| Tuesday, October 13, 2026 |
| MSU named founding member of Southeast AI research partnership | |
 | Mississippi State University was selected as one of more than 14 universities and colleges in the Southeast to help spearhead regional artificial intelligence research efforts. The White House, in a Thursday press release, announced the creation of the Southeast Regional Computing Consortium as part of $6 billion in scientific research and infrastructure investments unveiled at its Science: A New Golden Age Summit. Sid Salter, MSU's vice president for strategic communication and director of public affairs, said the university's proactive efforts to address AI at the state level alongside existing infrastructure made MSU a strong candidate for the partnership. Just five months later, the university also named Julie Jordan as MSU's senior adviser for AI and data governance, a newly created position at the university to spearhead AI initiatives. Scott Willard, MSU interim vice president for research and economic development, said in MSU's Thursday press release that consortium initiatives will advance the scientific frontier of AI and its future for the Southeast region. |
| Baptist aims to keep more patients closer to home for care | |
| Baptist Memorial Health Care's first year in Oktibbeha County was marked by "healthy turnover," lower wait times and more patients in both the emergency room and inpatient wings of the hospital, Mac Flynt, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County CEO, told Starkville Rotary Club Monday. Flynt's first goal when Baptist took over OCH Regional Medical Center in October 2025 was to reduce the time patients wait for triage in the emergency room. Patient wait times have hit less than 10 minutes since EPIC -- a comprehensive technology upgrade that includes systems like MyChart -- was instituted in May, Flynt said. He added wait times can fluctuate day to day. Flynt's next goal is to limit the number of patients Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County transfers to other hospitals, including Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus. The majority of patient transfers from Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County are cardiology, gastroenterology and neurology patients, leading those to be the specialties Flynt hopes to expand coverage for over the next five to seven years. |
| Little Free Library opens in Ann's Alley in downtown Meridian | |
 | Ann's Alley in downtown Meridian has a new Little Free Library, created with help from local artists, businesses and community partners. Downtown Meridian announced the addition, which was built into a repurposed loading entrance and is officially registered as Little Free Library Charter No. 228306. Visitors are encouraged to take a book, leave a book or stop by to see the new installation. Scott Hook created the stained glass work and custom design for the library. Will Parker allowed the group to transform the loading entrance on his building, while Glass Incorporated built and installed the framing and glass door. Downtown Meridian said the project was built entirely with local talent and is intended to add another community feature for people visiting the downtown area. |
| ALO fitness apparel to create 400 new jobs at Southaven distribution center | |
 | A Los Angeles-based fashion and lifestyle brand has announced that it will open a new national distribution and fulfillment center in Southaven that is expected to bring more than 400 new jobs. ALO, a premiere athletic apparel brand known for its yoga leggings and studio-to-street clothing, announced on Monday that it will move into an existing 1.2 million square foot building. The project represents a nearly $176 million investment. "ALO is pleased to expand our operations in Mississippi with a state-of-the-art fulfillment and distribution center that will help us serve customers across the county with seamless delivery," ALO Co-President Norm Hullinger said. The company began operations in August and expects to fill the jobs by 2027. "We're proud to create more than 400 new jobs upon opening, and many more to come during the holiday season," Hulling added. "We look forward to becoming part of the community." MDA Executive Director PJ Waldrop said by choosing Southaven, ALO will have transportation access, workforce, and capacity to move products quickly to its customers across the country, and shows why North Mississippi continues to lead the nation in logistics and distribution. |
| AccelerateMS launches Mississippi Industry Experience Program | |
