| Friday, September 4, 2026 |
| Mississippi State hosts ULM Sept. 5 for 2026 football home debut | |
 | Ahead of Mississippi State's season opener this Saturday [Sept. 5] against the Warhawks of University of Louisiana Monroe, the university is reminding football fans about safety precautions and other campus updates. With a 6:30 p.m. kickoff in Davis Wade Stadium, gates open two hours before the game. The Junction is MSU's premier gameday tailgating area and one of the most iconic in the Southeastern Conference. Changes to MSU tailgating structures and regulations made in 2025 to optimize fan and family safety continue for the 2026 season, with an exclusive MSU student tailgating area in the Amphitheater and Southern Tradition Tailgating in The Junction. Public areas are in front of Barnes & Noble or the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building, among other areas, on a first-come, first-served basis. "We're excited about the 2026 football season and look forward to another outstanding tailgating experience for our Bulldog family," said MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter, who leads the university's Game Day Committee. "The university's leadership has taken additional steps this year to ensure our gameday fan experience is safe, secure, and responsive to our patrons and guests. We strive each year to make The Junction and the rest of our campus the epicenter of great weekends in Starkville and the Golden Triangle." |
| A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: MSU, Habitat partner for 18th Maroon Edition house | |
 | Starkville native Tyerria Bryant will unlock the door to her new home this spring as the recipient of Mississippi State's 18th Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity home. Bryant, a mental health therapist at an elementary school in Macon, said when she found out she would be the Habitat recipient, she simply couldn't stop crying. Now overwhelmed with gratitude, she is ready to put in the sweat equity to build her future. "I cannot wait to create new memories and spend time in a new environment with the people that matter most," said Bryant, a 2020 Mississippi State graduate. "I am grateful for this opportunity to be in my forever home. Thank you God, and thank you Habitat for Humanity for this precious moment." Once complete, Bryant's home will mark the sixth Habitat build in Kelly Estates, an 11-acre former dairy farm located on 16th Section Road. Volunteers, including MSU staff and students, will continue to transform the property into a 30-home Habitat community. Alongside the Maroon Edition residence, Habitat celebrated the groundbreaking for Starkville Police Officer Kenya Bibbs' future home as part of the 2026 Collegiate Challenge House. |
| What Mississippi State teaches us about institutional identity | |
 | JJ Anthony, the Associate Dean of College Counseling and Academic Advising-HS at the Ensworth School in Nashville, writes in The Clarion-Ledger: When I visited Starkville in April, a university administrator told me with complete conviction: "You will find a Mississippi State alum everywhere you go." As a non-alumnus, I smiled and filed it away as classic college recruitment hyperbole -- the kind of proud, local mythmaking every university uses to sell its reach. Then came a morning walk months later in Newport, Rhode Island. Steps away from the famed Cliff Walk on Narragansett Avenue -- a stretch known for its Gilded Age mansions, Vanderbilts, and European-inspired grandeur -- I stopped in front of "The Orchard," a historic 19th-century estate behind massive wrought-iron gates. Hanging prominently on the gatepost was not a local Ivy League banner, nor a traditional New England coat of arms. It was a bright maroon Mississippi State flag, flying side by side with the state flag of Mississippi. The contrast was striking: Starkville grit meets Newport glamour. But more than a striking visual, it was a complete validation of the pitch I'd received back in Mississippi. In higher education, millions of dollars are spent annually on branding campaigns, slogans and recruitment pitches trying to define "institutional identity." Yet the most authentic metric of a university's strength isn't found in a glossy brochure -- it's found in how its alumni choose to occupy space when they leave. |
| President Trump names Adam Telle Acting Secretary of the Army | |
| President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that Adam Telle, the current Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, is now serving as Acting Secretary of the Army. "I am pleased to announce that Adam Telle, the current Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, will become Acting Secretary of the Army, effective immediately," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all." Telle, a former member of U.S. Senator Thad Cochran's staff, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary in August 2025 by a vote of 72 to 22. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Telle served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, and the top national security staffer for Senator Cochran for 10 years. He moved to the Mississippi Senator's office after beginning his service on Capitol Hill in Alabama Senator Richard Shelby's office. Telle then went on to lead the Senate team at the White House's Office of Legislative Affairs during the first Trump Administration. There, he managed all national security and appropriations matters. He joined the staff of Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty in 2021 as Chief of Staff, a position he held prior to his nomination by President Trump. |
| Trump names Adam Telle as acting Army secretary following the departure of Driscoll | |
 | President Donald Trump on Thursday named Adam Telle, a civilian leader in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the acting Army secretary following the departure of Dan Driscoll amid widespread reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Telle is currently the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works. But he spent more than 20 years working for Republican senators as well as in the White House during Trump's first term, serving as the president's chief liaison to the Senate, according to an Army bio. "He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Hegseth echoed that in his own post on X. Telle spent 18 months working in the White House during Trump's first term and 10 years working for the late Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, according to Legistorm. Telle will now be overseeing the nation's largest fighting force at a time when the U.S. is still engaged in conflict with Iran and significant Army forces are stationed in the Middle East. |
| Who is Adam Telle? New secretary of the Army an Alabama native | |
 | The new acting Army secretary is a Northport native with a track record of more than two decades working with Republican senators and the first Trump Administration. On Thursday, President Donald Trump named Adam Telle, who is currently the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, to the post. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt praised Telle on Twitter, calling him "my friend." "I've often said Alabama is the most pro-military and pro-service member state in the country. Now one of our own will be leading the Army," Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted. According to Telle's Army biography, he previously served as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and in various roles with Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi. He holds degrees in computer science and communication from Mississippi State University, where he served as MSU Student Association president from 2004 to 2005. |
