STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team didn’t want to enter rivalry week on a two-game losing streak.
Coming off a 31-6 loss to Alabama on Nov. 14 at Davis Wade Stadium, MSU hoped to get back on track against an Arkansas team that entered the game riding a four-game winning streak.
Thanks to a record-breaking performance by Dak Prescott and a game-saving blocked field goal in the final minute by Beniquez Brown, MSU escaped Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a 51-50 victory.
“It’s a lot better going in the other way,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “This week’s always different. We always know this week’s a big, big, big week for us. Rivalry games always are. We’ve got to go and try and finish the season the right way next week, getting that Egg Bowl trophy.”
Prescott had 554 yards of offense and seven touchdowns to give MSU (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference), which climbed back into The Associated Press poll at No. 23, momentum as it prepares to play host to No. 19 Ole Miss (8-3, 5-2) at 6:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2) at Davis Wade Stadium in the Battle for the Golden Egg.
It will be the sixth time both teams have been ranked in the matchup, and it is the first time the teams will be ranked in back-to-back games.
Along with being ranked No. 23 in The AP poll, MSU moved from No. 25 to No. 22 in the Amway Coaches poll Sunday. Ole Miss moved from No. 25 to No. 19 in the coaches poll. The College Football Playoff poll comes out Tuesday. The Bulldogs are unranked, while the Rebels are No. 22.
Under Mullen, the Bulldogs are 1-2 in Egg Bowl games after a victory the previous week. After a loss before the rivalry game, MSU is 3-0.
The victory at Arkansas was crucial for MSU’s confidence. Against Alabama, Prescott was sacked nine times. The Crimson Tide also capitalized on four big plays for touchdowns. The Bulldogs outgained the Crimson Tide 393-379.
Against Arkansas, MSU blew a 17-point lead. but it had enough offense and one defensive stop to win the back-and-forth game.
“It gives us a great attitude going into next week,” Prescott said. “Next week is a different week regardless. It’s championship week, that’s rivalry week, and that’s what we’re excited about. It just gives us great momentum going in there.”
Prescott has thrown for 3,159 yards and 23 touchdowns (three interceptions). He has rushed for 478 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Egg Bowl means a lot to Prescott. After leading a comeback victory in a 17-10 overtime victory in 2013, MSU lost 31-17 last season in Oxford. He could have passed up his senior season and entered the NFL draft, but he said one of the biggest reasons for returning was getting the Egg Bowl trophy back to Starkville.
“I’ll think about it a lot,” said Prescott, who has two games remaining in his college career. “Going into this game, I thought about this being my last SEC road game, the last time I get to play with these teammates. Next week’s going to be special.”
Ole Miss leads the series 62-43-6, but Mullen is 4-2 since taking over the program in 2009. The home team has won the last four games. MSU’s 2010 victory in Oxford is the last win for the road team.
After losing to Arkansas 53-52 in overtime on Nov. 11 in Oxford, Ole Miss had a bye week. It responded Saturday with a 38-17 victory against then-No. 17 LSU at home.
Junior quarterback Chad Kelly, a former standout at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, has thrown for 3,504 yards and 25 touchdowns, but he has thrown 12 interceptions. He has rushed for 354 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Laquon Treadwell has caught 72 passes for 1,060 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Everyone knows how important the Egg Bowl is,” Ole Miss senior defensive back Mike Hilton said. “They’re going to come in with a chip on their shoulder. We’re going to come in with a chip on our shoulder. It’s going to be a fight.”
MSU celebrated its win against Arkansas on Saturday night but it was back on the practice fields Sunday.
“We just try to maintain and enjoy it a little bit,” MSU junior wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson said. “We’ve got work to do (this) week.”
n Starkville Quarterback Club will meet Tuesday: At Starkville, the Starkville Quarterback Club will hold its final regular-season meeting of the season Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Starkville Country Club on South Montgomery Street.
Starkville Quarterback Club President Joe Baker reminds members this is spouse/ladies night for the club. Also, the year-end raffle winners and pick-em champion will be decided.
Megan Mullen, wife of MSU football coach Dan Mullen will be the guest speaker. Rocky Felker, director of player personnel/high school relations, will give the scouting report for the team’s game against Ole Miss on 6:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2) at Davis Wade Stadium.
Social hour will begin at 6 p.m. The meal of fried/baked chicken will be at 6:30 p.m. The program will start at 7 p.m. The meeting is sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings and Tabor Properties.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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