Even when there is nothing more than Mississippi bragging rights on the line during the annual Egg Bowl, cheering on Mississippi State or Ole Miss each year can raise the blood pressure in homes and bars across the state and for those packed into the stadium.
For families split in their loyalties — torn between “Hotty Toddy” and “Hail State” — the annual clash can raise tensions of a whole different sort.
With a possible shot at the SEC championship and a trip to the first-ever College Football Playoff on the line for Mississippi State this year — and the chance for Ole Miss to play spoiler for its archrival — local families living in a “house divided” say staying on speaking terms after this year’s Egg Bowl might be a bit harder.
“This year is going to be tougher,” said Taylor Calhoun, an Ole Miss graduate whose wife, Allison, still proudly rings her cowbell from her years at State. “Egg Bowls in the past haven’t meant nearly as much.”
The Calhouns have scored tickets and headed to watch the majority of the Egg Bowls together since they were married 10 years ago. Over that time, both have sulked out of each other’s stadiums and endured very quiet car rides home.
This year, Taylor said he’s contemplating trying to swap tickets with another couple in a similar situation so they won’t have to endure the joys of victory and agony of defeat side by side in Oxford.
“It’ll probably be more pleasant for our marriage if State wins, but I’ll still be pulling for Ole Miss,” Taylor said.
At first glance, Luther and Lyndsey Wade’s family might not look like one divided in its loyalty; both Luther and Lyndsey, after all, hold degrees from Mississippi State.
Luther’s loyalties in the rivalry were never really in doubt, though, despite his four years spent in Starkville. The Wades, after all, have a deep connection to Ole Miss: Luther’s grandfather, his father, an uncle, two brothers and a couple of cousins all played on the Rebel football team.
“That’s why I bleed red and blue,” Luther said.
When he first started dating Lyndsey, a die-hard State fan from Corinth, Luther said he didn’t necessarily wear his colors on his sleeve.
“Her dad asked me who I pulled for, and I said, ‘I’m on the fence,’” Luther said. “He later told me, ‘Boy, did you have me fooled.’”
Lyndsey said she also embraced the Wades’ predilection for the Rebels, helping the family set up the tent in the Grove ahead of game day weekends.
Since they married, though, they haven’t shown any inclination to give up their allegiances. So far, things haven’t really gotten testy between the two in the rivalry — though both said this year could be much more challenging.
“Usually Mississippi State is so bad, I end up cheering for Ole Miss a bit, too,” said Lyndsey. “But this year...”
Reese Pillow, a Leflore County farmer and proud State alum, said his marriage to Allison Swayze Pillow, whose family has a long history of cheering on the Ole Miss Rebels, hasn’t really caused any friction. Reese said his whole family tends to pull for both teams — at least until it comes down to facing off against each other.
“I think we’ve enjoyed both sides of it,” Reese said. “I don’t think either one of us are so hung up we can’t go and have a good time. It might be a little different when they’re both facing each other, but I try to pull for the state of Mississippi.”
Reese said his twin boys have also flip-flopped to a degree on the rivalry. At one point, the pair were also split down the middle, with one pulling for Ole Miss and the other backing the Bulldogs. These days, Reese said the kids are both leaning more toward Ole Miss — but still don’t mind heading up to Starkville with him for the occasional game.
“They’re not so hung up they can’t go over there and see friends,” Reese said. “We try to be a little more open, for lack of a better word. I don’t wear any Ole Miss gear, but I don’t have any problem going to the Grove and all that. I guess that’s where I draw the line.”
For the Wades and the Calhouns, both of whom also have two children, trying to raise children in a split rivalry can also be a bit of a challenge.
Lyndsey Wade said her husband has already been tugging at their oldest child, Luther, 4, to pull for the Rebels.
“He is 100 percent teaching our son to cheer for Ole Miss,” Lyndsey said of her husband. “He’s definitely brainwashing him.”
She said she’s holding out hope that their daughter, 2-year-old Harper, might wind up on her mom’s side of the divide.
The Calhouns said they’ve tried not to pull their children either way in the rivalry — something that Allison said can get expensive, as both kids have now amassed collections of State and Ole Miss gear.
“They’re very confused,” Taylor said of his children’s loyalties when it comes to the Egg Bowl. “They might start out a morning in State stuff and then wind up in an Ole Miss outfit.”
Asked which team he’s pulling for this year, Miller, 6, just shrugged and walked away. His younger sister, 2-year-old Alli Rhodes, starting a hushed chant of “Ole Miss Rebels” — before tacking on “Go Bulldogs!”
Taylor said it might be tough when it comes time for the kids to pick which school to attend — though that’s still a ways off. Even if both wind up choosing State, Taylor said things could always be worse.
“The worst thing in the world is if one of the kids go to LSU,” Taylor said.
• Contact Bryn Stole at 581-7235 or bstole@gwcommonwealth.com.
