No. 4 Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-1 SU, 7-4 ATS) vs. No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels (8-3 SU, 7-4 ATS)
College Football Week 14
Date and Time: Saturday November 29th, 2014. 3:30PM EST
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Oxford, M.S.
TV: CBS
by Jay, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: MSU -2/MISS +2
Over/Under Total: 49.5
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In years past, the Egg Bowl has simply been a moniker for a rivalry game between the two flagship schools in the state of Mississippi. However this year the Egg Bowl takes on a whole new meaning and will be at the forefront of the talk surrounding rivalry week when the 4th ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs go into Oxford for a showdown with the no. 19 Ole Miss Rebels. This rivalry match-up has been put on everyones radars as a result of both teams breakout success this season and the Bulldogs will have college football playoff implications on the line to spice up the contest when both teams collide this Saturday.
Earlier this year, the Rebels appeared in-line for college footballs inaugural playoff picture after a perfect 7-0 start. However Ole Miss has regressed in recent weeks losing their last 3 games in the conference including an embarrassing defeat last week to Arkansas 30-0. Still, the Rebels have a chance to put a stamp on their breakout season with a win over the Bulldogs this week which would give the team a chance to reach 10 wins through their bowl bid.
The key for Ole Miss this Saturday will be to get the offense back in rhythm. The Rebels defense ranks number 1 in scoring yielding just 13.5 points per game. Rest assured the Rebels tough defense will be fueled by the energy of the home crowd and rivalry atmosphere when the Bulldogs come into town this week. Still, the offense will have to take charge for the Rebels to pull out the victory. Ole Miss was shutout last week against Arkansas and was held to just 7 points a few weeks back in the loss to LSU. Things appeared to have went south for the offense with the loss of star receiver Laquon Treadwell.
Treadwells loss was a blow to the passing attack which the offense relied on heavily through the beginning of the year. In recent weeks, quarterback Bo Wallace has had a much tougher time moving the football through the air and turnovers have been an issue. Additionally the Rebels have struggled to find success on the ground which has not helped issues. Collectively, the offense has to find a spark and breathe some life back into their cause. A big play or two early would definitely help their cause this Saturday but the most important factor will be keeping Wallace out of uncomfortable passing situations to control the turnover issues.
On the other side of the field, Mississippi State presents a multitude of threats not only for Ole Miss but also to the rest of the country if they can get this win and earn a spot in the playoffs. The Bulldogs defense has been great yielding just 18.4 points per game (11th in FBS) and perhaps even better on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been great throwing for 2,714 yards and rushing for 891 yards to combine for 35 touchdowns. In fact, Prescott could join the 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing club that only has 5 members throughout all of college footballs historic past. A few of the names that are in that club include Johnny Manziel, Vince Young, and Colin Kaepernick.
Therefore that just gives you an idea of the great season Prescott is having and the Bulldogs entire offense has been equally impressive. Running back Josh Robinson has been very important to the Bulldogs offensive success. Robinson leads the team with more than 1,000 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. The junior is a part of the two headed monster in the backfield with Prescott as one of the best quarterback-tailback rushing combos in the country. The Bulldogs offense is based around their success running the football but it will be interesting to see how they stack up against the best defensive front in college football this Saturday.
Jay’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: I cannot see Ole Miss winning this game and honestly think the line is only this low due to the fact it is a rivalry game and is being played in Oxford. Do not overthink this one, take Mississippi State!