Mississippi State came from behind to upset arch-rival Ole Miss

Mississippi State beat rival Ole Miss in overtime Thursday night 17 – 10 relying on their defense for the entire game to keep it close. The defense was all over the Rebel’s offense through out the whole game, and Dak Prescott came into the game in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulldogs to an overtime victory.

Taveze Calhoun stepped up covering the Ole Miss receivers and holding them in check. Calhoun finished the game with 11 total tackles and seemed to be in the middle of every play. Chris Jones was in the backfield most of the game. Jones finished the game with 5 total tackles, one of them a sack and the other tackle for a loss. The two young leaders set the tone for the entire game. Nickoe Whitley, though, had another game-saving tackle on the goal line. Bo Wallace scrambled through the line and was sprinting towards the end zone. Whitley came flying in and poked the ball loose. Jamerson Love would scoop up the ball in the end zone to end the game.

Damien Williams got the start for the Bulldogs at quarterback, and the offense kept to a very conservative game plan. The offense could never really put a long drive together all game. Williams finished with 82 passing yards and 29 rushing yards in three quarters of action. Williams did not get much help though from his teammates, as the receivers dropped a hand full passes in the first three quarters.

Williams scrambled out of the pocket, and threw the ball deep into the air, and an Ole Miss defensive back came down with pick. Williams kept the Bulldogs close all game, but would not play another snap.

Enter Dak Prescott.

Mississippi State was down by three going into the fourth. Prescott came into the game and started moving the ball through the air rather then the ground. The wide receivers started bringing down their passes and the offense began to show some signs of life.

Prescott led the Bulldogs on the game-tying drive late in the fourth, and on a final drive in regulation, Mississippi State missed a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Prescott ran all over the Ole Miss defense in the over time. The Bulldogs had ball on the four-yard line on fourth down. Coach Mullen decided to go for the first down. Prescott lined up in the shotgun and had to only get two yards. He got six points.

The Bulldog defense held Ole Miss one last time and reclaimed the Golden Egg, when Nickoe Whitley forced a Bo Wallace fumble into the end zone. Mississippi State moved to 6-6 on the year and will be attending its fourth straight bowl game, the first time in Mississippi State’s history that the team will go to four consecutive bowl games.

Dan Mullen is now 4-1 in Egg Bowls in his coaching tenure.