| AccelerateMS announced Monday that the agency has established the Mississippi Industry Experience Program (MIEP), a new statewide workforce initiative designed to expand access to structured, paid industry experiences and create stronger pathways into high-wage careers. Developed and directed by AccelerateMS, MIEP supports work-based learning opportunities aligned with Mississippi's priority sectors and occupations. The program aims to reduce barriers to career entry and strengthen transitions from education, unemployment or underemployment into the workforce while giving employers an opportunity to develop and connect with emerging talent. The initiative will direct funding toward workforce needs identified across Mississippi, helping employers develop talent while creating new opportunities for individuals to gain valuable industry experience. As part of the new initiative, AccelerateMS has awarded $556,200 to Three Rivers Planning & Development District, the first recipient of MIEP funding. The award is expected to support approximately 180 participants, giving individuals the opportunity to gain meaningful workplace experience while applying and developing academic, technical, and transferable skills aligned with their education and career goals. |
| AG Fitch highlights priorities in crime fighting and upcoming run for governor in talk with Rotarians | |
 | Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch highlighted her office's work fighting human trafficking, combating drug trafficking and protecting children from online predators Wednesday while speaking to the Rotary Club of Natchez. She also discussed her decision to run for governor next year. "I have announced to serve as your governor," Fitch said in response to a question from Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, who introduced her. "I'm very honored, very excited about that opportunity." Fitch said she wants to build on Mississippi's accomplishments and take the state "to the next level." "I believe in our state, and I believe in what we're doing," she said. "I'm very energized." Fitch, 65, and Mississippi's first female attorney general, was elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023. Before becoming attorney general, she served eight years as state treasurer. Fitch said her office's efforts to combat fentanyl include educating students and community groups about overdose prevention and providing training on naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, and fentanyl testing strips. |
| White House Calls On Guilfoyle to Resign | |
 | The White House called on Kimberly Guilfoyle to step down as U.S. ambassador to Greece, after The Wall Street Journal reported that she had solicited $100,000 from a Trump donor in the runup to her confirmation hearing last year. "We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign. She has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish her well," White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said Tuesday. |
| 'She totally blew it': How Kamala Harris wasted a year to make her case | |
 | Kamala Harris has kept the door open to running for president again in 2028. What she failed to do over the past year, even onetime supporters and allies of the former vice president say, is give voters a reason to reconsider her if she does. For Harris, according to interviews with nearly 20 Democratic Party donors and strategists in California and across the country, it was a missed opportunity to redefine herself -- and ultimately a wasted year. "She totally blew it," said Doug Herman, who was a lead mail strategist for Barack Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns. "She hasn't gotten into the mix." Harris has offered voters almost nothing in the way of specifics about how she would remake a Democratic Party hungry for change after another term of Donald Trump. She hasn't spoken to how she would expand her own appeal to the voters who rejected her, and she remains as reticent of media as ever, continuing to favor appearances before friendly audiences and at times drawing fire for shutting out news organizations altogether. She has entirely sidestepped the ideological civil war consuming the Democrats and has acted more like a party elder at a time when voters and donors are demanding a break with the past. |
| Trump immigration policies could turn away much-needed foreign doctors, critics say | |
| As the nation's physician shortage worsens, some fear the Trump administration's immigration policies will dissuade or prevent doctors who earned their medical degrees in foreign countries from practicing in the United States. Among all U.S. doctors, an estimated one quarter were educated abroad. But they make up an even larger proportion of physicians in many specialties, including internal medicine (41%), endocrinology (46%) and geriatrics (52%). The U.S. has long welcomed foreign-educated physicians as a way to ameliorate its doctor shortage. Already, an estimated 102 million Americans live in communities that don't have enough primary care providers, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The agency projects a shortage of 141,160 full-time physicians by 2038. Foreign-educated doctors are slightly more likely than American ones to work in areas with a shortage of primary care providers. And doctors who are here on H-1B visas -- a federal program that allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire non-citizen workers for health care jobs and other positions requiring specialized knowledge -- are more likely to work in high-poverty areas. Both left-leaning and conservative states have taken steps to attract foreign physicians. |
