OXFORD -- No. 15 Ole Miss and Mississippi State square off Friday afternoon in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the annual Egg Bowl.

For Ole Miss, it's a must-win game to keep its flickering College Football Playoff chances alive. After a loss at Florida six days ago, the Rebels fell to No. 14 in the CFP and need a win Friday and chaos elsewhere to have a chance to slip into the 12-team field.

Mississippi State, meanwhile, is closing out Jeff Lebby's first season in Starkville.

The Rebels (8-3 overall, 4-3 in the SEC) and the Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7) kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised nationally by ABC.

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Teams: Mississippi State (2-9, 0-7) at No. 15 Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3)

Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038_

Series: Ole Miss leads, 65-47-6)

Time: 2:30 p.m. CST

Where to Watch: ABC (Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Burden)

Live Stream: ESPN App/SEC Network+

How To Listen: SiriusXM: 83-84, Ole Miss Radio Network,

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Odds: Ole Miss -25.5, Over/Under 61.5, Money Lines: Ole Miss -2100, Mississippi State +1100 (per DraftKings)

Team Leaders:

Passing:

Mississippi State -- Michael Van Buren Jr., 1,606 yards; Ole Miss — Jaxson Dart, 3,732 yards

Rushing:

Mississippi State -- Davon Booth, 721 yards; Ole Miss — Henry Parrish, Jr., -- 678 yards

Receiving:

Mississippi State -- Kevin Coleman Jr., 814 yards; Ole Miss — Tre Harris -- 1,030 yards

Gameday Schedule

Parking Operations Begin – 7 a.m.

Reserved North Plaza Tailgate Opens – 7 a.m.

Sports Zone Saturday Show Live from the studio – 10 a.m.

Coca-Cola FanFest Opens – 11:30 a.m.

Walk of Champions presented by Mid South Ford Dealers – 12:25 p.m.

Pre-Game Radio Show presented by Guaranty Bank – 12:30 p.m.

Gates Open – 12:30 p.m.Pride of the South Grove Show – 1:15 p.m.

Oxford Ortho Letterman's Lounge Guest Interview (Breeland Speaks) – 1:20 p.m.

Pride of the South Pregame Show – 1:49 p.m.

Senior Day Ceremony – 2 p.m.

National Anthem – 2:20 p.m.

Lock the Vaught – 2:26 p.m.

Hotty Toddy – 2:29 p.m.

Kickoff – 2:30 p.m.

Grove Closes – Approx. 9:30 p.m.

Notes:

-- This is the 121st meeting between the schools, with Ole Miss holding a 65-49-6 advantage all-time on the field, including a pair of vacated Rebel wins (2012, 2014) and a pair of MSU forfeits (1976-77). The series dates back to 1901, a 17-0 win for Mississippi State in Starkville. Ole Miss was won three of four meetings in the Lane Kiffin era.

-- Ole Miss holds a 24-14-3 advantage all-time on the field in Oxford, including a 1-1 mark in the Kiffin era. The first meeting between the schools in Oxford in 1903 ended in a 6-6 tie. Ole Miss' first win over MSU in Oxford came in 1927, a 20-12 victory. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

-- This will be the 97th "Battle of the Golden Egg," as the two schools started playing for the trophy in 1927. Ole Miss holds a 59-30-5 advantage in Egg Bowl games. The Golden Egg was first proposed by members of Sigma Iota, an Ole Miss honorary society, to be awarded in a dignified ceremony. This came after a 1926 incident in which Ole Miss snapped a 13-game losing streak in the rivalry, and Rebel fans stormed the field in Starkville, sparking, in essence, a riot on Scott Field. The trophy was approved the following year, and Ole Miss won the first Egg Bowl, 20-12, on Thanksgiving Day in Oxford in 1927.

-- Friday's meeting between the Rebels and the Bulldogs is the second time in recent years that the rivalry game won't be played on Thanksgiving, with the other being in 2020. That game, however, took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen is a finalist for the 2024 Outland Trophy, awarded to the top interior lineman in college football. Both offensive and defensive players can win the award. Nolen has been nominated alongside Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.

Injury Report (as of Thursday)

Ole Miss:

S Yam Banks (Out)

RB Henry Parrish (Out)

RB Rashod Amos (Out)

WR Tre Harris (Questionable)

WR Izaiah Hartrup (Questionable)

RB Logan Diggs (Questionable)

DE Princely Umanmielen (Probable)

TE Dae'Quan Wright (Probable)

WR Jordan Watkins (Probable)

OL Reece McIntyre (Probable)

Mississippi State

QB Blake Shapen (Out)

CB Traveon Wright (Out)

WR Creed Whittemore (Out)

WR Trent Hudson (Out)

DL Kedrick Bingley-Jones (Out)

RB Keyvone Lee (Out)

DL Kalvin Dinkins (Out)

OL Canon Boone (Out)

What they said:

