Hugh Kellenberger

Clarion Ledger

OXFORD -- The 2014 Egg Bowl will be on CBS for the first time ever.

It's yet another sign of the rise of No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 10 Ole Miss in the college football universe -- not so long ago the Egg Bowl was played in the early-morning hours or was an afterthought nationally. It's not been on broadcast television period since 1964 (NBC).

The Southeastern Conference announced today game times for the Nov. 22 and 29 slate of games, including Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State in Oxford as a 2:30 kickoff on CBS.

The network had already tipped its hand when it decided Sunday to take this week's game between Mississippi State and No. 4 Alabama.

There are certain appearance limitations within the agreements the SEC has with its partners. CBS has exhausted the number of appearances for Alabama this season. The Tide's games against Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU were also on CBS, which has the first pick each week among SEC games.

The move means the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn), which in recent seasons has become as much of a CBS staple as Florida and Georgia's "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party", will be on ESPN.

Which game means more may not be known until after the Tide and Bulldogs' game Saturday. Mississippi State and its undefeated record leads the SEC West but Alabama is only a game behind. A win for MSU would clinch at least a share of the SEC West, and by Nov. 29 the Bulldogs could have a berth in the SEC Championship Game in hand and would be looking at finishing up an undefeated season. But a loss sends the division into chaos: Auburn and Ole Miss each have two losses, and there remains a scenario where all four teams end the season tied atop the SEC West with 6-2 records.

Mississippi State will appear on CBS four times this season, while Ole Miss will play three. The Rebels' Nov. 22 game at Arkansas was also booked for the network on Monday.