| IHL extends commissioner's contract, increases pay | |
| The Board of Trustees for Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning voted in August to extend the commissioner's contract and increase his pay. During an executive session held on August 20, the IHL Board voted to extend Commissioner Dr. Alfred Rankins' employment contract by four more years and increase in his annual salary to $463,050. According to information provided to Magnolia Tribune by the IHL in May, Rankins' previous contract included a salary of $441,000 and was set to end on September 20, 2027. Rankins has been serving as IHL's commissioner for the past eight years. His new contract began on September 1 and will end on August 31, 2030. |
| MUW Women's College builds on university's historic mission | |
| Lessa Harvey arrived at Mississippi University for Women as a transfer student. Now, as a member of the first cohort of The W Women's College, Harvey has interned at Friendly City Books, founded a feminist book club, attended conferences and become the president of the college's student council. With support from the college, Harvey, a graphic design major, plans to conduct an independent research next semester exploring gendered branding in product campaigns. "The women's college has opened so many doors during my time at The W," Harvey told a crowd during the Women's Leadership Symposium hosted by the college last month. "As a non-traditional student I know how invaluable networking and non-classroom learning opportunities are." The women's college opened with its first cohort of 18 students during the fall 2024 semester. Founding Director Kim Whitehead, who serves as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at The W, said the goal was to create an academic environment with a focus on women's issues and leadership development. The college is open to all students. Currently serving 44 students, the women's college is a curriculum pathway under which students take women's, gender and sexuality studies courses that align with their major, minor or general interests. |
| Dutch Bros opens first Oxford location | |
 | University of Mississippi students and Oxford residents have a new coffee and specialty drink option this fall with the opening of Dutch Bros Coffee at 704 Sisk Ave. The Dutch Bros opening adds more competition to the popular coffee and energy drink market in Oxford, but the chain appeals to those who enjoy its existing locations across the country. Maile Baumann, a junior elementary education major from Las Vegas, said she has visited Dutch Bros hundreds of times because the chain is available in her hometown. Brooke Malacina, a junior professional sales major, from St. Charles, Ill., said she enjoys Dutch Bros but believes the opening may have been more about competition than filling a major need in Oxford. Christian Kenny, a freshman business management major from Wall Township, N.J., said he has yet to try Dutch Bros, but he sees value in the variety it brings to Oxford. Dane Cox, a sophomore entrepreneurship major from Tampa, said Dutch Bros stands out among all the other coffee options. |
| Ole Miss law school auditorium renamed to honor Guthrie T. Abbott | |
 | The University of Mississippi School of Law will rename a central gathering space inside the Robert C. Khayat Law Center in honor of Guthrie "Guff" T. Abbott, who served the law school for 32 years as a professor and two years as acting dean. The auditorium will become the Abbott Weems Auditorium, recognizing Abbott alongside longtime law professor Robert A. Weems, whose name was added to the space before his retirement in 2013. The renaming ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Oct. 30 in the law center atrium and is open to the public. More than an honor for two distinguished faculty members, the renaming recognizes a partnership and friendship that helped shape legal education and practice throughout Mississippi for decades. Abbott and Weems first met as Ole Miss law students and have remained close friends for 62 years. Chancellor Emeritus Robert C. Khayat, who attended law school alongside Abbott and Weems, said their influence extends well beyond the classroom. "Guff Abbott and Bob Weems are truly legendary members of the law school faculty and leaders in continuing legal education in Mississippi," Khayat said. |
| Delta State named top music business school by Billboard for 5th year in row | |
| For the fifth year in a row, Billboard magazine has named Delta State University's Delta Music Institute as one of the top music business schools in the world. The unranked annual list has Delta State alongside other schools such as Abbey Road Institute in London, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Spain, Belmont University in Nashville, and Middle Tennessee State University. Each year, schools are selected on industry recommendations, alumni success, faculty credentials, and information provided by the institution, combined with research of Billboard staff. "Being recognized by Billboard for five consecutive years is an extraordinary honor for the Delta Music Institute and for Delta State University," DMI Director Dr. Richard Tremmel said. "This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff, the accomplishments of our students and alumni, and our continued commitment to providing students with relevant, hands-on preparation for careers throughout the entertainment industry." |
