Mississippi State Football: 5 reasons Bulldogs will win 2018 Egg Bowl vs. Ole Miss

4. Kylin Hill, Aeris Williams offer backfield balance for Fitzgerald

Mississippi State has a top-25 rushing offense this season, and they have maintained their presence as a top team on the ground despite the lack of any single dominant presence in the backfield. Instead, the Bulldogs have remained a top rushing team thanks to committee work that complements the dual-threat ability of Nick Fitzgerald.

But the Mississippi State ground game has benefitted from a pair of running backs that have stepped up and contributed from the backfield to keep defenses off balance and prevent them from keying in solely on Fitzgerald. Sophomore stud Kylin Hill is second behind Fitzgerald on the rushing stat sheet, ranking 12th in the SEC with just under 65 rushing yards per game despite dealing with a hamstring injury over the course of the season.

Hill sat out against Texas A&M on November 17, but even if he can’t go the Bulldogs will still be fine in the backfield. That is because they also have Aeris Williams, the senior who has been a solid veteran presence. Williams is averaging 44 yards per game on the ground through 10 games, as he has taken a bit of a backseat to sophomore. But Williams still has plenty of talent, and he will be looking to cap his final season as a Bulldog with a big game. Perhaps that will look similar to his 191-yard day in Oxford two years ago.

Between the two of them and contributions from the rest of a deep corps of rushing talent, Mississippi State generates nearly 220 rushing yards per game. Against a Rebels side that ranks 113th in the country in rushing defense, the Bulldogs are going to have a field day on the ground.