Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin makes his stance clear for Egg Bowl 2023 as Mississippi State prepares to emulate last year's success

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is ready to exact revenge on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in this year's Egg Bowl. Last year, the Rebels lost to the Bulldogs at home 24-22, and Kiffin is ready to clean that stain from his record.

The coach said Monday regarding the need to win the Egg Bowl:

“Need to work to get this trophy back, we screwed it up last year, so now we have a short week to get ready for that.

"I mean, it would be huge regardless of that stuff because it’s a big rivalry game. So no matter what, it would be big and I think it gets extra big because, you know, losing it last year."

Lane Kiffin also addressed the importance of the final game of the regular season for both schools. The 5-6 Bulldogs could be invited to a bowl game with a win.

"Definitely, I think there’s some danger in that, kind of like an all-out factor," Kiffin said. "Usually a (interim) coach (like Mississippi State’s Greg Knox) in these situations, you just bring energy and be creative and try to be more motivational than Xs and Os.

"It’s hard to really change philosophy in one or two weeks. So, a lot of times, they usually try to go the motivation route with the players."

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Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss's 2023 season

The Rebels are having a completely different season under Lane Kiffin this year than their previous campaign with the coach. Ole Miss has a record of 9-2 and is currently the No. 12 ranked team in the nation. Closing the season at 10-2 would be a huge departure from their 8-5 2022 season.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart is among the brightest spots on the Rebels' roster. The QB has recorded 2,889 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2023. His 79.4 QBR ranks 14th in the FBS.