| Economist says Brazil could play key role in expanded U.S. beef imports | |
| There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the Trump administration's plan to import up to 300,000 metric tons of beef. Josh Maples, an ag economist with Mississippi State University Extension says, "How much of this is actually new beef versus beef that was coming anyway, and we just don't know." He says details remain limited. "The fact sheet says that the proclamation does not apply to countries that have country-specific beef quotas." Maples says that excludes countries with zero or low tariffs, like Canada, Mexico, or Australia. He tells Brownfield the announcement appears to be geared toward the "other countries" category. "Countries that don't have a particular quota or tariff rate quota with the US, that group's dominated by Brazil in particular," he says. "Brazil usually builds up supplies to be able to fill that other country's category within the first few days of January each year, and they did that this year." But Maples says, "We would have brought in beef from Brazil anyway, because we have been and we would have brought in beef from some other countries anyway, because we have been, even at the higher tariff." |
| Aldermen eye higher fines for nuisance properties | |
 | The Starkville Board of Aldermen is eyeing higher fines among other changes to its proposed chronic nuisance properties ordinance following the first public hearing held Tuesday night at City Hall. Currently the proposal allows a fine of up to $100 per day to be issued to properties identified as chronic nuisance by the police chief. Any property on which a combination of three or more "nuisance activities," like code violations or public disturbances, occur during a six-month period could be labeled as a nuisance property under the drafted ordinance. Ward 1 Alderwoman Kim Moreland requested the ordinance draft be changed so the fine be assessed at a minimum of $100 per day, noting that some of the properties garnering frequent complaints are affordable housing options that can receive ad valorem tax exemptions. "This ordinance is about accountability and responsible use of public resources," Moreland wrote in a text to The Dispatch. "Our hope is that it will help reduce the number of repeated calls for service to certain properties, including complexes that benefit from favorable tax-credit incentives." |
| U.S. Adds a Whopping 162,000 Jobs in a Bright Spot for the Economy | |
 | The U.S. added 162,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department reported Friday, a much-stronger-than-expected result that suggested the labor market shook off its early-summer doldrums. The unemployment rate stayed steady at 4.1%. That leaves it at a historically low level that indicates the labor market remains generally healthy. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast the report would show the economy gained just 53,000 jobs. The unemployment rate was in line with their expectations. The jump in jobs came in part from rebounds in restaurant and in local-education employment that many economists viewed as one-off factors. But the U.S. has added an average of 80,000 jobs a month so far this year, which compares with monthly growth of 10,000 jobs in 2025. "We don't have a problem in the labor market," said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM. Hiring had weakened considerably in June and July, and so the August job gains helped dispel concerns that the labor market had re-entered a period of cooling. Still, workers' pay has been lagging behind inflation, raising concerns that consumer spending could be challenged in the months ahead. |
| First truckload of merchandise arrives as Target preps for Oct. 11 opening | |
 | The first of many trucks bringing trailers full of merchandise was unloaded early Wednesday morning at Target store T-2962 in Tupelo. Team members are working in shifts starting at 4 a.m. with the last shift ending at 11 p.m., to get the store ready for its Oct. 11 opening. The long-awaited Tupelo location is one of eight new Target stores opening this fall in Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia and the last of more than 30 planned for 2026. The stores are part of Target's $5 billion capital investment plan for 2026, which has supported not only the new stores but also more than 130 remodels. The company said it also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in additional store payroll and training to improve guest service. The new stores are among the more than 300 on track to be built by 2035. At nearly 149,000 square feet, the Tupelo store is the largest of the seven stores in Mississippi, and larger than the average Target store size of 125,000-square-feet. |
| New restaurant named The Oxbow to replace Sombra at The Township in Ridgeland | |
| A new restaurant concept is headed to The Township at Colony Park, bringing a fresh dining experience to the former Sombra Mexican Kitchen location. The Oxbow American Grill is currently under construction and is expected to open in late fall. The restaurant will offer a menu inspired by regional American flavors and cooking traditions, blending familiar favorites with ingredients and techniques influenced by destinations across the country. The restaurant is led by Jason Brumm and Jud Heubach, whose combined experience spans culinary development, destination dining and restaurant operations. Sombra opened in 2011 and became one of the development's signature dining destinations before serving its final customers this summer. The opening marks the latest addition to The Township at Colony Park, which has continued expanding its mix of retail, dining and entertainment offerings in mixed-use development. |
| Tyson Foods cuts 2026 revenue guidance over beef pressures | |
| Tyson Foods Inc. on Thursday lowered its revenue growth guidance for 2026 as it faces significant margin pressure from a volatile cattle industry. The Springdale-based company revised its revenue growth to between 1.5% and 2.0% for 2026, down from between 2.5% and 3.5% when the company reported its third-quarter earnings in August. In a news release, Donnie King, outgoing president and chief executive officer, said beef pressures that have intensified have required decisive action. Beef segment struggles have been plaguing the company's financial filings after reporting a yearly loss of $1.13 billion in 2025, and quarterly losses totalling $701 million in 2026. Investors balked Thursday after the announcement. Tyson's share price fell more than 7% after the markets opened. Tomas Jandik, professor of finance and Dillard's chair in corporate finance at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, said a 6% change in any stock price is pretty unusual, and Tyson Foods making a revision outside of a typical earnings release is interesting. "Clearly they see something pretty negative in their future and decided they can't sit on that negative adjustment any longer," he said. "It is the right thing to do, if they know those negative things are coming." |
| Farmers turn to perennial grains as one solution to extreme weather | |
