The Egg Bowl stands out as one of college football’s most uniquely named rivalries, a tradition deeply embedded in Thanksgiving week festivities. Pitting the Ole Miss Rebels against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, this annual clash, officially titled the “Battle for the Golden Egg,” is renowned for its intense competition and often unpredictable outcomes. Ole Miss has recently held the upper hand, securing victories in the past two encounters, but the history of this game is much richer and more nuanced than recent scores suggest.
But how did such a distinctive moniker like “The Egg Bowl” come to be associated with this passionate gridiron battle? Interestingly, the name’s origin story begins not with the “Egg Bowl” itself, but with its coveted trophy: the Golden Egg. This symbol of Mississippi football supremacy predates the game’s nickname by over half a century. The Golden Egg trophy was conceived in 1927, a direct response to an outbreak of unsportsmanlike conduct following the fiercely contested 1926 game. School officials, seeking to foster a sense of honor and sportsmanship, introduced the trophy as a tangible representation of victory and a symbolic alternative to on-field clashes. It was intended to represent bragging rights and state football dominance in a more civilized manner.
However, the catchy “Egg Bowl” nickname didn’t emerge until more than 50 years later. It was in 1979 that a local newspaper gave the game the now-iconic title, forever changing how this rivalry would be known.
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Let’s delve into the captivating history of the Egg Bowl to fully understand its legacy, including the teams’ long-standing rivalry and the story behind that unforgettable name.
The Golden Egg: From Trophy to Nickname
The Egg Bowl owes its distinctive name directly to the trophy awarded to the victor: “The Golden Egg.” This golden football-shaped prize is the material origin of the game’s widely recognized moniker.
In 1979, Tom Patterson, a sportswriter for “The Clarion-Ledger,” is credited with coining the term “Egg Bowl.” This wasn’t just a random label; it was a clever play on words that resonated with the game’s existing trophy and the nature of that particular year’s matchup.
The 1979 Egg Bowl was, to put it mildly, not a game of titans. Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State entered the contest with lackluster 3-7 records. Bowl game aspirations were non-existent, and the overall stakes seemed low. Yet, despite the teams’ records, Patterson decided to elevate the game’s profile with extensive media coverage.
As sports writer Rick Cleveland humorously recalled in a 2017 article for “Mississippi Today,” “From a distance of 38 years I can assure you: Never has so much been written about so little.” Instead of a standard single game recap, the newspaper ran stories dissecting each quarter of the game. Cleveland himself, as the junior writer, was assigned the unenviable task of covering the first quarter, which, predictably, ended scoreless. The “Egg Bowl” name, in this context, also carried a subtle, tongue-in-cheek reference to the game perhaps being less than a high-stakes, premium matchup – an “egg” in the sense of being uneventful or even a bit of a dud, despite the historical rivalry.
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A History Forged in Rivalry: Key Moments in Egg Bowl History
To truly grasp the significance of the Golden Egg and the Egg Bowl, we must journey back to 1926, a year that proved pivotal in shaping this rivalry.
The Game That Sparked the Golden Egg
The 1926 contest between Ole Miss and Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State) was a powder keg of emotions. Ole Miss triumphed in Starkville, snapping Mississippi A&M’s impressive 13-game winning streak. The victory, however, ignited a chaotic scene. Ole Miss fans stormed the field, attempting to dismantle the goalposts in celebration, a common, albeit sometimes frowned upon, tradition.
Mississippi A&M supporters were not amused. They fiercely defended their goalposts, resorting to using furniture as makeshift weapons, leading to injuries and a significant escalation of fan behavior. This on-field and off-field melee deeply concerned officials from both institutions.
In the aftermath of this tumultuous game, students from both Ole Miss and Mississippi State collaborated to purchase “The Golden Egg.” This trophy was conceived as a symbol of their rivalry, intended to channel the competitive energy into a more sportsmanlike contest. The team in possession of the Golden Egg would be recognized as the leading football program in the state of Mississippi, a matter of pride decided on the field, not in brawls.
Memorable Egg Bowl Clashes
The Egg Bowl history is punctuated by several unforgettable games, moments that have further cemented the rivalry’s legendary status.
1983: The Immaculate Deflection
The 1983 Egg Bowl witnessed an event so bizarre it’s simply dubbed “The Immaculate Deflection.” This moment wasn’t about offensive or defensive prowess, but rather a truly inexplicable act of nature.
With the game on the line, Ole Miss kicker Artie Crosby lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt that would secure victory. His kick was true, possessing both the necessary distance and trajectory, seemingly destined to sail through the uprights. However, just as the ball approached its target, a sudden, powerful gust of wind intervened. The wind caught the ball directly at the uprights, halting its momentum and causing it to plummet harmlessly to the ground. Ole Miss won in the most improbable fashion. This play remains etched in Egg Bowl lore as a moment of near-divine intervention, or simply, incredibly bad luck for Mississippi State.
2018: The Egg Brawl
More recently, the rivalry’s intensity boiled over in the 2018 “Egg Brawl.” The incident erupted after Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown scored a touchdown. A Mississippi State player continued to aggressively contest possession of the ball even after the play was over, sparking immediate tensions.
Words quickly escalated into physical confrontation, and punches were thrown. Both team benches emptied as players rushed onto the field. In a rare display of unified officiating, every player on both Ole Miss and Mississippi State received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, effectively establishing a zero-tolerance policy for further misconduct for the remainder of the game. “The Egg Brawl” served as a stark reminder of the deep emotions and fierce competitiveness inherent in this rivalry.
2019: The Peeing Dog Controversy
The very next year, the 2019 Egg Bowl delivered another dose of drama, this time fueled by an unsportsmanlike celebration that had significant consequences. Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore scored a late-game touchdown and, in a moment of misguided exuberance, proceeded to mimic a dog urinating in the end zone.
This act of taunting drew an immediate unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Crucially, the penalty was assessed on the extra point attempt that followed. The subsequent extra point was missed, and Mississippi State ultimately prevailed by a narrow 21-20 margin. The fallout was significant. Ole Miss issued multiple public apologies for Moore’s actions, and head coach Matt Luke was fired shortly after the loss. The “peeing dog” incident became another infamous chapter in Egg Bowl history, highlighting how easily passion can cross the line into costly mistakes.
The Golden Egg Trophy: More Than Just a Name
The Egg Bowl’s name is inextricably linked to “The Golden Egg,” the trophy at the heart of this rivalry. But why a golden egg?
The trophy’s name is quite literal, derived from its shape. It is indeed a golden, football-shaped object mounted on a display placard. Interestingly, the shape of the “egg,” or football, reflects the football design prevalent in 1927, which was less elongated and more rounded compared to the modern football. In essence, it genuinely resembles a golden egg in football form, solidifying the appropriateness of its name and, by extension, the game itself.
Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State: A Century of Gridiron Battles
Looking at the overall win-loss record, Ole Miss holds a significant advantage in the Egg Bowl series, leading Mississippi State 65-46-6.
However, Mississippi State boasts the longest winning streak in the rivalry’s history, dominating for 13 consecutive games from 1911 to 1925 (the teams played twice in 1918 and did not compete between 1912 and 1914).
Ole Miss, conversely, enjoyed the longest period of dominance without a loss, going undefeated against Mississippi State for 17 games from 1947 to 1963. Within this span, Ole Miss won 14 matchups, with the remaining three games ending in ties.
The Egg Bowl is more than just a game; it’s a deeply ingrained tradition, a yearly collision of Mississippi college football passion. The name, born from a trophy and cemented by a touch of journalistic wit, perfectly encapsulates the unique history and enduring appeal of this classic rivalry.
