OXFORD - College football coaches frequently say the game's not about them, it's about the players.

This week, that's not true - at least in the mind of Ole Miss defensive tackle Justin Smith.

Struggling Ole Miss has one more chance to end an SEC losing streak that has now reached 13 games, and it comes against rival Mississippi State.

The Rebels (2-9, 0-7 SEC) also have one more chance to win for outgoing head coach Houston Nutt. They've been outscored 72-10 in two games since Nutt's firing was announced on Nov. 7, two days after a 30-13 loss at Kentucky.

"We really want to win this for coach Nutt," said Smith, a senior defensive tackle from Alpharetta, Ga., who was leaning to Arkansas before Nutt was hired at Ole Miss, and Smith signed with the Rebels.

Smith says Nutt's demeanor has not changed since his dismissal.

"He's gone about it as if he's coming back next year. He's the main reason I came here. It's been tough. I ... can't talk about it, really," he said, finishing his statement with a deep breath.

Growing up in suburban Atlanta, Smith said he didn't know much about the Ole Miss-Mississippi State rivalry until he signed with the Rebels.

He was a freshman on the 2008 team that beat MSU 45-0, but it's been the only win he's experienced in the series.

MSU coach Dan Mullen has not experienced a loss in the series, and that's something Smith hopes to help change.

"The rivalry is definitely a bigger deal than when I got here," Smith said. "It's gotten increasingly more important ... the billboards, the stuff (Mullen) says in the media about us."

While the Bulldogs haven't lost to Ole Miss with Mullen as coach, they also haven't beaten a Western Division team not named Ole Miss. MSU (5-6, 1-6), a Top 25 team earlier this season, has to win Saturday night to achieve bowl-eligibility for a second-straight season.

Ole Miss players would be happy to play a role in the Bulldogs' holiday schedule.

"It's State. If you can do something to alter what they want to do, like going to a bowl game, we definitely want to change that," senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett said. "It would be the high note of the season, something to talk about, to brag on and something to build on for the younger guys."

parrish.alford@journalinc.com