Ole Miss Rebels Earn Relaxing Rivalry Saturday Following Egg Bowl Win
And...exhale.
The No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels have earned a relaxing Rivalry Saturday after taking down the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thanksgiving night, and following the grind of a 10-2 season, that's a welcome sight for Lane Kiffin's roster.
Rivalry Week is one of the greatest times on the college football calendar, and it's always more enjoyable to take in when your team takes care of business. Ole Miss did that this season against the Bulldogs, but this time of rest comes at a pivotal time for the Rebels as they continue to chase an 11-win season and program history.
It's evident that quarterback Jaxson Dart is not 100 percent healthy, and Ole Miss had a propensity for playing close games this regular season, even against lesser competition. The Rebels narrowly defeated the likes of LSU, Texas A&M, Arkansas and even this week's opponent of Mississippi State.
Ole Miss TE Caden Prieskorn (86) celebrates after a touchdown against Mississippi State during the second half of the Egg Bowl at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023.
© Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK
On paper, Ole Miss maybe shouldn't have been in games this close with a few opponents, but wins are wins, and the Rebels managed to secure 10 of them thanks to a strong mental fortitude.
But, that type of grind can wear on a team, especially in the gauntlet of the SEC. That's why this likely month-plus-long rest for Ole Miss is important: if it wants to do what no Rebels team has done before and win 11 games, it will need to reset and be healthy.
It appears that the Rebels will either participate in the New Year's Six field or find themselves just outside that category in the Citrus Bowl (which also takes place on New Year's Day). There is still work to be done this season, but, for now, Ole Miss and its fans have earned a well-deserved break, and an Egg Bowl win is the perfect way for them to coast into that period of rest.
If you're an Ole Miss fan, let the other fan bases stress on Saturday. Your team has taken care of its business, and it can enjoy one of the best times of the year as a result.
