Nov. 26, 2011

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OXFORD, Miss. -- In a rain-soaked Egg Bowl, Ole Miss dropped its final game of the 2011 season 31-3 to Mississippi State here Saturday night at Davis-Wade Stadium.

Ole Miss (2-10, 0-8) finished a season with 10 losses for the first time in program history and ends coach Houston Nutt's four-year tenure. Nutt's resignation was announced on Nov. 7, but he remained to coach the last three games.

Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6) picked up its sixth win of the year to become bowl eligible.  It also marked the first time in 70 years for the Bulldogs to win three straight in the series.

Mississippi State senior quarterback Chris Relf rushed for 12 yards on the first play and then 17 more on the second as the Bulldogs methodically moved downfield to start the game. The 11-play, 68-yard drive ended on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Relf to running back Vick Ballard that gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter.

State stretched its lead to 21-0 by halftime on a 36-yard run by LaDarius Perkins and then a 20-yard pass from Relf to Perkins.

In the second half, MSU took advantage of an Ole Miss fumble on the first drive and converted the miscue into a 28-0 lead on a 25-yard run by Ballard.

Barry Brunetti earned his second career start and finished 12-of-22 for 112 yards, including a 61-yard completion to Jamal Mosley, but Ole Miss never could get moving on offense. Its only sustained drive lasted 12 plays and 47 yards before Bryson Rose kicked a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Enrique Davis rushed for 32 yards on 12 carries while Donte Moncrief caught four passes for 20 yards.

Moncrief finished the season with 31 catches, which broke Mike Espy’s Ole Miss freshman record of 30 receptions set in 2002. He also finished with 454 yards receiving which was 11 yards shy of Espy’s freshman record of 465 yards. 

Ole Miss started nine freshmen in the game including freshman safety Cody Prewitt, who posted five tackles (two solo) and picked off his first career pass in the second quarter.  Freshman linebacker Ralph Williams tallied a career-high 11 tackles and 2.0 TFLs in the start and freshman defensive end C.J. Johnson posted a career-high with 10 tackles (two solo) and 1.0 TFL.