No. 15 Ole Miss nurses slim playoff hopes into Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi State

This was supposed to be the capper on Mississippi's playoff-worthy season. Win, and in.

Things aren't nearly so clear-cut now for the 15th-ranked Rebels (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) entering Friday's Egg Bowl against in-state rival Mississippi State (2-9, 0-7). A loss to Florida leaves Ole Miss ranked 14th and needing to win and hope for some Saturday surprises.

Luckily for the Rebels, other contenders like Alabama and Texas A&M also lost.

“Percentages are now saying that’s alive so I did tell (players) that,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said. "But I think there should be so much motivation to keep the Egg Bowl Trophy here and win this game and play really well.

“But if that’s added and it helps them to know that playoffs are still alive and that they get the first shot to show everybody on a national stage, as opposed to a Saturday game where these people that make these decisions don’t necessarily see all these games because there’s so many going on. ... You’ve got a shot to show everybody.”

Meanwhile, Jeff Lebby is hoping to cap his first season in Starkville on a high note. The Bulldogs are on the verge of their first winless SEC campaign since 2002. They have dropped 11 consecutive conference games since last October and are coming off a 39-20 home loss to Missouri.

“I think for me, there’s this great understanding that this game is a huge deal,” Lebby said. “Knowing what it means to our fanbase, to our university, to our community in Starkville, it’s a big deal. From a recruiting standpoint and how we recruit against each other in this state, on Friday afternoon we've got a ton to play for and we need to be at our best.”

Dart on the rebound

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart had rare missteps in a terrific season last weekend, throwing interceptions on the Rebels’ final two drives in a 24-17 loss at Florida. But he's just 49 passing yards shy of Eli Manning’s career record 10,119. Dart is leading the FBS in total offense and passing efficiency while ranking third with 3,732 passing yards.

Lebby's return

Lebby is no stranger to Oxford or Kiffin. He spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as Kiffin's offensive coordinator at Ole Miss. Both of his Rebels offenses led the SEC in total yards, and Lebby was twice a semifinalist for the Broyles Award given to the nation's top assistant.

“I think he said when he got the job, this is going to be a really fun Egg Bowl,” Kififin said. “He said he was really excited about it. I guess we’re excited, too.”

Sack masters

Suntarine Perkins and Princely Umanmielen both have 10.5 sacks, just two shy of the Rebels’ single-season record set by Sam Williams in 2021.

Ole miss leads the FBS in tackles for loss (108) and sacks (49).

Gang of tacklers

MSU has the SEC’s worst defense (461.8 yards per game) but features three of its top tacklers. Sophomore safety Isaac Smith and senior linebacker Stone Blanton are 1-2 respectively with 115 and 111 stops each, while linebacker Nic Mitchell is 12th with 75. They were among a quartet of Bulldogs with double-digit stops against Mizzou, MSU’s first game with that many since the 2021 Egg Bowl.

Consistent Coleman

Bulldogs receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. has the SEC’s second-most catches (68) and fifth-most yardage (814) along with five touchdowns. He has nine consecutive games with at least five receptions and 10 overall this season, with at least 50 yards to boot. Coleman is a riding a 28-game streak with at least one catch.

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AP Sports Writer Gary B. Graves contributed to this report.

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John Zenor, The Associated Press