| Millsaps College sees growth in overall enrollment, new students | |
 | Millsaps College's student numbers appear to be finally trending up. The private liberal arts school isn't reporting declining enrollment figures this fall, having witnessed a more than 20% increase in new students from last year's enrollment. The spike in new students comes as part of an overall increase in total enrollment for a university that has seen declining student numbers since the turn of the millennium. "Our enrollment team really focused on communicating the value of a Millsaps education to prospective families," wrote Millsaps College President Frank Neville in a press statement. According to school officials, Millsaps College has an undergraduate enrollment of 600, up from last year's number of 547, and a total student population of 633. That student body number represents an 8.4% increase from last year's total enrollment, which was 584. Additionally, Millsaps College boasts a retention rate of 82%, which is slightly above the 81% average for private, nonprofit universities, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Retention rate is the percentage of first-year students who return for their second year at the same college. |
| U. Of Alabama Raises $2.1 Billion In Historic Campaign | |
| "Success" is a major understatement when describing the $2.1 billion in charitable donations made to the University of Alabama's Rising Tide 2.0 capital campaign. The decade-long fundraising effort, launched in 2021, far exceeded expectations in becoming the most successful capital campaign for higher education in state history. "The success of The Rising Tide 2.0 reflects the deep belief our alumni, friends and supporters have in The University of Alabama and in the promise of our students, faculty, staff and future," UA President Peter Mohler said in a UA News Center release marking the achievement. "Their generosity is opening doors for generations of students, strengthening the work of our faculty and expanding the spaces where discovery, creativity and leadership take shape. This historic campaign is a powerful investment in the Capstone's momentum and in the impact UA will continue to make across Alabama and beyond." Previous fundraising milestones of $1.5 billion in 2024 and $1.8 billion in 2025 were surpassed, leading to the final record of $2.1 billion. |
| Louisiana legislative task force weighs higher education funding amid rising costs | |
| Tight economic times have raised concerns not only at the cash register but also about the future of higher public education in Louisiana, so a legislative task force has been meeting to make recommendations on funding the state's public universities. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of college tuition fees rose 83.6% over the past twenty years, increasing faster than the cost of inflation. As a retired educator, State Rep. Barbra Freiberg says Louisiana has to build a workforce, and construction starts in the classroom. "We have the need in the next few years for over 40,000 new jobs, and it's going to take the two-year colleges, the technical colleges, the four-year colleges," Freiberg said. Just as families struggle to make ends meet, so too universities currently struggle with limited state and federal dollars because fewer and fewer students are enrolling. The board is expected to submit its recommendations to the legislature by February. |
| New data suggest 'administrative bloat' may be reversing as colleges cut budgets | |
| It was in the quiet of the summer when a new president at Louisiana State University said the school would lay off 25 administrators, including several who were high in the campus hierarchy, and shift the savings to faculty hiring and research. "Transformational change," the president, Wade Rousse, called it. He was "streamlining operations and finding efficiencies so the university can focus on" its faculty. The move got limited attention outside Baton Rouge. But similar layoffs have been happening at universities and colleges nationwide in what may be a little-noticed tipping point in U.S. higher education. A decades-long increase in the number of employees on campuses who don't actually teach -- disparaged by critics as "administrative bloat" -- is starting to reverse, new data suggests. The number of noninstructional employees at U.S. universities and colleges --- the many people on campuses who don't actually teach --- fell last year more than it has at any time in at least the last decade, according to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, or CUPA-HR. |
| Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones donates $10 million to Clinton Presidential Center | |
