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What do you think of when you think of the Egg Bowl? For me, there are a few words I always associate with the annual game -- Rivalry, tight games, hatred, Bulldogs and Rebels, maroon and white, red and blue, Croom, Orgeron. One of the words that I used to always associate with the game? Thanksgiving night.
Well, that last one was what I always associated the Egg Bowl with before 2003 - a good, old fashioned rivalry game played on a day when most of us waddle into the stadiums after a long day of stuffing our faces with turkey and fixings and arguing with relatives we see once or twice a year.
For those of you who, like me, enjoyed the game when it was played on Thursday night, well you're in luck my friends, as Mississippi State announced today that the game will be moved back to Thursday for the 2013 season. The game is set for a 6:30 CT kickoff and will be televised on ESPN. The release says that the decision was made by the SEC and ESPN, which means ESPN probably told the SEC "hey, they're both good again. Let's move it back to Thursday".
Some of the rivalries best games came in the late 90's, when the game was always played on Thanksgiving night -- back when Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, and Chris Fowler graced the booth with their presence every Thursday. There were several games in the time period that many of us enjoyed, especially 1999.
The release does not specify whether this is a one time deal or if this is planned for the next several years. My feeling is that ESPN and the SEC will "monitor the situation" and decide year by year, although I am hoping it is set for years to come. We will let you guys know if we hear one way or the other.
For now, just know that the Egg Bowl is back in its rightful place -- on Thursday night. So fire up those fryers a bit early this year and pack grandma's homemade sweet potato casserole to-go, because this year, Thanksgiving means football in Starkville once again.