| Bryce Black kneels in a wheat field battered by intense drought. He holds two strands, remarking on how small the seed head is compared with what's normal. After a late October rain last year, the fourth-generation farmer was optimistic about his 1,800 acres (728 hectares) of winter wheat. But a dry winter and spring brought extreme drought when the wheat needed moisture to establish itself. He ended up harvesting about 1,500 acres (607 hectares), but the yield was the lowest he's had since taking over his family's farm in 2017. "It was just a grit your teeth and get through it type of deal," said Black, who also grows corn, soybeans and milo on his family's 4,500-acre (1,821 hectare) farm. "It is disheartening, you know? And it's kind of hard to know what to do." When these weather events occur, farmers often look for new ways to protect their crops and their bottom line. A small number are putting perennial grains in rotation to build resilience against extreme weather like drought and intense rainfall. Researchers are working to develop perennial versions of common annual grains like wheat, sorghum and rice, but the work is slow. And widespread adoption by farmers is challenging because perennial crops don't yield as much, harvesting can be difficult and the market is still developing. Despite the challenges, Black is intrigued. |
| Oxford's Tollison sworn into State Supreme Court | |
| Supreme Court Justice Amanda Jones Tollison of Oxford took the oath of office on Sept. 1 before a crowd of judges, former law partners, family and friends in Jackson. She thanked Gov. Tate Reeves for appointing her to the Court. "I appreciate so much his confidence and trust in me to take this position and to serve the people of the Northern District," she said. "I also want to thank the people who have inspired me over my life." The former Mississippi Bar President said, "I'm standing here behind a podium today, but I feel like I'm more of a turtle on a fence post. As one of my pastors used to say ... if you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he didn't get there by himself." Chief Justice Mike Randolph, who administered the oath of office to Justice Tollison, said, "It's really difficult for me to express how pleased I was when the Governor made the appointment.... I know she's going to do a fine job." Justice Tollison said that her family and mentors shaped her career. She grew up in the Thompson community of Amite County, where her father was a dairy farmer and her mother was a teacher. Her father instilled a work ethic, and her mother inspired a love of learning. |
| White House backs Hyde-Smith's Buying American Cotton Act | |
| On Thursday, the White House issued a statement backing Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith's Buying American Cotton Act (BACA), an action the Senator deemed as a "call to action" to get the measure passed by year's end. The White House statement said the administration "strongly supports" the measure and would recommend President Trump to sign it if passed by the Congress. The Statement of Administration Policy on S.1919 said, in part, that "The Administration strongly supports S. 1919, the Buying American Cotton Act of 2025. This legislation advances core Administration priorities of putting American farmers and workers first, restoring domestic manufacturing, securing critical supply chains, and reducing reliance on foreign sources. It also complements the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Great American Cotton Plan to revitalize the cotton farm economy and expand demand for U.S.-grown cotton." The measure would authorize tax credits to incentivize the use of U.S.-grown cotton and U.S. cotton-manufactured products like yarns and fabric in cotton-based products sold in the United States. |
| 'We've told them he cannot come': Republicans grapple with how to handle Trump on the trail | |
 | President Donald Trump wants to be heavily involved in Republicans' midterm push. They're not all thrilled. As Trump begins to unveil his midterm campaign plans, many Republicans facing tough elections -- even in areas the president carried by double digits in 2024 -- are wary of tying themselves too closely to Trump as his approval rating continues to drag. Many privately admit they're stuck in an uncomfortable spot: By running too far from Trump, Republicans risk alienating the MAGA faithful or the president himself, whose super PAC is sitting on more than $400 million they desperately need deployed to help them win key races. But if the candidates keep Trump close, they could be dragged down by the president, as the unpopular war in Iran has increased costs for Americans across the country. So far, they haven't settled on a unified approach, according to interviews with more than two dozen GOP lawmakers, candidates and operatives. Mostly, they don't want to talk about it. But Trump himself appears eager to get on the campaign trail: He told battleground Republicans during a Rose Garden dinner Wednesday that he will be heavily involved in the final 30 days. And many Republicans are eager for his operation to deploy its massive campaign warchest to try to preserve their congressional majorities. |
| US Forest Service closing 23 research stations as part of reorganization | |
| The U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 research and development stations in more than a dozen states as part of an organizational overhaul under President Donald Trump that is intended to trim costs and concentrate the agency's resources in Western states, officials said Thursday. The work being done at the research stations will continue at other sites, Forest Service Associate Chief Chris French said in an interview. An additional 41 research facilities that faced possible closure will remain open after local officials and members of Congress raised concerns about the reorganization, which was announced in March. "Our primary goal was to get our facilities costs under control," French told The Associated Press. "We're not closing any ongoing science activities. We're not closing any of the experimental forests that are important to our researchers." The reorganization also includes moving the agency's headquarters from Washington to Salt Lake City. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said the move, expected to be completed by next summer, will bring leaders closer to the landscapes they manage and the people who depend on them. Conservation groups have criticized the changes, warning that they could reduce access to forests and threaten wildlife habitat and clean air and water. |
| Behind Closed Doors, John Fetterman Shows Little Interest in the Work of a Senator | |
| One morning in June, three paralyzed military veterans in wheelchairs from rural Pennsylvania arrived at the office of Sen. John Fetterman for a long-awaited meeting to discuss legislation that would improve their care. Fetterman's staff greeted them with bad news: The Pennsylvania Democrat had to cancel. He'd told his staff he may have eaten something bad and wasn't feeling well, according to people familiar with the matter. Less than an hour after his staffers met with the veterans in his place, Fetterman walked into his office, showing no signs of illness. He had an appointment he didn't want to miss, he told staff: an interview on Fox News to discuss Israel and the war in Iran. With his hoodie-and-shorts wardrobe and working-class appeal, Fetterman occupies a unique place in a Democratic Party increasingly populated by leftist insurgents. Fetterman often portrays himself as a "regular Democrat" calling out aspects of his party's progressive fringe -- just the profile that past centrists have leveraged in a divided Senate to cut bipartisan deals and score big wins. But behind closed doors, the first-term senator shows little interest in doing the job beyond cultivating relationships with conservative media figures and advocating for Israel, according to interviews with more than a dozen former staffers and lawmakers, as well as text messages and other internal records. |
