Egg Bowl Review – HEART Edition

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

What a game! It’s awesome to have the Egg Bowl Trophy back in it’s rightful place! Mississippi State 17, rebels 10. Hail State.

State needed two wins the last two weeks to get bowl-eligible, and with a quarterback situation in total flux they pulled out a win in Arkansas for the first time ever, and secured the Golden Egg for the 4th time in 5 years. Each of the 3 QBs had a major impact in all three games – gutsy performances by Tyler Russell and Dak Prescott battling injuries, and by the freshman Damian Williams.

DEFENSE

The defense played remarkable. They wanted it more and it showed. Here’s a few of the things they did…

• More turnovers forced (4) than points allowed (3)
• Forced 6 straight punts in the 2nd half
• Allowed only 318 total yards
• Red zone defense allowed 0 touchdowns and 2 FG attemps in two OM red zone opportunities – that was huge

Chris Jones had another phenomenal game. Him tackling Robert Nkemdiche short of the line to game on 3rd & 2 in the first half was too awesome. Then Ole Miss misses a 27 yard field goal, haha. Finally it happens to someone else.

Taveze Calhoun played the game of his life – although that may just be a sign of thing to come. He was EVERYWHERE.

GREAT catches on the interceptions by Justin Cox and Nickoe Whitley. Mullen said after the game that Nickoe has been playing with a hurt knee since mid-season and will have surgery on Monday. With his NFL career on the line, to go out and play hurt like that for his team – very impressive.

OFFENSE 

The offense struggled to get moving for most of the game, and OM played some good defense as well. The play-calling in the 3rd quarter was really questionable as we got away from the run and starting passing heavily and it wasn’t working. But credit to Damian Williams who played well in the game for the most part. He did make a bad mistake throwing the INT deep in OM territory, and that got him pulled from the game. But otherwise, he did a good job considering the circumstances…8 of 18 for 115 yards plus 29 yards rushing.

For some reason D’Runnya Wilson can’t catch the balls Williams throws as he has another bad drop, but when Dak came in he was sucking them in like a vacuum. He’s going to be a big time player for us.

Dak Prescott. What can you say? He just put his stamp on the hearts of all State fans. Loses his mother 3+ weeks ago, then goes down with an injury the next game while playing his heart out in College Station. Misses 2.75 games but comes in cold in the 4th quarter and on three drives he manages to get MSU down for two FG attempts, and then a touchdown in overtime. Injury, heavy heart, everything. Awesome.

On the touchdown we scored, I really liked how we just lined up in the ‘I’ and pounded the ball with JRob. That got the job done.

SPECIAL TEAMS 

The Special teams nearly cost us this game. Jameon Lewis fair catches the ball at the 5 yard line, a no-no. Then we run 3x and attempt a punt that is blocked in the endzone for OM’s only touchdown.

Evan Sobiesk did make a 36 yard FG – I had a pillow over my head for that one. So maybe that gives him some confidence for a 38 yarder at the end of regulation to win it? Nah. Wide right. But at least OM missed their own chip shot so maybe it evened out for this one, and we went to OT.

REFS

State not only beat Ole Miss, but they overcame the refs. Holy smokes at the bad calls and no-calls against us! The 3rd quarter specifically was the worst:

• Calhoun gets a interception but it’s called an incomplete pass, but that isn’t reviewed
• Then on the next play we finally get a good punt return – about 20 yards from Holloway – but it’s called back with a holding penalty
• On the ensuing drive for MSU Tony Conner interferes with the pass on 3rd & 5 but it isn’t called
• When OM gets the ball back Whitley gets called for a late hit when Bo Wallace is lowering his shoulder towards him on his way out of bounds

OTHER

I’ll give credit to Freeze for the unique personnel decision to put Robert Nkemdiche in at tailback/fullback and run over some people. It worked on the first two plays to the tune of 24 yards. But also credit State’s defense for the adjustment as they clogged the middle and forced him outside, stopping him short on 3rd & 2 twice in the game – the second time was in the 4th quarter. And what’s with the refs doing Freeze a favor by notifying him they couldn’t have two players play the same position with the same number? That should have been a foul but it wasn’t called, and they inform him about it so they won’t ever have to call it. That is just poor.

MISSISSIPPI STATE HAS NOW FINISHED AHEAD OF OLE MISS IN THE SEC WEST FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

Gabe Jackson set the MSU record in this game with his 51st consecutive start. He also undoubtedly won the Conerly Trophy as Bo Wallace has four turnovers. Gabe will hold the national active record with his 52nd in a bowl game as Aaron Murray went down with injury in his 51st game last week.

HAIL STATE!