State senior Brenen Thompson eager for first Egg Bowl experience

After previous stops at Texas and Oklahoma, Brenen Thompson has taken in his share of rivalry games. But on Friday, the Mississippi State senior receiver will experience his first Egg Bowl.

Thompson and the Bulldogs play host to No. 6 Ole Miss on Friday morning with an 11 a.m. kickoff on ABC.

This season, Thompson has been impressive for the Bulldogs, on the field and as a leader. He enters the regular-season finale as the team leader in receiving yards (868) and receiving touchdowns (6). Thompson met with the media on Sunday to discuss the Egg Bowl matchup among other topics?

Q: What do you know about this rivalry and how excited are you to play in the Egg Bowl?
Thompson: I know that it means a lot to the people of Mississippi, lots of people in this building, specifically. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve played in a rivalry game before, so I know the emotion, I know the intensity. I’m excited to go play.

Q: With several State players being from Mississippi, what have you learned from them about the Egg Bowl?
Thompson: I know we hate them. That’s really about it. I don’t know a whole lot. I know it’s like the battle of the state, and we’re excited to take pictures of the Egg Bowl (trophy) after Saturday.

Q: I am sure you heard all kind of recruiting pitches when you were in the transfer portal. Was there a moment this year where you saw what Jeff Lebby was telling you when it pertained to your opportunities in this offense?
Thompson: Honestly, I kind of knew my sophomore year at Oklahoma with him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t healthy all year long my sophomore year, so he wasn’t able to have me in those moments. But I knew what the offense was capable of. I knew what he was capable of, and obviously, what I was capable of. So all I needed was the belief in me and someone to believe in me that I could go get it done, and here we are.

Q: What happened to you in the Missouri game and how are you feeling now?
Thompson: Yeah, I took off running on the big chunk play that I had and kind of tweaked something in my groin. But I’m back and rolling.

Q: When this offense gets it all together in the future and you look back on this offense, what do you expect it to look like?
Thompson: Fast as it’s always been. Explosive as it always has been. A team that plays with grit, that’s physical, that doesn’t take no for an answer and just continues to play the next play no matter what happens.

Q: What will it be like for you and Anthony Evans to line up together one more time in Davis Wade Stadium?
Thompson: It’s going to be awesome. I’ve enjoyed my time in college. I’m looking forward to having one more game. I kind of look at the whole game as a season. You look back and it’s like man, this flew by. So I’m just excited to line up with everybody on Friday one last time.

Q: What does it take to win a rivalry game and do you have to manage your emotions a little different for a rivalry game?
Thompson: I definitely think so. I definitely think the emotions are higher, everybody’s kind of all over the place. So I think managing the emotions is part of it. I also think playing the same play the same way you played it, no matter who it is. Showing up the same way we showed up against Georgia or Tennessee or whoever it was that we played. We’ve got to come in with the same mindset no matter who we’re playing.

So I’m looking forward to this week unfolding, seeing the guys have a little different edge to them this week. Just knowing this game means a lot to this town and this team.

Q: With Thanksgiving coming up, what are you thankful for this year?
Thompson: For me, Thanksgiving is something I look back on and I am thankful for a lot of stuff. Thanksgiving is a time of the year when I was little, I used to go home after high school and spend time with my grandparents and my people, and just have everything to be thankful for. I don’t know if there is something I’m not thankful for. I have everything in front of me. I love where my feet are. I love my family and my family loves me. I am thankful for this team, this head coach, this university. I have so much to be thankful for and Thanksgiving means a lot to me.