| Alcohol-related cancer deaths doubled, go beyond liver, study finds | |
 | Alcohol-related cancer deaths are rising -- and it's not just the liver being impacted by alcohol consumption, according to new research. In the study, published Aug. 2 in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas, the authors found alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States doubled from about 11,400 in 1990 to more than 23,100 in 2023. And deaths were not limited to liver cancer. Researchers found there were also growing incidences of colorectal, breast, esophageal, pancreatic and other cancers. "The most surprising finding was the breadth of alcohol's potential impact across cancer types," Dr. Chinmay Jani, corresponding study author and chief fellow in hematology and oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said in a news release. "Although its relationship with liver cancer is widely recognized, its contribution to cancers such as colorectal, esophageal, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer is less well understood by the public." Plus, it doesn't take much to increase risk. |
| Professor's forgotten book collection finds new audience | |
| Last month, Steve Godfrey stacked a pile of history books into a box, steadied the package between the handlebars of his bike and made a half-mile ride to Coffee House On 5th in Columbus. Once there, he delivered the gift to a Columbus grandmother who was so happy to receive the books, which she intended to give her grandchildren to spur their interest in history, Godfrey said. "She was getting them for her grandkids, is what she kept saying," Godfrey told The Dispatch Thursday. "She wanted to impart something. ... I'm not sure exactly what but maybe an appreciation of American history at the very least." That drop-off was just one of several deliveries and shipments Godfrey has made since posting the collection of his boss, Robert Thompson, on Facebook in August. Since starting to catalogue the collection in June, Godfrey said he has entirely sold or given away more than 200 history books with topics ranging from the Civil War to Medieval history. The duo found the collection, which originally belonged to Thompson's father Bruce Thompson, while sifting through boxes in a storage shed earlier this summer. While there, he built up a collection of history textbooks from companies asking him to consider their use in his courses, Robert said. Robert said his father, from about 1930 until sometime in the 1970s, was a professor of history at Baylor University, serving several years as chair for the department. |
| Mississippi issues Lafayette burn ban after senator puts heat on agency amid drought | |
| The Mississippi Forestry Commission confirmed Thursday a burn ban is in place for Lafayette County after a lawmaker who represents the area publicly criticized the agency's process. Sen. Nicole Boyd, a Republican from Oxford, sent a letter Wednesday to the commission questioning why it hadn't issued a temporary burn ban for the county. In addition to little rainfall over the last month, Boyd said the county has had to handle 16 different fires since the beginning of August. "I understand the stated reason is that Lafayette County has not experienced enough fire activity," the state senator wrote to State Forester Russell Bozeman in a letter she posted to Facebook. "That rationale is backwards. A burn ban is a prevention tool, not a reward for waiting until enough fires have already occurred." Lafayette County Board President Brent Larson said the county initially requested the ban Wednesday morning, but was verbally denied by one of the state's regional foresters. The city of Oxford on Tuesday asked residents to conserve water during a "historically high summer demand" during the ongoing drought. The notice highlighted the strain caused by outdoor irrigation, which makes up over 50% of the city's peak water consumption. |
| Former Ole Miss Chancellor Jones files amicus brief opposing Mississippi's anti-DEI law | |
| Dr. Dan Jones, the former Chancellor of Ole Miss who served from 2009 to 2015, has filed an amicus curiae brief in opposition to Mississippi House Bill 1193, the law which supporters contend restricts the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) when making decisions concerning school employment, academic opportunities, and student engagement in Mississippi public schools and universities. The legislation was passed during the 2025 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves (R) that April. Under the law, hiring and academic decisions are to be based on an individual's merit and qualifications rather than a person's race, color, sexual orientation, or gender. In addition to serving as Chancellor, Jones previously served as the vice-chancellor for Health Affairs at Ole Miss as well as a Professor and Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He is currently president of the School Board for the Hazelhurst City School District. Jones’ employment was not renewed by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning amid concerns about financial problems at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. |
| UMMC graduates forge careers in military medicine | |
| Each year, students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine take the next step in their journey from classroom learning to clinical practice through the National Resident Matching Program and specialized military match opportunities. For two UMMC graduates and one current fourth-year medical student, the military match represents a new chapter -- one that combines a commitment to medicine with a commitment to serve. Dr. Nick Gaouette, a 2024 graduate, and Dr. Joseph "JoJo" Dodd, a 2022 graduate, are now building careers in military medicine while caring for patients, developing their skills and preparing for roles that extend beyond the traditional practice of medicine. Fourth-year medical student Michael Whelan hopes to soon follow a similar path. Together, their journeys offer a closer look at what happens before and after the military match and how UMMC students and graduates are preparing to serve both their patients and their country. |
| Annual Black & Gold Day at the DuBard School for Language Disorders | |
 | Across the Pine Belt, Southern Miss fans are preparing for the return of football season, including little ones. Thursday, the Golden Eagles and Golden Eagle cheerleaders visited the DuBard School for Language Disorders for their annual Black and Gold Day. The school is located on USM's campus. Leaders say this tradition has been going since the 90s. Head coach Blake Anderson says it's an honor to share game-day excitement, especially with their littlest fans. "I love always coming here, number one, because I know every one of these kids is really trying to overcome something in their life that many other people take for granted," Anderson said. "But this is always special to me because they're right down the road. They're part of kind of fabric of who we are. And I think the success stories just are awesome to hear down the road. And we've seen some of them even in and around our program at times." |
