OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -Marshay Green returned a punt 47 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give Mississippi a 20-17 win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Saturday.

The game between two of the Southeastern Conference's worst teams featured little offense, but the Rebels (4-8, 2-6 SEC) managed a touchdown pass to defensive end Greg Hardy early in the game and held on to the victory with the help of two short field goals by Joshua Shene.

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Mississippi State kicker Adam Carlson missed a 51-yard field goal that would have tied the game as time expired.

Ole Miss returns the Egg Bowl trophy given to the winner to Oxford for the fourth time in the last five years.

The Bulldogs (3-9, 1-7) finish with the worst record in the SEC and have not won more than three games in a season since 2000.

Green, a true freshman playing in his first Egg Bowl, took a short punt from Blake McAdams at midfield and broke to his left. It appeared as if the Bulldogs would catch him at the corner, but 300-pound defensive lineman Peria Jerry wiped out a defender with a crushing block to spring Green for the final 40 yards.

Both Green and Jerry were swarmed following the score. Mississippi State wasn't done.

Omarr Conner led a late rally to get the Bulldogs to 20-17 on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jason Husband with 2:20 remaining. But Mico McSwain recovered Mississippi State's ensuing onside kick attempt to end one threat.

Mississippi State controlled the game in the first half as freshman tailback Anthony Dixon rushed for 97 of his 125 yards, including a 2-yard dive late in the second quarter that tied it 10-10 at halftime.

Mississippi State held Ole Miss running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1 yard short of 1,000 for the season. He finished with 37 yards.

Ole Miss took a lead on its first drive when Brent Schaeffer hit Hardy for a 23-yard touchdown. Hardy, a high school tight end who stands 6-foot-4, lined up at wide receiver and outleaped 5-11 Keith Fitzhugh for the score with 11:02 left in the first quarter.

Ole Miss had little offensive success the rest of the way with 200 total yards.

The Rebels now lead the all-time series 59-38-6.