MISSISSIPPI STATE GAME NOTES MSTATE (6-5, 3-4 SEC) VS. OLE MISS (3-8, 0-7 SEC) DAVIS WADE STADIUM AT SCOTT FIELD (55,082) • NOVEMBER 23, 2007 • 11:30 A.M. CT MSTATE SCHEDULE & RESULTS MISSISSIPPI STATE ENDS REGULAR SEASON IN BATTLE FOR GOLDEN EGG Date Opponent W-L Score/Time Following last week's 45-31 Southeastern Conference Western Divison loss at Arkansas, Mississippi Aug. 30 * LSU L 0-45 State closes its regular season with the Battle for the Golden Egg against arch-rival Ole Miss, Friday, Sept. 8 at Tulane W 38-17 Nov. 23, in Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. The game will kick off at 11:30 a.m. CT and will be Sept. 15 * at Auburn W 19-14 televised by Lincoln Financial Sports. Sept. 22 GARDNER-WEBB W 31-15 Sept. 29 * at South Carolina L 21-38 BULLDOGS LOOK TO ASSURE POST- MISSISSIPPI STATE RETURNING TO EARLY Oct. 6 UAB (Homecoming) W 30-13 Oct. 13 * TENNESSEE L 21-33 SEASON BOWL DATE WITH 7TH WIN MORNING SUCCESS ON TELEVISION? Oct. 20 at West Virginia L 13-38 Mississippi State won its sixth game of the 2007 season Mississippi State is 20-24 (.455) in games aired by the Oct. 27 * at Kentucky W 31-14 against Alabama two weeks ago, qualifying the school for SEC's current early television window partner (Lincoln Nov. 10 * ALABAMA W 17-12 Nov. 17 * at Arkansas (Little Rock) L 31-45 post-season bowl consideration for the first time in seven Financial Sports/Jefferson Pilot Sports). That record has Nov. 23 * OLE MISS 11:30 a.m. years. MSU looks to assure itself of a post-season bowl been skewed by a 5-13 mark in televised morning games All times Central reward with a seventh regular season victory against Ole since 2001, however, the Bulldogs have now won four of The Series Miss Friday. MSU has now beaten two teams ranked in their last five in the early morning time slot. And those Overall Record . Ole Miss leads, 59-38-6 the nation's top 25 when it played them (Kentucky and five wins were big Bulldog victories -- a 38-31 win over at Starkville . .Ole Miss leads, 20-10-3 at Oxford . Ole Miss leads, 20-10-3 Alabama, in back-to-back games), and won three road Florida in 2004, a 24-16 win at Alabama last fall, and a at Neutral Sites . Ole Miss leads, 19-18 games in the same season overall, for the first time since 19-14 victory at Auburn, a 31-14 triumph over nationally Last meeting: . Ole Miss 20-17, 2006 in Oxford Last meeting in Starkville: . .State 35-14, 2005 2000. State has not won four league games since 2000. ranked Kentucky, and a 17-12 win over nationally ranked Last 10 meetings: . .Ole Miss leads 6-4 Alabama this year. Prior to the 5-13 stretch, State was Current Series Win Streak: . .Ole Miss, 1 game MISSISSIPPI STATE, OLE MISS MEET IN 15-11 in such games. MSU is 5-7 all-time vs. Ole Miss on Sylvester Croom vs. Ole Miss: . 1-2 at Starkville . 1-0 TRADITIONAL GAME FOR 104TH TIME TV, 1-2 on LF/JP. This marks the first time in four years the Ed Orgeron vs. Mississippi State: . 1-1 Mississippi State and the University of Mississippi will Battle for the Golden Egg will be televised. at Starkville . 0-1 Croom vs. Orgeron: . 1-1 meet for the 104th time in the long history of this series, tying for the 16th-longest college football rivalry CORNERBACK TUTOR SMITH ONLY STATE Broadcast Information in the country, the second longest in the Southeastern COACH WITH OLE MISS ON RESUME Television . .Lincoln Financial Sports Announcers . Dave Neal, Dave Archer, Dave Baker Conference (111; Auburn vs. Georgia). The two teams Mississippi State cornerback coach Melvin Smith served as Radio . Mississippi State Radio Network first met in 1901 and the series has been interrupted just wide receivers coach at the University of Mississippi (1992- Announcers . Jack Cristil, Jim Ellis, John Correro XM Radio. Channel 201 twice (1912-14 and 1943). 94) prior to his first stint on the Bulldog coaching staff. in Starkville . 107.9, WFCA STATE BRAGGING RIGHTS, 81-YEAR OLD MSTATE'S GRIMES SHARES COACHING Quick Facts - Mississippi State Record . .6-5, 3-4 TROPHY RIDE ON GAME'S OUTCOME BACKGROUND WITH UM'S THOMPSON Ranking (AP/Coaches'). NR / NR The traditional season-ending game between Mississippi Mississippi State's offensive line coach J.B. Grimes served Last Game . L, vs. Arkansas, 31-45 Head Coach . .Sylvester Croom State and Ole Miss has annually provided the winner with in the same capacity at the University of Arkansas in 1982 Career Record . .15-30 / fourth season 365 days of bragging rights and possession of an 81-year when Ole Miss defensive coordinator was the staff's MSU Record . .15-30 / fourth season old trophy resembling a golden egg. Ole