| Dallas Cowboys owner and Arkansas native Jerry Jones is giving $10 million to the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, with the money earmarked for modernization and renovations at the facility. The work on the center is aimed at enhancing educational facilities, teacher resources, and the Clinton School of Public Service, which offers a Master of Public Service degree through the University of Arkansas System. Jones, who appeared Monday with former President Bill Clinton at the Little Rock Touchdown Club, said in a statement that his family saw an opportunity to help the university system. "Being able to now grow and combine my long-standing love and support for the University of Arkansas and Razorback athletics, while supporting the important growth, evolution and opportunities the Clinton Presidential Center creates is something I personally cherish and our family is exceedingly grateful for," Jones said. |
| Backlash at U. of Texas after guest speaker uses racist and homophobic slurs | |
| University of Texas students, parents and Black student organizations are questioning their university's decision to allow a far-right speaker on campus amid concerns about hate speech's place at UT. Last week, manosphere influencer and podcaster Myron Gaines hosted a debate on campus, during which he used sexist, racist and homophobic slurs, according to video captured by UT students and Uncensored America, the organization hosting the event. UT police shut down the event before its official conclusion when Gaines directed profane language toward individuals in the crowd. UT's chapter of Uncensored America, which launched in May 2026, reserved Gregory Plaza for the debate, said Sean Semanko, the national organization's founder and president. The venue cannot be reserved without a registered UT organization, according to university policy. Invited speakers must be approved by the UT administration. In the days after the event, Black student organizations criticized the university for not strongly standing against racism and for allowing the speaker to come on campus. UT spokesperson Mike Rosen said in a statement that the university values free speech and safety and promptly shut the Gaines event down when tensions escalated. |
| Mizzou scientist says biology needs a real-world stress test | |
 | A University of Missouri scientist says organisms should be studied under multiple stressors to better reflect real-world conditions. Researchers at the University of Missouri are urging scientists to rethink how they study living organisms by focusing on how multiple environmental stressors interact rather than examining one challenge at a time. The call comes from plant scientist Ron Mittler, a Curators' Distinguished Professor at Mizzou, according to a community announcement. In a commentary published in "Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology," Mittler and colleagues argue that laboratory experiments should better reflect the complex conditions organisms experience in the real world. Traditional studies often isolate a single stressor, such as drought, to understand its biological effects. But plants and other organisms routinely face several challenges simultaneously, including heat, flooding, pollutants, salinity and intense sunlight. Earlier this year, Mittler's team showed how those interactions can produce unexpected results. The idea could extend beyond agriculture. |
| Five Missouri school districts partner with Mizzou in new direct admission program | |
 | Qualifying students in Columbia Public Schools, along with four other Missouri school districts, can secure admission to the University of Missouri before starting their senior year through a new early college admission pathway. Mizzou's Early College Direct Admission guarantees admission to students in designated early college programs who earn a minimum core GPA of 3.0 and complete at least 12 college credit hours by the end of their junior year, according to a university news release. Eligible students will be notified by Aug. 1 of their senior year and will not need to submit a traditional application or pay an application fee. They will also be admitted into the major they request. Mitzi Clayton, the director of enrollment management strategic initiative, said she recognizes how stressful senior year can be for students and that the pathway aims to ease uncertainty surrounding college admission while also recognizing students' academic success. "We wanted to be that front line of recognizing their achievements, honoring their achievements and letting them know they have a place at the University of Missouri," Clayton said. |
| Penn State finalizes recommendations to close 47 programs, evaluate dozens more next year | |