-- "This is a huge game, obviously a lot of history with this matchup. It means a lot in this state and one that I wasn’t very familiar with coming in five years ago and became very familiar with, especially going around the state speaking with people. So I spoke extensively to our players about that with so many of them — I think somebody said in our team room, there are 48 players, I think Tom Luke said, who weren’t here or are new — to try to get to understand the magnitude of this and how records don’t matter in this game and how much passion there is and how hard players play in this game.” -- Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin

-- "I usually don’t ever speak about those things to the team because it’s one week at a time. I did a few weeks ago say, ‘Hey, if that’s what motivates you and gets you to prepare better and stuff.’ I would’ve thought after the game that was out, but then so many different things happened with us being the early game, and the percentages now say that’s alive, so I did tell them that. I think there’s so much motivation to keep the Egg Bowl trophy here and win this game and play really well. If that adds to help them to know that playoffs are still alive and they get first shot to show everybody on the national stage as opposed to a Saturday game where the people who make these decisions don’t necessarily see all the games because there are so many going on, you have a shot to show everybody.” -- Kiffin

"I have not spoken to him this year, I don’t think. It kind of is what he said. I think he said when he got the job this was going to be a fun Egg Bowl this year. He said he was really excited about it. So I guess we’re excited too.” -- Kiffin, on his relationship with MSU coach Jeff Lebby

Post-Game Coverage:

MPW Digital PostGame Show, presented by Realtree (Chase Parham hosts, joined by Tyler Siskey, Jeffrey Wright, Brian Rippee and Neal McCready from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium)

https://www.youtube.com/@mpwdigital6243

Around the SEC

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Mississippi State (2-9, 0-7 SEC) at Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC)

Series: UM leads, 65-47-6

2:30 p.m. CT • ABC

Last: UM, 17-7 (2023 at Starkville)

Oxford, Miss. • Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038)

SiriusXM: 83 – 84

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Georgia Tech (7-4) at Georgia (9-2, 6-2 SEC)

Series: UGA leads, 71-41-5

7:30 p.m. ET • ABC

Last: UGA, 31-23 (2023 at Atlanta)

Athens, Ga. • Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (93,033)

SiriusXM: 84

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30

Louisville (7-4) at Kentucky (4-7, 1-7 SEC)

Series: UK leads, 20-15

Noon ET • SEC Network

Last: UK, 38-31 (2023 at Louisville)

Lexington, Ky. • Kroger Field (61,000)

SiriusXM: 106/190

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

South Carolina (8-3, 5-3 SEC) at Clemson (9-2)

Series: CU leads, 73-43-4

Noon ET • ESPN

Last: CU, 16-7 (2023 at Columbia)

Clemson, S.C. • Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium (81,500)

SiriusXM: 160/192

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Tennessee (9-2, 5-2 SEC) at Vanderbilt (6-5, 3-4 SEC)

Series: UT leads, 80-33-5

11 a.m. CT • ABC

Last: UT, 48-24 (2023 at Knoxville)

Nashville, Tenn. • FirstBank Stadium (28,934)

SiriusXM: 119/191 – 381

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Auburn (5-6, 2-5 SEC) at Alabama (8-3, 4-3 SEC)

Series: ALA leads, 50-37-1

2:30 p.m. CT • ABC

Last: ALA, 27-24 (2023 at Auburn)

Tuscaloosa, Ala. • Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (100,077)

SiriusXM: 160/192 - 81

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Arkansas (6-5, 3-4 SEC) at Missouri (8-3, 4-3 SEC)

Series: MIZ leads, 11-4

2:30 p.m. CT • SEC Network

Last: MIZ, 48-14 (2023 at Fayetteville)

Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621)

SiriusXM: 106/190 - 119/191

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) at LSU (7-4, 4-3 SEC)

Series: LSU leads, 2-1-0

6 p.m. CT • ESPN

Last: LSU, 63-28 (2019 at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CFP Semifinal)

Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (102,321)

SiriusXM: 119/191 - 106/190

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Florida (6-5, 4-4 SEC) at Florida State (2-9)

Series: UF leads, 37-28-2

7 p.m. ET • ESPN2

Last: FSU, 24-15 (2023 at Gainesville)

Tallahassee, Fla. • Doak S. Campbell Stadium (79,500)

SiriusXM: 160/192

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Texas (10-1, 6-1 SEC) at Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2 SEC)

Series: TEX leads, 76-37-5

6:30 p.m. CT • ABC

Last: TEX, 27-25 (2011 at College Station)

Bryan - College Station, Texas • Kyle Field (102,733)

SiriusXM: 82 - 84

Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08

Other Ole Miss Activities to Watch:

THURSDAY, NOV. 28

Men's Basketball vs. BYU | 4:30 p.m. | FS1

FRIDAY, NOV. 29

Men's Basketball vs. TBD | TBD | Fox

Football vs. Mississippi State | 2:30 p.m. | Wear Navy

SATURDAY, NOV. 30

Volleyball at Texas | 11 a.m. | SEC Network+

Women's Basketball vs. Alabama State | 2 p.m.