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Ole Miss Football: 5 Reasons Rebels will win 2017 Egg Bowl

By Hunter Kinniburgh

OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 26: Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball and tries to avoid the tackle of Zedrick Woods #36 of the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Bulldogs defeated the Rebels 55-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 26: Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball and tries to avoid the tackle of Zedrick Woods #36 of the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Bulldogs defeated the Rebels 55-20. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /

4. Rebel defense has to stop Nick Fitzgerald

If Ole Miss wants to win this game then they have to take away the Bulldogs main weapon. As Fitzgerald goes, so goes Mississippi State. The tough part about this, other than Fitzgerald’s talent, is that Ole Miss has struggled against the run throughout 2017. Now, in their last three games they’ve done a lot better in containing the run, which bodes well but this is still an uphill battle for the Rebel defense.

Defensive ends Marquis Haynes and Breeland Speaks have to set the edge and win their battles to keep from allowing Fitzgerald out of the pocket. Defensive tackles Benito Jones and Josiah Coatney have to shed their blockers and get up the middle to get pressure. Linebackers DeMarquis Gates and Tayler Polk have to have the games of their lives.

If everything goes right for the Rebels, then they’ll hold Fitzgerald to 100 yards or less, anything over that and it could be a long night for the Rebels, much as the same way it was in 2016 when the defense let Fitzgerald run wild.

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