| Penn State said Monday that it has finalized recommendations to eliminate at least 11.5% of its least popular academic programs, a move that marks another significant overhaul during President Neeli Bendapudi's tenure. The university said 47 of its 403 baccalaureate and associate degree programs are slated for closure in the coming years due to sustained low enrollment, duplication and other factors. Another 71 programs are to be evaluated in a year. The programs are split across colleges and campuses. Eleven would close at University Park. "Throughout this process, driving success for our current and future students has been the focus," Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos said in a written statement. "Portfolio and program reviews are a healthy practice common across higher education. They help us to continually ask -- in a strategic and data-informed way -- whether we are meeting and exceeding the needs of our students and their future employers, and how we can best retain and deploy our world-class faculty talent to meet our land-grant mission." |
| Cornell Has Called for 'Bystander Intervention' to Stop Rape. Does It Work? | |
 | Over the last three decades, colleges have increasingly adopted bystander-intervention programs in an attempt to prevent campus sexual assault. At Cornell University, where an alleged 2024 gang rape of a student in a fraternity house has brought the problem to the fore, faculty members and administrators say they are enhancing bystander-intervention training as a way to prevent sexual violence. But despite the prevalence of that kind of training, sexual violence persists on college campuses, especially in frat houses. The Cornell case has renewed debate about what really works. The theory is simple: If you see something, do something. Most sexual-violence prevention programs before the 2000s focused on potential perpetrators and victims, most commonly encouraging women to be careful on nights out. By bringing the bystander into the equation, experts reasoned, colleges could more effectively bring down rates of sexual violence. Studies tend to support that reasoning. The rates of sexual violence at colleges and high schools with mandatory bystander-intervention training are lower than the rates at institutions without the programs. |
| Some colleges are paying current students to post on social media | |
| At Canisius University in Buffalo, New York, a handful of students on campus are known as the Griffluencers. They're named after the school's mascot, the golden griffin, and they're paid to post on the school's social media accounts. One of them is 19-year-old Madison Duxbury. She took the job because she wanted to make the school's accounts more hip. Or, since we are talking about appealing to young people, maybe the better word is "fire." "I was like, 'OK, maybe I can help the school progress more into social media,'" Duxbury said. "Because obviously, being a teen during COVID and then after that, social media has been a huge part of everyone's life." Duxbury also seems to understand the internet in a way that only people born after the year 2000 can. For example, sometimes she sees videos where people move their hands in a really animated way, and it feels kind of cringe. That insight into how to connect with teenagers is one reason colleges hire current students to post. This is less important for, say, big flagship colleges, which have a lot of students posting organically about their school experiences. But for smaller schools that are also competing for a dwindling number of high schoolers, consultants say a strong social media presence is a crucial way to market to teenagers. |
| Students Increasingly Consider Politics in Choosing a College | |
 | Political considerations play a growing role in students' college-going decisions, according to a new student poll by the Art & Science Group. More than a third (34 percent) of respondents surveyed over the summer said they ruled out a school based solely on the politics of its state, up from 28 percent in 2024 and 24 percent in 2023. Another 12 percent said politics played some role in their higher ed thinking, even if it didn't change where they ultimately applied or enrolled. The poll's new iteration was intended to show whether the 2024 results "were really bound to the runup to the presidential election and the high-volume things coming out of the political sphere," said David Strauss, co-founder and principal at the Art & Science Group. The new findings indicate "it wasn't a blip" connected to Donald Trump's re-election: "It has gone from more than a quarter of students in 2024 to a third of students now in 2026, so that phenomenon is increasing in intensity." The findings underscore that "we're segregating ourselves even more into our own bubble, and we're doing it younger," he said. "That worries me." |
SPORTS
| Anthony Evans III on pace to crush Mississippi State WR records, just like he predicted | |
