Egg Bowls with similar implications. However, 35-31 and 30-0 losses to Auburn and Arkansas, respectively, knocked Ole Miss out of the playoff picture and SEC West race.
Mississippi State still has a shot at both, but they need to beat the Rebels and have the Crimson Tide lose again to Auburn to make it to Atlanta. Otherwise, they’ll probably need a rather an impressive victory over Ole Miss to hold off challengers like Baylor, TCU and Ohio State for the No. 4 spot in the playoff rankings.
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But the game itself may be more important than all that – at least to the players.
“Every one of these is as important as the other one,” Bulldogs QB Dak Prescott said. “This is the biggest game of the year for us. This is one to me – the records never really matter – it’s all about winning the game and getting bragging rights in the state for another year.”
Prescott knows first hand. He willed MSU to a dramatic overtime victory last season after not playing in the first three quarters of the game. It was a victory that elevated him to a folk hero in Starkville and jumpstarted one of the best seasons in school history this year.
Prior to the Rebels’ loss to Arkansas, State was likely to be an underdog in Oxford. Instead, the Rebels looked horrible and will be a slight ‘dog at home. Overall, Ole Miss the more talented team and has the benefit of the home crowd, but their offense has struggled so bad recently (and quarterback Bo Wallace is still dealing with an injury he suffered against Arkansas), the Bulldogs should come out on top.
Mississippi State 27, Ole Miss 24
Next: Mississippi State at Ole Miss