The Egg Bowl Is Back To Glory, But For How Long?
Mike Leach and Lane Kiffin walk into a stadium. There's a joke there, but the success of the Egg Bowl isn't one of them.
Thursday marks only the second time that Leach and Kiffin have met since arriving in the Magnolia State. This could very well mark history for No. 8 Ole Miss (9-2, 5-2 SEC) as it looks to tally 10 regular season wins for the first time since the program was founded.
Leach continues to prove that the air raid offense can adapt to the SEC as quarterback Will Rogers has made Mississippi State (7-4, 4-3 SEC) a rising team in the West. Now, the Egg Bowl is a must-win for both sides.
"It actually means something this year,” Ole Miss running back Jerrion Ealy said.
It's always meant something to say the least. This year, it's reached a new level. It's not just a marquee win for Ole Miss or a resounding victory for Mississippi State at home.
All of the state of Mississippi is watching. So is Florida.
And Miami.
And likely LSU and athletic director Scott Woodward has both eyes fixated on Wade Davis Stadium.
Why? Kiffin.
Someone is about to pay top dollar for his services, and a road win likely adds a few extra bucks to his deal.
Should the Rebels walk away victorious, a shot to make a New Year's Six Bowl only becomes stronger. Ole Miss could also represent the SEC in the Sugar Bowl should Alabama defeat Auburn on Saturday and top-ranked Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.
Should the Bulldogs win, it's also a staple for the state of the program's future. Miss. State would finish above .500 in conference play for the first time since 2014 when Dan Mullen and Hugh Freeze were running the show down south.
That season, the Bulldogs became the first team in the College Football Playoff era to be ranked No. 1. No, Leach won't bring them to Indianapolis, but a victory likely cements that they'll be playing at the start of the new year in Florida.
The focus, though, must be on Kiffin. Leach is a fine hire who rambles on about his offensive gameplan while comparing animals to players. He and Starkville mesh as if they're turkey and mashed potatoes served on the holiday morning.
Kiffin, however, could be bigger than Oxford. After going .500 in Year 1 and almost doubling his wins in Year 2, ADs are paying close attention.
People will turn towards his stint USC and consider the 46-year-old a bust at a major program. Keep in mind that the program was under violations set by Pete Carroll and the Pac-10 — and later Pac-12 — was becoming a rising offensive conference full of minds that still are respected today.
Chip Kelly at Oregon? Steve Sarkisian at Washington? David Shaw at Stanford? Even with the troubles, Kiffin went 28-15 before the infamous firing on the tarmac by then-AD Pat Haden.
Kiffin since has transformed the offenses' of Alabama, Florida Atlantic and now the roster on The Grove. As the first of many in the Nick Saban Rehabilitation Program, the offense finished top 10 all three seasons, winning a national title in 2015.
Florida Atlantic? A top 25 offense twice and a pair of Conference USA titles would suffice. And as inconsistent as the defense has been for the Rebs, his unit with the help of Jeff Lebby should close out back-to-back seasons ranked top five in total offense.
Yeah, that stint in Title Town is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Woodward is down to the wire with his options entering December. So is USC athletic director Mike Bohn and Florida AD Scott Strickland. Texas A&M agreed to terms over the next decade with Jimbo Fisher to pay him $9 million plus through 2031.
Michigan State extended Mel Tucker to a new $95 million deal Tuesday. The day before, James Franklin signed his decade deal with Penn State to the tune of $7.5 million a season. According to a source told to Sports Illustrated, Baylor's Dave Aranda is about to get paid in Waco.
Kiffin is winning and putting up better numbers than all offenses listed. By process of elimination, he could be the hottest name on the market come Monday.
Keith Carter, are you paying attention?
In an instant, Kiffin and the Rebels could renew their vows and commit to spend the years growing old together. Carter has to convince the boosters to allow a pay raise to one of college football's top faces both on the field and on the camera.
If Saban is the Kim Kardashian of the sporting world, Kiffin is Kylie. Nick had to walk so Kiffin could run.
Leach has Mississippi State back to the glory days of the Mullen era. He transformed the program around at Texas Tech. That later followed at Washington State.
Kiffin has done the same in Oxford. He could do something Freeze never was able to accomplish. That in itself is worth the pay raise from those on the Grove for the long-term future.
Two years ago, Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore lifted up his leg and the Egg Bowl was never the same. Matt Luke was fired, leading to Kiffin coming back to the SEC. Joe Moorhead would be let go by Mississippi State two weeks later and soon after, in came Leach.
The Egg Bowl means something more than ever on Thanksgiving. In large part, that's due to coaching. Reality is setting as both enter the bus and head towards the chats and clamors of cowbells.
Kiffin and Leach have brought the in-state rivalry back to glory. But how long can it last?
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