| Anthony Evans III stood at the podium during a preseason Mississippi State football news conference and stated twice that he intended to break the program record for single-season receiving yards. They weren't tongue-in-cheek comments. It was a realistic goal after he broke out for 831 receiving yards last season after transferring from Georgia. Now five games into the season -- with No. 19 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC) playing at No. 21 LSU (4-2, 1-2) on Oct. 17 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) -- Evans isn't on pace just to break the record set by Brenen Thompson last season. The senior wide receiver from Converse, Texas is on pace to crush it. "Ant has been working hard," wide receiver Sanfrisco Magee said. "During the summer and runs, we were just pushing each other to try to make it go. Before the season, him and Kelley (Jones) were talking and he was like, 'I got to break this record.' I was like, 'He most definitely is going to break it.' He's on pace to right now." |
| If Kamario Taylor plays, he could be a problem for LSU. But will he? An ESPN report casts doubt | |
 | LSU will have quite the puzzle to solve defensively if Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is ready to go this weekend at Tiger Stadium. But that's become a bigger if. According to a late Monday report from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Taylor's status for Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff is "in flux." The sophomore signal caller left an Oct. 3 contest against Alabama with a foot injury. Taylor, who stands 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, put himself in the Heisman conversation early this season with 1,192 yards and 14 touchdown passes during the Bulldogs' 4-0 start to the season. He's a dual threat, as well, with 159 rushing yards. When LSU coach Lane Kiffin was asked Monday how he planned to defend Taylor, he jokingly blurted out "I don't know." A year ago, the Bulldogs' budding star ran for 173 yards and passed for another 178 in a loss to Ole Miss. "He really made some really good plays, especially late in the game when he starts running around," Kiffin said. "Obviously, he's much better in Year 2." |
| Kamario Taylor injury latest, who Mississippi State could start vs LSU if QB is out | |
| Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby is still keeping details slim about star quarterback Kamario Taylor's injury status. Lebby once again during his Oct. 12 press conference referred to the upcoming SEC availability report for an update on Taylor. That report will release Oct. 14 ahead of No. 19 MSU (4-1, 2-1) at No. 21 LSU (4-2, 1-2) on Oct. 17 (11 a.m., ESPN) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Who would start in Taylor's place if he can't play against the Tigers? Here was Lebby's response: "Right now, the focus is getting (Taylor) ready to play and then having the ability to continue to create the depth in the room," Lebby said. "Billy (Puckett) and AJ (Swann) obviously are the two guys that have been competing since Day 1 in fall camp and really last spring. So, those guys obviously have the ability to get work if (Taylor) wasn't ready to roll." Taylor exited in the fourth quarter of Mississippi State's 56-23 loss against Alabama on Oct. 3. He wore a boot on his right foot for the remainder of the game, with Lebby alluding afterward that he entered the game playing through an injury. |
| MCBB: Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard earns first-team All-SEC honors | |
| Star Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard has earned the respect of the media ahead of the upcoming men's basketball season. The league's media honored Hubbard on Monday as a preseason first-team All-SEC selection. The Madison native's coronation comes after he averaged 22.1 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.5 rebounds for the Bulldogs last season. Hubbard joins Canton native Quinndary Weatherspoon as the only Mississippi State players to collect three preseason All-SEC selections during their careers. Hubbard and Erick Dampier are the only Bulldogs to be named to an All-SEC team in their freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. The Bulldogs begin the upcoming regular season at home versus Tennessee Tech on Nov. 2. Mississippi State will play exhibition games against NC State on Oct. 18 and Memphis on Oct. 23. The Rebels begin the regular season at home versus Alcorn State on Nov. 2. Ole Miss will play exhibition games against Alabama on Oct. 15 and Andy Kennedy's UAB team on Oct. 27. |
| Hubbard nabs preseason SEC honor | |
| Josh Hubbard was named to the first-team Preseason All-SEC on Monday. Hubbard led the Bulldogs with 22.7 points per game and 3.6 assists while shooting 34.7% from three. His 311 career three-pointers made are an MSU record by a wide margin. Hubbard is one of just two Bulldogs to earn preseason All-SEC honors in their careers, with the other being Quinndary Weatherspoon. Mississippi State's season starts in exactly three weeks, when the Bulldogs host Tennessee Tech on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Humphrey Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+. |
| SEC presidents approve uniform NIL, rev-share contract | |
