What We Learned: Key takeaways from Ole Miss’ 38-19 win over Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. –– Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State, 38-19, Friday in Starkville to claim the Rebels’ third-straight Egg Bowl win, and the fifth in the last six years. The win against the Bulldogs marks a historic landmark, as Ole Miss wins its 11th game of the regular season, finishing 11-1 for the first time in program history.

Per usual, the Egg Bowl, did not disappoint. Aother chapter in this historic rivalry has been been written, and the Rebels have prevailed and continued to defy the odds in the midst of a season that was — before the season, at least — labeled as a  “rebuild.”

There is a lot to take away from this game, so here are three things we learned.

1. Trinidad Chambliss continues to prevail

It was a tale of quarters yesterday as Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss started the game on fire. Mississippi State couldn’t find any way to stop to the Rebels’ offense throughout the first quarter. Chambliss started 6-for-6, and connected with Harrison Wallace early. The second quarter was a different story, however, as the Ole Miss QB would quickly go 1-6 and miss some open receivers. Nevertheless, the unflappable Michigan native continued to believe in his own arm talent and his receiving corps and kept attacking.

Chambliss encountered a lot of pressure from the Bulldogs’ defense, yet he remained calm throughout the game, delivering critical throws Ole Miss needed to secure the victory. Despite some overthrows on their quarterback’s deep balls early on, head coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator never changed their play calls, emphasizing the confidence they have in Chambliss.

Davis Wade Stadium was no easy atmosphere either, but just as he did in his previous two road games, Chambliss delivered when the pressure came. Six Rebel receivers hauled in more than two catches apiece for Ole Miss, as Chambliss finished the game with 359 yards in the air. He tallied four touchdowns and zero interceptions yesterday. Confidence and swagger were evident in the Ole Miss signal caller, and despite some struggles, he continued trusting both his arm and his playmaking ability.

In Chambliss, Ole Miss has a leader at the quarterback position, and the Rebels can compete against any defense in the country. This might not be the last of Chambliss in an Ole Miss jersey, either. With the College Football Playoffs looming, and the possibility of another year of eligibility, the Trinidad takeover may just be getting started in Oxford.

Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss on coming back next year

2. This is a once in a lifetime offense

The entire Ole Miss offense performed at a high level against MSU, marking another great performance from a group that has really grown and prospered in 2025. With so much talk before the season began about the offensive line, the running back room, and how Ole Miss could possibly move on from Jaxson Dart, the Rebels have instead created one of the most potent offenses the country has ever seen.

Offensive line

The Rebels’ offensive line was outstanding in Starkville, finishing another game with zero sacks and this speaks volumes. (Check out our interviews with Brycen Sanders and Patrick Kutas.) John Garrison’s group has come together since the Kentucky win, and they have not looked back.

There was a good deal of speculation surrounding the offensive line coming into the 2025 season. Lingering injuries in fall camp affected the rotation and took away the opportunity for some early cohesiveness, but you wouldn’t know that now watching this group.

On Friday, the Rebels were led by Sanders in the middle, while Kent Hull Trophy winner Patrick Kutas and senior tackle Jayden Williams each had strong performances. Diego Pounds has also been a key driving force protecting the outside for Chambliss. Pounds has earned a couple of SEC Offensive Linemen of the Week awards this season, and he continues to be a standout for the Ole Miss offense. Sophomore Delano Townsend is the youngest of the linemen corps but has grown better with every game. This group deserves their flowers, as they have been a catalyst for the Rebels’ success this season.

Wide receivers

Every year the narrative for the Ole Miss receiving corps is: “this is the best group ever at Ole Miss.” Well, this group continues to show why they truly may be the best to don the red and blue. Friday in Starkville proves the point. De’Zhaun Stribling is a one-of-a-kind player, and Ole Miss deserves an A+ for acquiring him in the transfer portal this offseason. He notched four catches for 66 yards against State. With his size, speed, and catching abilities Stribling was a nightmare for the Bulldogs’ secondary, and he will be very effective for an NFL team one day. His two touchdown catches were spectacular, and the throws were equally amazing. Stribling is a guy Ole Miss can rely on inside the 20-yard line. His presence is effective when the ball is thrown his was–and even when it’s not.

Harrison Wallace, Cayden Lee, and Deuce Alexander also displayed great moments in the Egg Bowl, proving just how dynamic the weapons are for Ole Miss. Alexander’s 88-yard touchdown catch sparked the Ole Miss crowd in the fourth quarter as he helped the Rebels answer after a Bulldogs’ touchdown. Lee was a reliable target the entire game for Chambliss, hauling in 77 yards on seven catches. He provided big moments in tough situations and dominated in the middle of the field. Wallace, who finished with 72 yards on four catches, was critical for Ole Miss early on, creating some big moments on third downs and making an early touchdown catch that would set Ole Miss up for success as the game would move on.

Running back

Another game, another touchdown and 100+ yards for Rebel running back and Doak Walker Award finalist Kewan Lacy. He just does it all, doesn’t he? In what seemingly was the missing piece for Ole Miss last year, the Missouri transfer swooped in and been a superstar. On 27 rushes Friday, Lacy notched 143 yards and a huge momentum touchdown early on. He also tallied one reception for 15 yards and continues to excel at pass pro.

Overall, this Ole Miss offense is a mismatch for any defense, and it will truly be a sight to see how effective they can be come playoff time.

3. Ole Miss defense shows grit, energy and determination

Early on, everything indicated this was going to be a shootout game, as State head coach Jeff Lebby sent out Kamario Taylor for the start at quarterback over Blake Shapen. Taylor would not disappoint, especially early, causing many problems for the Ole Miss secondary. He created moments with his legs and arms, causing Ole Miss to be caught off guard initially. But as they have done before, defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s unit rallied together and shut down the Bulldogs offense in the second quarter.

Taylor is yet another dual-threat quarterback Ole Miss would, yet again, have to chase around, but that’s exactly what they did.  They kept after him, and that’s what matters more than anything. Football — and life — are about how you react when you get knocked down. Well, Ole Miss got knocked down, but the Rebels continued fighting. It was a collective effort Friday. Da’Shawn Womack and Princewill Umanmielen both hauled in sacks and continued delivering momentum plays for the Ole Miss fans. To go along with his sack, Umanmielen also grabbed a big interception, his very first of the season and the third of the season by a Rebel defensive lineman. Will Echoles continues to be a standout player for the Ole Miss defense. His hand speed and pure force created many headaches for Taylor and the Bulldogs’ offense.

TJ Dottery was everywhere against State, and the presence of Suntarine Perkins helped Dottery roam and be more free. Perkins chased down Taylor numerous times and also proved to be reliable in coverage, creating open space and spy plays for Dottery.

Despite the secondary giving up some big plays, they also fought to the very last whistle. Wydett Williams Jr continues to shine. He’s been a star within the Ole Miss secondary throughout the season, and once again provided great awareness and effort Friday for his team. Early in the fourth quarter, Brenen Thompson would run an incredible route, creating distance between himself and Williams who couldn’t even locate the ball in the air. Without hesitation, however, Williams continued to run down Thompson, and would knock the ball away, negating a touchdown for the Bulldogs. The talent, effort, and will to win is there for Ole Miss; now they just have to put it all together for an entire game if they want to hoist a national championship trophy come January.

Next Up:

Ole Miss now awaits its seeding in the College Football Playoffs. And, there is a chance, if Auburn beats Alabama in Saturday’s Iron Bowl, that the Rebels could find themselves in the SEC Championship Game. Stay tuned with The Rebel Walk for all the details of what comes next.