| Ambassador Andrew Young discusses democracy at Jackson State | |
 | Former activist, congressman, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Andrew Young spoke at Jackson State University (JSU) on September 3, 2026, after touring the Two Mississippi Museums. JSU's College of Liberal Arts, in partnership with the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, hosted a luncheon and panel titled, "The Legacy of Organizing and the Struggle for Democracy." During the panel, Young spoke upon his life and legacy ranging from his time working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to serving as the first African American U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under former President Jimmy Carter. Students were invited to attend the event, with many taking notes from Young's speech. One student taking notes was JSU political science undergraduate student Zion Washington. He said the biggest take away was Young's opinion of taking MLK's ideas and applying them into law. "One of the things that I really took away is that the new form of protest, especially for people my age, is to get out and be political and act on your rights to vote," said Washington. |
| Two former top Jackson State University administrators settle sex discrimination lawsuits | |
| Jackson State University and the state college board have settled two sex discrimination lawsuits that were filed during Marcus Thompson's brief tenure as the university's president. On Aug. 25, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board resolved a sex discrimination lawsuit filed in federal court by Debra Mays-Jackson, former JSU vice president and chief of staff. The details of the settlement are not publicly available, though Mississippi Today has filed a public records request for the settlement agreement from the state's college board. In 2023, Mays-Jackson sued the IHL board of trustees the same day it tapped Marcus Thompson to be president of Jackson State. Mays-Jackson contended that she was passed over for JSU's presidency in favor of Thompson, a less experienced man. In June, Jackson State University reached a $150,000 settlement with Linda Rush, the former interim vice president of enrollment management at JSU. Rush alleged in a federal lawsuit that Thompson passed her over for a promotion and that she was subsequently fired because of her age and sex. A federal judge dismissed several of Rush's claims last year but allowed one sex discrimination claim against Thompson to proceed. |
| JPD to provide up to 25 officers for JSU home games, 6 officers for tailgate support | |
| As many as 25 Jackson Police Department officers could help provide security at Jackson State University football home games this year. But Chief RaShall Brackney says no officers will be taken off normal duties to provide that additional support. "These are all overtime, in which our officers are off duty and not working in their normal capacity or official capacity," she said. "And then, JSU supports their salaries and their benefits as well, as a result of that." Brackney was speaking at Thursday's special Jackson City Council meeting, where she urged members to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the university. The chief said JPD will dedicate between 15 and 25 officers to stadium activities, as well as another six officers for tailgate support, which will be part of a separate agreement. She also said that JSU also will be reimbursing the department for fuel costs this year, with the university understanding Jackson's budget shortfalls. |
| At DELTA FEST, HBCU leaders discuss how to prepare students for the evolving Southern economy | |
| Leaders of historically Black colleges and universities want their institutions to prepare students for the rapidly changing workforce and careers in industries such as infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare and education. They also said they want to ensure companies benefiting from the talent HBCUs produce also reinvest in those colleges and communities. The leaders discussed those issues in two panels Wednesday during the first day of DELTA FEST, a three-day event that brought dozens of nonprofit executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and community leaders to downtown Jackson. The event focused in part on how communities across Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Georgia can benefit from more than $200 billion in capital investment in the region from industries such as manufacturing, healthcare and education. Bobbie Knight, president of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, said HBCUs shouldn't just produce talent that companies can recruit away. Instead, Knight said, leaders should create partnerships with corporations and companies to generate investments and opportunities for students that can also benefit the colleges and their surrounding communities. |
| Tales from the Crypt heads to big screen | |
| For decades, students from Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science have spent semesters uncovering local history at Friendship Cemetery through Tales from the Crypt. Now, their work is heading to the big screen. "A Mississippi Story," a documentary film by Ed Robbins that chronicles MSMS students' journey of researching historical local figures and portraying them in Friendship Cemetery, has been selected to premiere Sept. 22 at the Richmond International Film Festival in Virginia. "For 37 years, MSMS students have been contributing Tales from the Crypt to our community and state," Chuck Yarborough, MSMS history teacher and project director, wrote in a text to The Dispatch. "To have (an) award-winning filmmaker like Ed Robbins spend so much time filming and editing a film to share that story with the nation is a wonderful affirmation of the project and its positive impact on students and the larger community." Robbins, a New York City-based documentary filmmaker whose work has aired on PBS, National Geographic and others, was spending time in Columbus with a friend when he watched Tales from the Crypt. He was blown away by the "exhilaration" and "intensity" students brought to the performances, he said. |
| Co-Lin's Press PAWS Initiative receives Insight Into Academia award | |
 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College's Press P.A.W.S Initiative has received the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. Co-Lin will be featured, along with 37 other nation-wide recipients, in the September 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine. Co-Lin was the only Mississippi college or university to earn this national recognition. The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award is a measure of an institution's individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance core values of student and employee mental health and well-being through programs, initiatives, and other campus priorities deserving of this national recognition. "We spend a lot of time talking about student success in terms of retention, completion, and graduation, but there is a person behind every one of those numbers," said Dr. Amanda Hood, Co-Lin Director of Institutional Effectiveness. "Press P.A.W.S. is about recognizing that students bring their whole lives with them to college and making sure support is there when life gets hard. We're proud that this recognition reflects the kind of college we are continually working to be." Launched in 2024, Co-Lin's Press P.A.W.S stands for Positively Advocating for Wolf Pack Success. |
