One of the most heated rivalries in the SEC boiled over into an on-field brawl Friday, as punches were thrown late in the second quarter of the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Both Rebels and Bulldogs players were wrestling for what appeared to be a live-ball fumble with 3:28 remaining in the second quarter. The play, which was later ruled an incomplete pass by Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, saw several players tangle as well as coaches and players also hitting the field to try and calm things down.
Remarkably, the melee did not result in any ejections – as personal fouls were called on Ole Miss wide receiver Deuce Alexander, Ole Miss offensive lineman Delano Townsend, and Mississippi State linebacker Malick Sylla. The penalties offset, so there was no yardage marked off against either team.
The ensuing drive fizzled short of field-goal range, and the Rebels were forced to punt. No. 7 Ole Miss took a 21-10 lead into halftime against Mississippi State.
The Egg Bowl generates plenty of emotion every year, and the 2025 melee reminded many of the 1997 Mississippi State-Ole Miss matchup that saw a pregame brawl earn every player on both teams unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Egg Bowl has been contested 121 previous times before Friday, with Ole Miss leading the series 66-49-6.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
