Ole Miss Football: 3 takeaways from Egg Bowl win over Mississippi State

2. The Mississippi State offense is ineffective without Nick Fitzgerald

Fans who tuned in for the Egg Bowl had a hard time holding down Thanksgiving dinner after one of the most gruesome injuries we’ve seen all season. Taking off on the run, Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was rolled up and rendered immobile. In the process, his right ankle nearly did a complete 180 as he lay writhing on the turf.

All season long, Fitzgerald had been the catalyst for the Bulldogs offense as they reeled off eight wins and challenged opponents like No. 1 Alabama. He was having trouble with his passes before he left the game, completing just one of his five attempts and throwing an early interception. But Mississippi State was always going to have a much better chance of winning with Fitzgerald in the game than with him sidelined.

After leaving the game, it seemed like the Bulldogs could do nothing competent on offense. Though they were behind just 10-6 at halftime, the fact that they were forced to resort to field goals was telling. Keytaon Thompson struggled in relief at quarterback, finishing 13-of-27 for 195 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

The loss of Fitzgerald also put more pressure on the running game. Mississippi State racked up nearly 300 yards on the ground, but they needed 62 carries to get to that mark. Thompson led the way with 121 yards, but key tailback Aeris Williams managed just 75 yards on 20 carries. All in all, the loss of Fitzgerald revealed just how hapless the Bulldogs are on offense without him in the lineup.