| First Year at Harvard: Natchez's Angelica King seeks to inspire others through experience | |
 | Angelica King, the daughter of Myra King and Steven King of Natchez and a Class of 2025 graduate of Natchez Early College, recently entered her sophomore year at Harvard University on the pre-med track with the goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon. She said her first-year experience at Harvard has been a lot like that of any other college freshman, filled with introductory courses but also some advanced sciences like biochemistry and genetics. As far as adapting to the rigor, "I went into this recognizing that it was going to be more rigorous than anything I had experienced before, so I feel like that helped me in the transition. I wasn't going into this blindly thinking that it was going to be the same as high school or (college courses I had taken during high school)," she said. King said she found that Harvard has ample resources for incoming students, including student mentors and peer support groups. As a sophomore, King will be serving as a peer advisor and mentoring 9 incoming freshmen throughout the year, she said. Becoming a peer advisor is something she applied to do, as it greatly helped her during her early Harvard days, she said. Her mentor also grew up in a rural community as she did. |
| LSU Freshmen Explorers Program gives students preview of research oppurtunities | |
| The LSU Office of Undergraduate Research gives freshmen a head start on research and teaches valuable skills for future studies. The LSU Freshmen Explorers Program allows freshmen with a Federal Work-Study or Chancellor's Student Aid funding to connect with mentors in educational activities. The activities include tours of labs and museums, as well as various professional presentations and lectures. The freshmen students will eventually go into field-specific training after their first semester. "I might be biased," said LSU OUR Director Sarah Ferstel. "But, I think getting engaged in research as soon as you get to campus is really to a student's benefit." Ferstel said that the program includes students of all majors. Students will also choose their faculty mentors and will be required to meet with an alumni of the program weekly. "Research isn't just working in a lab, it's any exploration of a topic," Ferstel said. "It's always knowledge-seeking, contributing to the body of human knowledge, things like that." Junior communication disorders major Callie Cody originally wanted to only practice as a speech-language pathologist, but was convinced to go for a PhD during the program. "[The program] kind of throws you in the deep end," Cody said. "But, it gives you a lot of really, really good exposure to working with these groups you're going to see in everyday practice." |
| UGA's new pedestrian safety measures change how students navigate campus | |
| Students navigating the University of Georgia might have noticed changes in some of the busiest pedestrian intersections and roads -- namely, two crosswalks with rapid-flashing lights on Baldwin Street have been removed and more fencing will be added to the roadways, according to a UGA press release. UGA is partnering with Athens-Clarke County to make an exclusive pedestrian traffic crossing to halt all vehicles at Baldwin Street's intersections with South Jackson Street and Sanford Drive. Students will be able to cross in every direction, similar to the crosswalk on Baxter Street near the Terry College of Business. In addition to multiple black metal barricades being added to sidewalks, UGA has also added better lighting and a raised walkway on the road between Tate Student Center and Memorial Hall to slow vehicles. The changes have raised questions about whether the increased safety precautions are making a significant difference in pedestrian safety or simply creating an inconvenience for students navigating the area. |
| As U. of Tennessee keeps winning, more applicants are turned away | |
 | Getting into the University of Tennessee has become statistically tougher over the past five years as applications have surged, fueled in part by the rise of Tennessee football. The acceptance rate dropped from 85% in 2021 to around 50% in 2026, even as the university is admitting more students than ever. The rate has plummeted as tens of thousands of students, mostly from outside of Tennessee, are submitting applications in record numbers. Winning seasons on the football field, including a pair of victories over Alabama in 2022 and 2024, have helped raise Tennessee's national profile. University leaders also point to investments in academic programs, success across multiple sports and a growing campus as factors behind the surge in applications. The university received 74,407 applications for fall 2026, according to preliminary figures, but not every student came back to finish their application after submitting their basic info to UT. The university received 63,439 completed applications, which was 45,000 more than it received in 2016, according to UT data analyzed by Knox News. Preliminary fall 2026 figures show UT admitted about 31,460 first-year and transfer applicants, resulting in a 49.6% acceptance rate. Roughly 9,300 of those prospective students actually enrolled, according to university estimates. |
| U. of Texas proposes cutting more than 100 'narrow' courses from core | |
| The University of Texas could cut more than 100 courses from its core curriculum offerings this spring after the provost's office deemed the classes too "narrow," according to emails sent this week to professors and college leaders. The course cuts would be the first step in a two-year plan to completely overhaul UT's general education curriculum that all students must take to graduate. The provost's office would automatically remove 113 topic courses -- including some on slavery, gender, sexuality, race and global environmental history -- from counting toward the core starting next semester. Additional cuts would automatically disqualify dozens of courses offered in the newly formed Social and Cultural Analysis and European and Eurasian Studies departments from counting toward the core. On Wednesday, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michael Drew wrote to UT department chairs and deans with news of changes for topic courses, which are classes with shifting focus areas, allowing professors to change titles, subject and syllabi each semester. The format allows professors to tailor broader courses to new research and their expertise. Drew wrote that topic courses were too "narrow" to qualify for the core, which President Jim Davis said should be a broad and balanced foundation for all undergraduate students. |
| Texas A&M System removes over 250 core curriculum courses, including Black history, gender studies | |
