Ulysses Bentley rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and No. 15 Mississippi defeated in-state rival Mississippi State 26-14 in the Egg Bowl, keeping its slim College Football Playoff hope alive.

Why is the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State not on Thanksgiving this year? Here's what to know as the Rebels and Bulldogs play Friday:

Mississippi State threw everything it had Friday at Ole Miss, converting twice on fourth down and converting multiple deep shots against the Rebels’ defense. Ole Miss, though, wouldn’t be denied. Ole Miss tailback Ulysses Bentley raced through the Bulldogs’ defense for an 89-yard touchdown and JJ Pegues capped a sterling career with a short touchdown run as the Rebels kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 26-14 victory in the 2024 playing of the Egg Bowl at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.