Lane Kiffin and his Ole Miss Rebels secured a crucial 26-14 win over Mississippi State in Oxford, keeping their slim College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Rebels (9-3, 5-3 SEC) claimed their fourth win in the last five years in this in-state rivalry against a struggling Bulldogs team (2-10, 0-8 SEC). Despite trailing 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, MSU was held scoreless the rest of the game as Ole Miss gradually took control.
Ulysses Bentley, who had no carries in the previous week’s upset loss to Florida, broke free for an 89-yard touchdown run to give Ole Miss the lead with around eight minutes left in the first half, marking the longest offensive rush in the SEC this season.
The Rebels’ defense intensified its pressure on MSU quarterback Michael “Martin” Van Buren Jr., recording two interceptions, three sacks, and eight tackles for loss. Ole Miss’ defense bent but didn’t break, preventing the Bulldogs from regaining control.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart didn’t have his best game passing, but he did surpass Ole Miss legend Eli Manning for the most career passing yards in program history. Dart completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards, a touchdown, and rushed for 77 yards, making him the second-leading rusher on the team.
The game was expected to be a comfortable Ole Miss victory, and the Rebels delivered, keeping their slim CFP hopes alive. Going into the game, Ole Miss had just a 7% chance of securing a spot in the 12-team playoff. This win marks the third time in five seasons that Kiffin’s Rebels have won at least nine games, and they are now 4-1 in the Egg Bowl under his leadership.
Now, Ole Miss must wait and hope for some chaos in the playoff picture as they look toward their postseason destination. While the 12-point win over MSU might not be particularly impressive, the Rebels are hoping for some favorable results in the coming hours. For the senior class, it’s been a remarkable run—3-1 against their hated in-state rival, a Peach Bowl win, a program-record regular season, and a quarterback who now holds the career passing record. It’s a great time to be a Rebel. Hotty Toddy!
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