| The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents cut more than 250 courses from the core curriculum across 11 universities on Thursday, in response to a state law requiring all general education classes to be "foundational and fundamental." Among the deletions were various courses about women and gender; climate and the environment; as well as Black and Latino history, literature and culture. Courses removed from the core can still be taken as electives, or even be required in certain degree programs. Still, the change could lead to fewer people taking the classes. Texas colleges have historically decided what courses count toward the core curriculum for their undergraduates, but state lawmakers have asserted more oversight of that process. Senate Bill 37, passed in 2025, required public colleges and universities to review almost 13,000 general education courses, emphasizing that they should prepare students for life and work and not put an extra financial burden on students. "Not every worthwhile course has to be a core course," A&M board chair Robert L. Albritton said in a statement. "The core is the foundation every undergraduate carries into a degree. It should be focused, rigorous and worth the time and tuition students invest. The Legislature asked governing boards to take responsibility for that, and we have." The cuts at schools like A&M and University of Houston are expected to be just the start of a broader transformation of Texas' general education standards. |
| Reduced credit hour bachelor degrees approved at 3 Oklahoma colleges | |
| Three Oklahoma universities were given the greenlight to offer the state's first reduced credit hour bachelor degree programs. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education on Thursday unanimously approved requests to create accelerated degree programs at University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Rogers State University that would allow students to earn a college degree in as little as three years instead of the traditional four. The regents approved OU's request to create a 90-credit hour degree in applied social work. They also signed off on OSU's plan to offer two shortened degree pathways -- a 92-credit hour bachelor of applied science in artificial intelligence and a 90-hour bachelor of applied science in business essentials and applications. Rogers State received approval for a 99 to 103 credit hour bachelor of applied science in workforce development. The programs still need to go through a months-long accreditation process, but the four accelerated degrees could be offered to students as early as next fall. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in May revised their policies to allow colleges and universities to propose bachelor degree paths in as few as 90 credit hours. This came after both Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Legislature charged the State Regents with studying the feasibility of 90-credit hour degrees in an effort to make higher education more affordable and address workforce shortages. |
| This university built an AI curriculum before ChatGPT. Now it wants to help other schools do the same | |
 | Ethan Pecora has a team of 15 specialized artificial intelligence agents assisting him with his work. That includes helping to manage his calendar and various tasks related to the mental wellness app he's building. Also, his schoolwork. Pecora's setup may sound like that of a tech startup. But he's actually a senior at the University of Florida, studying business and communications. "Some people call it a second brain," he told CNN about his swarm of AI agents, but he said he doesn't like that term because "it seems a little dystopian." The University of Florida has been incorporating AI into its curriculum since 2022, before ChatGPT's arrival, thanks in part to investments from chipmaking giant Nvidia. The university said it aims to teach students how to apply the tech across all disciplines professionally and in their coursework, not just technical ones. Students have used AI to train chatbots to assist them on exams and catalogue dance moves to help the dancers protect their intellectual property. The University of Florida had an early advantage: its close ties to Chris Malachowsky, cofounder of Nvidia, the $5 trillion juggernaut that's been at the center of the AI boom. |
| U. of Washington Pays Professor $600K, Allows 'Parody Land Acknowledgment' | |
 | The University of Washington has agreed to pay a computer science teaching professor $600,000 for damages and legal fees and pledged not to force him to remove a "parody land acknowledgment statement" from his syllabi. The settlement ends the lawsuit Stuart Reges filed against the university more than four years ago, alleging it violated his First Amendment rights for mocking UW's recommended land acknowledgement. The majority on a panel of judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in December and May in Reges's favor, saying Reges "experienced adverse employment actions, including a lengthy disciplinary investigation and reprimand, because of his protected speech." "The speech was protected speech, not government speech, because Reges spoke in his own capacity as a professor, and not on behalf of his employer, and he unquestionably spoke on a matter of public concern," the majority wrote. UW spokesperson Victor Balta said the university decided to settle after that court loss to avoid further legal costs. Gabe Walters, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression who represented Reges, said in a news release that "reasonable people can disagree about the value of land acknowledgments. What's not up for debate is academic freedom." |
| Federal civil rights data about students is finally out. It's different under Trump | |
 | A massive trove of data about the civil rights of American students was quietly published on the U.S. Education Department's website this week. The Civil Rights Data Collection includes information about which groups of students are being bullied, which students across the country can access Advanced Placement classes and how students with disabilities are treated at school, among other things. The CRDC was supposed to be published at the end of last year, according to the agency's own deadline. The data, from nearly every public school in the country, reveals disparities in the way students are treated based on race, ethnicity, disability, sex and other factors. It's a tool for educators, policymakers, advocates and families to understand students' experience, and for the federal government to better enforce student civil rights. The federal government has been collecting this kind of information for over 50 years. While the reasons behind the delay are unclear, there have been big changes afoot at the Education Department: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which oversees the CRDC, cut its staff by half after the second Trump administration took office. The administration has also announced that it will move OCR to the Justice Department. |
| House Passes Bill Blocking Aid to Colleges That Boycott Israel | |
| The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that would block federal aid to any college or university that boycotts Israel. The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026 passed the Republican-led chamber 237 to 169; 33 Democrats broke with the party line to vote in favor, while two Republicans voted against. Sponsored by New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer and North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx, the bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit any institution that engages in a "nonexpressive commercial boycott" of Israel from receiving federal student aid. Colleges must also ensure that their students are not "unreasonably obstructed" from participating in academic programs in Israel, and that Israeli students and faculty are fully permitted to participate in theirs. Congressional leaders have said they want to curb campus antisemitism in the wake of the pro-Palestinian protests that erupted in response to Israel's war in Gaza following Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In her remarks celebrating the bill's passage, Foxx also alluded to suppressing the "boycott-divest-sanctions" movement against Israel, though BDS is not expressly mentioned in the legislation. |