| SEC presidents voted Monday to approve a uniform NIL and revenue-share contract that includes adjustable components, On3's Pete Nakos reported. The Big Ten is the other power conference to have uniform rev-share contracts. While that vote took place, the presidents also tabled a vote in whether to re-implement its intra-conference transfer policy. On3 previously reported the SEC was considering bringing back its requirement for athletes to sit out a year if they transfer to a school within the conference. Specific details of the SEC's uniform contract were not available at the time of publication. The conference has held discussions in recent months about potential self-governance policies, and commissioner Greg Sankey said this summer those conversations were "real." Additionally, the vote comes as the Protect College Sports Act heads to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bipartisan bill advanced out of the Senate last month by a 77-22 vote and is on track for the House, which is not due back in session until November after the midterm elections. |
| From Saban's on-screen antics to Cignetti's 'smile,' coaches are the new hook for advertisers | |
 | When Taylor Misiak decided to pursue an acting career, she never imagined she'd be sitting in a hot tub with the greatest college football coach of all time. Yet there she was on a picturesque evening in Malibu, Calif., in July 2024, sitting next to Nick Saban -- relaxed, bubbles up to his rib cage -- as he delivered his iconic line. You guys got about 10 minutes, because this is Daddy Time in the tub. "It was certainly a pinch-me moment," Misiak said, laughing. "That's sort of a dream come true, but a dream you didn't know you had." The ad for Vrbo vacation rentals is part of a still-growing catalog of Saban's national commercials that includes Aflac and Home Depot. They started during Saban's legendary run at Alabama and have continued into retirement and his cohosting duties on ESPN's "College GameDay." Saban's on-field standard is untouchable, but his on-screen exploits have blazed a trail for a few of his acolytes. This college football season already features national spots for DoorDash and Dr Pepper featuring LSU coach Lane Kiffin, and a State Farm commercial starring Indiana coach Curt Cignetti. Saban, Colorado coach Deion Sanders and South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley also teamed up with movie star Ben Affleck in a new Aflac ad. Kiffin embraces his villain persona in the Dr Pepper Fansville multiverse, and Cignetti leans into his unique brand of enthusiasm for State Farm's personal price plan bundle while getting sprayed by a garden sprinkler. |
| Wisne v. NCAA Oral Argument in 10th Circuit Arrives With Major Stakes | |
| Tuesday brings a key courtroom hearing in the ongoing legal battle over whether former Division I athletes who began college play in 2022–23 and completed four years of eligibility should be able to play another season against the NCAA's wishes. At 9 a.m. CT, Judges Carolyn B. McHugh, Paul J. Kelly and Nancy L. Moritz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit will hear dueling oral arguments, with attorneys for a dozen players led by former University of Northern Colorado basketball player Brock Wisne on one side and the NCAA on the other. Although similarly situated athletes have filed lawsuits across the country, Wisne v. NCAA is arguably the most consequential. A couple of months ago, U.S. District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney certified the case as a nationwide class action on behalf of potentially thousands of athletes who are like Wisne and his co-plaintiffs. This is the only related eligibility case currently certified as a nationwide class action. A victory for Wisne -- who signed with a professional basketball team in Spain after graduating from college -- would mean class members across the country could benefit from the ruling and seek another season of eligibility. |
| The FTC Is Beginning to Probe the Sports Gambling Industry | |
| Officials at the Federal Trade Commission are probing the $167 billion online sports gambling industry, which has been celebrated by the White House but faces mounting skepticism from some conservative activists. The FTC's interest in online sports gambling is expected to focus on online sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings -- probably on allegations of deceptive and misleading advertisements, three sources familiar with the matter said. Both political and career staffers at the agency have been involved in reviewing online sports books, the sources said, though the evaluation is in its early stages. The review, which has not been previously reported, is not expected to include the "prediction markets" such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Online sports betting has exploded since the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban in 2018. About half of men age 18 to 49 have an active account with an online sportsbook, according to a February poll by the Siena Research Institute and St. Bonaventure University's Jandoli School of Communication. Researchers have documented increases in suicide, hospitalizations and bankruptices among users. These adverse effects are expected to be part of the agency's review, one of the sources said. |
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