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Mississippi State could win the Egg Bowl with one simple fix

By Josh Barnhill

Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Jordan Wilkins (22) runs the ball during the fourth quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi won 38-27. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Jordan Wilkins (22) runs the ball during the fourth quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi won 38-27. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mississippi State and Ole Miss are 3-5, so it looks like it’ll come down to the Egg Bowl to salvage both their seasons.

The first college football playoff rankings come out on Tuesday night. It was just two years ago when the first ever CFB playoff rankings were released and featured both MSU and Ole Miss in the top four:

Both programs have fallen off a bit. Mississippi State’s bowl streak is for all intents and purposes finished. Ole Miss will most likely enter the Egg Bowl at 5-6 and needing a win to secure bowl eligibility.

So while this game has been knocked back a few notches, it will still have a lot of meaning to the winner and the loser. For MSU, a win would at least leave one decent memory in a lost season and give hope for the future. And most notably, save the program from three straight losses in the series.

If you ask me right now, I’d say State has about a 5% chance to win the game. But I’m basing that number on what I’ve seen from this team, and the game being in Oxford. There is one simple fix, however, that could turn that 5% chance into about 55%.

Effort.

Specifically, defensive effort.

No more of this:

The Bulldogs lack leadership, and that is hurting the defensive side of the ball worse than anything. If they don’t strap it up for the Rebels, Chad Kelly will light them up.

You wouldn’t figure effort to be a problem for a rivalry game. Especially one that Coach Dan Mullen elevated into another stratosphere when he arrived in Starkville. But the last two years, especially in 2015, the amount of effort we’ve seen from the Dawgs has been mediocre at best.

Related Story: Dawg Smack's Top 10 Egg Bowls

So what will we see come Thanksgiving weekend? MSU should be able to run the ball and score points on Ole Miss. But will the defense even attempt to stop the Rebs’ offense?

No Mississippi State coach has ever survived three straight losses to Ole Miss. Will Mullen get his players fired up and ready to play hard in the biggest game of the year?

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