Trinidad Chambliss threw four touchdown passes, De’Zhaun Stribling caught two of them and No. 7 Ole Miss all but clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 38-19 victory against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Friday at Starkville, Miss.
Chambliss completed 23 of 34 passes for 359 yards and the Rebels (11-1, 7-1 SEC) overcame any distractions about head coach Lane Kiffin’s potential departure to win their third straight game against their in-state rival. They improved to 5-1 in the Egg Bowl under Kiffin.
Freshman Kamario Taylor made his first start and rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 178 yards to lead the Bulldogs (5-7 1-7). Mississippi State fell short of bowl eligibility for a third consecutive season after 13 straight bowl appearances.
Mississippi State received the second-half kickoff and drove to Kyle Ferrie’s 36-yard field goal to pull within 21-13. Ole Miss answered with Lucas Carneiro’s 43-yard field goal to restore an 11-point lead.
Chambliss’ 23-yard touchdown pass to Stribling expanded the lead to 31-13 early in the fourth quarter. Taylor scrambled for a 35-yard touchdown with 10:40 remaining as Missippi State closed the gap to 31-19.
Ole Miss capped the scoring in style when Chambliss threw an 88-yard touchdown pass to Deuce Alexander. The Rebels went on to complete the first 11-win regular season in school history.
Ole Miss received the opening kickoff and five players lateer Kewan Lacy ran 31 yards for a touchdown. Lacy finished with 143 yards on 27 carries
Mississippi State muffed the ensuing kickoff and started from its 3-yard line, but drove 97 yards in 10 plays, the last of which was a 22-yard touchdown run by Taylor that tied the score.
Chambliss threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Harrison Wallace III to give the Rebels a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.
Ferrie kicked a 40-yard field goal to pull the Bulldogs within 14-10 before Chambliss directed a 75-yard drive and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Stribling with 12 seconds remaining before halftime to increase the lead to 21-10.
–Field Level Media
