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Lane Kiffin calls out Mississippi State players, AD for bench-clearing fight during Egg Bowl

Untitled design (2)by: Sam Gillenwater11 hours agosamdg_33

Things got chippy in the first half of the Egg Bowl, with a sideline clearing altercation between Ole Miss and Mississippi State. That led Lane Kiffin to comment on it heading into halftime, with some choice words directed at the Bulldogs.

Seen speaking to the officials going into halftime, ESPN’s Taylor McGregor asked Kiffin about that discussion, with the Rebels going into the half up at 21-10. Kiffin went on to criticize their rivals’ sideline for their part in the extracurricular activities in the rivalry game, specifically with their bench emptying during a fight in the second quarter. Among those he referenced was also Mississippi State AD Zac Selmon, who was seen on the broadcast near Kiffin amidst what happened between the Rebels and Bulldogs.

“Well, we just trying to play clean football, man. We try to execute and play really good football,” said Kiffin. “For a whole sideline to try to fight and leave their whole sideline, including their athletic director? I’ve never seen anything like it. So, I’m just reminding them, like, we’re trying to play football here. We’re not trying to start a fight, so you know, our university can get credit for fighting people.

“We’re good,” Kiffin said, when asked if he needed to address the fighting with his own team. “Our guys stay on the sideline like they’re supposed to.”

There are two sides to every story, especially in a rivalry like this one in the Egg Bowl. But, Ole Miss clearly thinks that Mississippi State had more to do with what happened in the first half than they did with this very specific pointing of the finger by Kiffin.

Egg Bowl Fight: Benches clear in first half of Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State

The benches cleared during the Egg Bowl on Friday afternoon following a would-be fumble called on the field by Trinidad Chambliss. Chambliss, prior to the pushing and shoving, appeared to fumble the football, but had his arm slightly going forward.

But, after the play, players on both teams had to be separated following a scrum. The broadcast on ABC claimed Ole Miss’ Daequan Wright initiated the pushing and shoving, which caused some punches as well as the benches to clear onto the field.

After review, the fumble was ruled an incomplete pass by Chambliss. Personal foul penalties, rather than unsportsmanlike conduct, were then given to Deuce Alexander and Delano Townsend for Ole Miss and Malick Sylla for Mississippi State. Since they were offsetting penalties, they just replayed the down at 2nd & 8. There were also no ejections after all of that, despite some apparent punches being thrown in the scuffle.