Rebels vs. Bulldogs Week 13 Way-Too-Early Staff Predictions

The Ole Miss Rebels finish the regular season with a home matchup against in-state rivals Mississippi State.

The Ole Miss Rebels wrap up the regular season on Nov. 23 against Mississippi State at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Bulldogs will be starting a new era for 2023 as Zach Arnett begins his first season at the helm as head coach.

Arnett makes the transition from defensive coordinator to head coach and is helped by the return of quarterback Will Rogers and his aggressive and experienced defense. The offense could see some growing pains since they're transitioning from Mike Leach's Air Raid style to a more balanced attack.

Kevin Barbay takes over as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator and will bring a much different-looking offense than Mississippi State fans are used to seeing. Because of this, the defense should be the strength of the team in 2023. Matt Brock has been promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator, and very little should change from a season ago scheme-wise.

Timm Hamm - Writer

As unpredictable as the Egg Bowl has always been, this one might be the hardest to predict. Last year's game was sketchy and close with lots of drama at the end in the form of a Bulldogs fumble and an Ole Miss failed two-point conversion. This one should be close again, but home-field advantage wins out.

Mississippi State 31, Ole Miss 28

Casey Smith - Staff Writer

Last season, Ole Miss led a miraculous 99-yard drive with a wide-open pitch-and-catch to Dayton Wade, needing just a two-point conversion to tie the Egg Bowl. Jaxson Dart's shovel pass attempt to Jonathan Mingo was knocked down by Bulldogs defensive end Randy Charleton as Ole Miss lost 24-22.

Oddly enough, since 2015, the road team in the Egg Bowl has won six of the last eight games. Following that trend would favor the Rebels this season, and they are favored by 1.5 points, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Mississippi State linebackers Jett Johnson and Nathaniel Watson, who both had over 100 tackles last season, will make life tough for Quinshon Judkins, plugging up inside running lanes. However, like last year, I think Dart has a solid game against a patchwork Mississippi State secondary, and, this year, he ends up making that one more play.

Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 27

Ben King - Staff Writer 

The Ole Miss Rebels cap off their arduous 2023 campaign with their matchup versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs got the best of the Rebels in Oxford last fall in a tight 24-22 loss, but I believe Ole Miss will bounce back this season and reclaim the Golden Egg in Starkville. However, I do not expect Ole Miss to blow State out of the water. This is going to be a close game.

Despite the unfortunate passing of Mike Leach, the Bulldogs are still going to field a scrappy team with Zach Arnett now at the helm, and quarterback Will Rogers is also returning for his senior year. I think Ole Miss' aerial attack is going to ultimately be too much for Mississippi State to handle though.

Ole Miss 31, Mississippi State 28

Cole Thompson - Staff Writer

Like most rivalries, strategic game planning doesn't work. Records don't matter. It's a three-hour tug-o-war between two programs with more disdain than the Hatfields and McCoys fighting for land on the West Virginia and Kentucky border. 

Quarterback Will Rogers is learning a different offense than the air raid style implemented under the late Mike Leach, but he's still one of the conference's better passers. Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins can put any defensive line in a blender with his open-field elusiveness, but he was held to just 91 yards last year at home. It's a toss-up, so call it in the air: heads go to Ole Miss and tails lean toward Mississippi State. 

Heads it is. 

Ole Miss 34, Mississippi State 28

John Macon Gillespie - Publisher

I like Ole Miss here. Zach Arnett may turn into a great SEC head coach, but the whirlwind that was Mike Leach's passing thrust him onto the scene rather early. The air raid appears to be out, so how will State's roster adjust?

Also, I just think Ole Miss' offense is going to be really good if it stays healthy. Then again, it's the Egg Bowl, so that doesn't always matter, but until then, give me the Rebels.

Ole Miss 35, Mississippi State 21

---

Follow Timm ‘IndyCarTim’ Hamm on Twitter and Instagram

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.

Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.

Want even more Ole Miss Rebels News? Check out the SI.com team page here