The war of words is on.
The topic of the Egg Bowl at SEC media days last week brought on shots from both sides.
Mississippi State defensive back Johnthan Banks guaranteed a win over Ole Miss this November — it would be the Bulldogs’ fourth in a row — and there was other talk about State’s run of success in the series.
“Every season we’re going out to win the SEC championship, but we really want to win the Egg Bowl every year, no matter what,” Banks said Wednesday at SEC media days. “That’s one game we’ll never lose.”
The Bulldogs and Rebels won’t meet until Nov. 24, but Banks – who had 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble in last year’s 31-3 win – is already certain of the outcome.
“We’re going to win the Egg Bowl for the fourth year in a row. I’m not being disrespectful ... but it’s going to be a great feeling to go out and be 4-0 against the school up north.”
Then on Thursday, Ole Miss got its chance to retort.
“Coach Mullen’s staff and his players have done a good job of capturing the momentum in the series,” said first-year Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, a Senatobia native. “I was born and raised in the state of Mississippi. I understand how that game divides families. I understand the emotions involved in it.
“There will be extra incentive that week to be a little bit more energized, probably a little different feeling in your stomach. I get what it means, and our kids will understand that very clearly when that time comes.”
When asked about the references by MSU to Ole Miss as the school up north, Rebel defensive back Charles Sawyer and receiver Donte Moncrief didn’t hold back as much as their coach. “We say Mississippi State,” Sawyer told ESPN.com. “You show a grown man respect.”
“We call them State. We don’t give them no other name,” Moncrief said. “It’s a little bit of disrespect, but we’ll take it out on the field.
“When it comes to State, we’ll give everybody what (they) want.”
Ole Miss even took a shot from South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier during the opening day in Birmingham, Ala.
Spurrier was asked a question about scheduling, to which he replied if he had anything to do with scheduling, “Georgia would play LSU, and I would play Ole Miss.”
It was a shot that lingered for two days before Freeze could respond, but he did so again in a tactful manner.
“In 2013 they’re on our schedule. We will circle that date and maybe change his perspective about what he thinks about Ole Miss football,” said the Ole Miss coach.
It’s already shaping up to be an interesting season.
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus. The war of words is on.
The topic of the Egg Bowl at SEC media days last week brought on shots from both sides.
Mississippi State defensive back Johnthan Banks guaranteed a win over Ole Miss this November — it would be the Bulldogs’ fourth in a row — and there was other talk about State’s run of success in the series.
“Every season we’re going out to win the SEC championship, but we really want to win the Egg Bowl every year, no matter what,” Banks said Wednesday at SEC media days. “That’s one game we’ll never lose.”
The Bulldogs and Rebels won’t meet until Nov. 24, but Banks – who had 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble in last year’s 31-3 win – is already certain of the outcome.
“We’re going to win the Egg Bowl for the fourth year in a row. I’m not being disrespectful ... but it’s going to be a great feeling to go out and be 4-0 against the school up north.”
Then on Thursday, Ole Miss got its chance to retort.
“Coach Mullen’s staff and his players have done a good job of capturing the momentum in the series,” said first-year Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, a Senatobia native. “I was born and raised in the state of Mississippi. I understand how that game divides families. I understand the emotions involved in it.
“There will be extra incentive that week to be a little bit more energized, probably a little different feeling in your stomach. I get what it means, and our kids will understand that very clearly when that time comes.”
When asked about the references by MSU to Ole Miss as the school up north, Rebel defensive back Charles Sawyer and receiver Donte Moncrief didn’t hold back as much as their coach. “We say Mississippi State,” Sawyer told ESPN.com. “You show a grown man respect.”
“We call them State. We don’t give them no other name,” Moncrief said. “It’s a little bit of disrespect, but we’ll take it out on the field.
“When it comes to State, we’ll give everybody what (they) want.”
Ole Miss even took a shot from South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier during the opening day in Birmingham, Ala.
Spurrier was asked a question about scheduling, to which he replied if he had anything to do with scheduling, “Georgia would play LSU, and I would play Ole Miss.”
It was a shot that lingered for two days before Freeze could respond, but he did so again in a tactful manner.
“In 2013 they’re on our schedule. We will circle that date and maybe change his perspective about what he thinks about Ole Miss football,” said the Ole Miss coach.
It’s already shaping up to be an interesting season.
• Contact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus.
