Mississippi State Football Roundtable Predictions: Ole Miss

How does the Maroon and White Nation team think MSU football will fare in 2016?

The college football season is quickly approaching. The level of hope around the Mississippi State football program isn’t exactly at an all time high. The departure of several key players and, most importantly, the uncertainty at quarterback has MSU fans unsure how to feel entering 2016. Don’t worry Bulldog fans, the staff at M&WN is here to help. We are going to breakdown every game and tell you whether or not we believe MSU will win and why.

The Battle for the Golden Egg. It’s a great example of what makes college football the greatest sport on Earth. Every week from September through November, teams’ and fans’ demeanor for the week hinge on what happens on Saturday. In the state of Mississippi, the week of Thanksgiving is like no other. Most people spend time with family and great food. Some enjoy their first chance to deer hunt for the season. But come Saturday all eye are focused on one thing: The Egg Bowl. Winning this game means bragging rights for a whole year for your fan base. Winning this game can make a mediocre season feel like a good one or a good season feel great. So how will the 2016 version of The Egg Bowl play out?

More from Mississippi State Football

• Meeting the Opponent: Week 4 – South Carolina Gamecocks
• Mississippi State football vs LSU: The good, bad, and ugly
• The Wednesday Wrap: Maybe Mississippi State Football Coach Zach Arnett shouldn’t do it his way
• Mississippi State football history vs. South Carolina: Records, streaks, and more
• Mississippi State football bowl projections after Bulldogs crushed by LSU

My Pick

Mississippi State has lost two straight Egg Bowls after winning three of four before that. I expect both teams to come into this game with good records and ranked inside the top 15. Unfortunately, I cannot pick MSU to win this game. I don’t necessarily think Ole Miss is more talented that Mississippi State. In fact, I think the talent level is pretty even. The difference for me is coaching. Hugh Freeze seems to have put a focus on this game and is determined to beat his rival. We have not seen that same enthusiasm for the Egg Bowl from Dan Mullen over the past couple years. Until Mullen brings back the fire for beat TSUN that he had in his first three years I can’t pick MSU to win. No matter how much it kills me.

Josh Barnhill

Loss at Ole Miss – I really hate to predict three straight Egg Bowl losses but I am. It hurts, but until I see some fire again for this game how can I predict State to win in Oxford against a good Rebel team?

Andrew Norwood

Egg Bowl weekend is one for the ages this year. Twitter goes crazy after each other to figure out who is doing what illegally, and everyone reads into articles like it’s the Bible. The Bulldogs will put the doubters to rest this season with a 10 point victory over the Rebels in the newly “renovated” Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Oh…and Chad Kelly won’t finish the game, and it won’t be because of an injury.

Dawg Smack

On paper, we should lose this one.  They have better talent, a superb QB and it’s at their place.  Plus they’re riding high having beaten us at home last year.  But I’m going out on a limb and saying I think we win this one.  Why?  Because I believe the combination of their not being in contention for the SEC West (I think they start 1-3 and 0-2 in the SEC which pretty much eliminates them from contention), and the fact that the NCAA matter will still be ongoing, plays into our favor.  Look for Hugh Freeze to be the subject of more articles critical of his program and that will begin to take a toll on not only him, but his team.  And NO ONE is expecting us to be able to go into Oxford and win.  That’s why I think we will.  The Egg comes back to Starkville, the Rebels go on probation in January and all is well in Bulldog land.

That’s an Egg Bowl split for the M&WN team. Here’s our final predictions:

• Jared: 9-3
• Josh: 8-4
• Andrew: 9-3
• Dawg Smack: 8-4

I think all MSU fans would, and should, be happy with 9-3 or 8-4. That probably has the Bulldogs either 3rd or 4th in the West and playing in a really good bowl. If the Dawgs could find a way to pull out a game against a team they shouldn’t beat, we could see our boys in contention for the SEC West.