Miss has won defensive graduate assistant. Quick Facts - Ole Miss four of the last five meetings in the series. Record . .3-8, 0-7 FRIDAY IS MISSISSIPPI STATE FOOTBALL'S Ranking (AP/Coaches'). NR / NR Last Game . .L, vs. LSU, 24-41 MSU TO APPEAR ON TUBE FOR EIGHTH BEST DAY OF THE WEEK Head Coach . Ed Orgeron TIME, MOST SINCE 2001 SEASON Mississippi State has posted a 27-18-2 (.596) record Career Record . .10-24 / third season Mississippi State looks to improve on a 53-76 all-time all-time when playing on Friday. The Friday date is the Ole Miss Record . .10-24 / third season record (.411) when appearing on television. State is 4-3 Bulldogs' best record day, excluding a perfect 1.000 per- MISSISSIPPI STATE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS on the tube this season. The MSU-Ole Miss game marks centage in just three Wednesday games. P.O. Box 5308 Mississippi State, MS 39762 the Bulldogs' eighth televised game of the 2007 season, Football Contacts: Mike Nemeth, Joe Galbraith the most televised Bulldog games since eight games were Phone: (662) 325-2703 • Fax: (662) 325-2563 shown on live television during the 2001 season. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Ole Miss Rebels • November 23, 2007 • Football Game Notes • Early Week Notes MAJORITY OF PLAYERS ON THE FIELD MEDIA SERVICES HAIL FROM THE MAGNOLIA STATE STATISTICAL COMPARISON MONDAY TELECONFERENCE Mississippi State lists 36 of its pre-season 84 scholarship Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss MSU head football coach Sylvester Croom will conduct a Monday teleconference (10 a.m. CT) prior players from the state of Mississippi, while Ole Miss shows (2007 per-game averages) to Bulldog games this year. Contact the MSU Athletic 35 of the 107 players listed in its media guide from the Media Relations Office (662-325-2703) for access info. Magnolia State. As one might expect, numerous associa- Mississippi State Ole Miss TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE tions exist between the two teams' players in-state alone, Overall Record . 6-5. 3-8 Coach Croom will conduct a weekly press confer- with connections coming in Batesville, Columbus, Jackson, Conference Record . 3-4. 0-7 ence each Tuesday prior to an MSU game. The confer- Meridian and Olive Branch. Points Scored . 22.9. 20.6 ence will be held at the Bryan Athletic Administration Building. Coach Croom's press conference begins at Points Allowed . 25.8. 29.5 1 p.m. (CT). Selected players will be available following MSTATE OFFENSE CONTINUES TO Total Offense . 308.3. 347.6 Croom's presentation (approximately 1:30 p.m.). To CONVERT, MAINTAIN BALL CONTROL Rushing Yards . 140.3. 124.9 request specific players, media members must contact MSU Athletic Media Relations (662-325-2703) by 5 p.m. Mississippi State made six-of-15 third-down conversion Passing Yards . 168.0. 222.7 the Monday preceding each respective press confer- attempts against Arkansas this past Saturday, and has now Yards Allowed. 343.2. 437.1 ence. converted third-down opportunities at a 41.2 percent rate Rushing Yards Allowed . 154.9. 209.8 WEDNESDAY SEC WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE (sixth in the SEC). The Bulldogs also held onto the football Passing Yards Allowed. 188.3. 227.3 Coach Croom will join the league's other 11 coach- for 30:50 at Little Rock, an edge that now has the team First Downs. 17.8. 18.5 es on the SEC's Wednesday teleconference. Coach ranking fourth in the league in time of possession average Time of Possession. 31:02. 27:17 Croom's seven-minute segment is scheduled from 11:03-11:10 a.m. (CT). The teleconference phone num- (31:02 average per game). By comparison, the Bulldogs 3rd Down Conversion . 41%. 38% ber can be obtained by calling the MSU Athletic Media converted 36 percent of its third-down opportunities a year Relations office. ago, and averaged only 29:26 of possession time. State INDIVIDUAL COMPARISON WEEKLY PLAYER INTERVIEWS held the ball for 9:31 in the first quarter against Arkansas Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss During game week, all player interviews must and 8:29 in the second. MSU's 15-play, 80-yard touchdown (2007 per-game averages) be conducted by Tuesday evening and need to be drive in the first quarter was its 13th scoring possession of arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Players MAY NOT be interviewed after Tuesday evening. Players 10 plays or more this season. In contrast, MSU had only Mississippi State Ole Miss will be notified of requested telephone interviews via a four scoring drives of 10 or more plays last season.