Egg Bowl descends into brawl as after Lane Kiffin accused rivals of ‘breaking in’ to locker room and ‘stealing’

The Egg Bowl turned into the egg brawl on Friday as Mississippi State took the fight to Ole Miss.

In the second quarter, Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss fumbled on a strip sack by Malick Sylla. 

Mississippi State linebacker Nic Mitchell recovered the fumble before a scrum broke out on the field as players and coaches ran in from all angles.

Ole Miss stars Deuce Alexander and Delano Townsend were hit with personal foul penalties, as was Sylla.

No players were ejected and video review overturned the fumble into an incomplete pass.

Lane Kiffin’s sixth-ranked Rebels led 14-7 at the time, but the Bulldogs forced a punt two plays later and kicked a field goal to move within four points.

Ole Miss struck back to head into the half up 21-10.

“We just try to play clean football,” he told ESPN’s Taylor McGregor. “We try to execute and play really good football.

“For a whole sideline to try to fight and leave their whole sideline, including their athletic director, I’ve never seen anything like it. We’re not trying to start a fight so our university can get credit for fighting people.”

Kiffin’s barbs at the Bulldogs came well before kickoff.

“Our equipment manager put cameras in the locker room so we could watch Mississippi State break into our locker room and start stealing things,” he told Marty Smith in his pre-game chat.

“We reported it to Mississippi State, they said, ‘we’ll put security’ and how about this: at 3 o’clock in the morning, they break in again and take [quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’] jersey. So I guess you expect nothing less from these people.”

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Will Lane Kiffin leave Ole Miss?

The game has taken huge interest amid reports that it could be Kiffin’s last.

Despite leading his program to its best campaign for over 60 years, the coach is being linked with LSU and Florida.

The Gators have since been ruled out of the running, but LSU is reportedly preparing a huge offer that would make Kiffin the best-paid boss in college football.

“While specific details of the contract remain fluid, sources told Yahoo Sports that school executives have discussed a seven-year, incentive-laden deal worth at least $90 million — figures that would make Kiffin, at the very least, tied for the highest-paid coach in the sport,” Ross Dellenger wrote. 

“The school is, as well, promising significant NIL-related roster investments exceeding $25 million — perhaps the most important determining factor for the coach.”

Ole Miss is being tipped to host a first-round game, but losing a coach could see the team downgraded by the selection committee.

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ESPN reports that former New York Giants Joe Judge is being lined up as a short-term option.

“An announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the game,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter wrote in a statement ahead of the Egg Bowl.

“Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss.

“While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important — our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.”

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