| A Month After the Department of Ed Released 'Compact 2.0,' Higher Ed Is Watching and Waiting | |
 | It's been a month since the Department of Education issued a public letter to college presidents and boards, calling on them to answer questions about how they're meeting the priorities of the Trump administration. Public-college systems in Florida and North Carolina have replied enthusiastically, but most institutions seem to be doing some version of waiting and seeing. The sparse replies contrast with how college leaders reacted to a similar letter that the Education Department posted last year, the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." That document drew a number of relatively swift, high-profile rejections. This time, colleges have until the end of the year to respond to the letter, issued August 3 and titled "A National Call to Action to University Presidents and Governing Boards." Florida answered first, and perhaps most comprehensively. In a 30-page document, the state's education department and university-system board argued that specific Florida laws --- most passed in the last few years --- achieve goals outlined in the letter. The University of North Carolina system came next. Peter Hans, the system president, and Kellie Hunt Blue, the board chair, signed a response letter that discussed system policies in areas including admissions, post-tenure review, the public posting of syllabi, and artificial-intelligence use. Who will answer next? Will it be another red-state public system? Higher-ed leaders in those states may be motivated by more than a desire to show support for the Trump agenda. There's another potential advantage to a system-level answer: It provides "some political cover" so that no individual institution has to answer, said Brendan Cantwell, a professor of higher education at Michigan State University. |
SPORTS
| AG Fitch backs Ole Miss, Mississippi State amid LSU push to play professional athletes | |
| Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is weighing in on a multi-state dispute over the prospect of LSU and Lane Kiffin fielding professional football players this season. Fitch on Thursday said she, in her capacity as the state's chief legal officer, will back policies that are in the best interest of Ole Miss and Mississippi State. It's worth noting that the Rebels are scheduled to host LSU on Sept. 19 and the Bulldogs will play the Tigers on Oct. 17. "College athletics is for college players. Period. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University run two of the very best football programs in the country. I support their right to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of their programs and the integrity of the sport," Fitch stated. "I support their right to promote the best interests of their student-athletes. As Mississippi's Chief Legal Officer, I stand with Ole Miss and Mississippi State." |
| Three keys to a Mississippi State win over Louisiana-Monroe | |
| Mississippi State hosts Louisiana-Monroe in its first game of the 2026 season. Here are three keys to a win at Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday. Viewers will have a good idea early of the kind of game this could turn out to be, and this is a big reason why. Mississippi State is putting a big emphasis on "scoring from far" when it has the ball. Conversely, Zach Arnett and the defense have put a concentrated focus on the back end so that it does not allow big plays. Creating big plays on offense will start with being able to protect Kamario Taylor. Preventing them will take getting after contested and loose balls. If the Bulldogs are able to earn more big plays than they give up, then this should be a comfortable season opener. If not, it could end up being closer than people expect. |
| Game guide: What to watch for as MSU hosts ULM | |
| We're just one day away from MSU kicking off its season against the University of Louisiana at Monroe. MSU's offensive line has been perhaps the hottest topic of fall camp. The Bulldogs' offensive line was one of the nation's worst units last season, allowing 45 sacks. This year's group is revamped, but has some very precious cargo in the form of quarterback Kamario Taylor in the backfield. Head coach Jeff Lebby said the offensive line is a "night and day" difference from last season. Center Canon Boone is the only returning full-time starter from last season on the unit. The Bulldogs brought in two transfers, DJ Chester and LJ Prudhomme, along the interior, and will start Jakheem Shumpert-Perkins at right tackle, who played two games last year with MSU. ... There'll surely be a lot of eyes on defensive coordinator Zach Arnett Saturday night. It'll be his first time running back out on the field of Davis Wade Stadium since 2023, when he was the Bulldogs head coach. He was fired after starting the season 4-6, and had spent the previous two seasons as the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator. A lot has been asked and said about Arnett's return to Starkville, but inside the facility, there has been one main talking point surrounding what Arnett brings to the table: intensity. |
| Soccer: Bulldogs Claim 150th Home Victory Against Louisiana | |
| Hailey Johnson tapped a deflected pass into the net in the 64th minute for the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory for Mississippi State against Louisiana on Thursday night. Johnson has now recorded at least one point in all but one game, and she leads the team with four goals this season. She is the only Bulldog with multiple game-winning goals in 2026. "That [scoring instinct] is something that she's had," head coach Kevin O'Brien said. "She puts herself in the right spots. It's funny, I've called it this before, but she's kind of a fox in the box. She knows where to be at the right moment. Therefore, she can get on the end of it, like the free kick she got on the end of and the goal tonight. She just kind of knows how to anticipate and be there before the defender, and that's a massive trait for any forward. I'm thankful that she's finding success at this program." The Bulldogs (6-0-0) will look to complete a perfect run through the non-conference slate on Sunday against Charlotte with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. A win in that game would mark just the fourth time, excluding the COVID-altered 2020 season, that MSU won every non-conference match on its schedule in a year. |
| MSU battles to 2-1 win over Louisiana | |
| All Mississippi State soccer needed was some chaos. The Bulldogs pelted Louisiana's keeper Natalie Mayes all night, recording 22 shots and 13 on goal, but the Ragin' Cajun did her best to keep the Bulldogs off the score sheet. She allowed her first goal on a Laila Murillo penalty, guessing the wrong way on the shot, but Mayes held it down in net most of the night. That is until there was chaos on the net. Tied 1-1, with 26 minutes left to play, freshman Kati Anne Shepherd dribbled the ball along the right side of the box. She swung the ball at the net, off the hands of a diving Mayes and onto the foot of senior Hailey Johnson. She shot the ball off the hand of a Louisiana defender, and the ball dribbled home into the net for MSU's 2-1 win Thursday night. "I feel like I had a lot of opportunities I probably should have finished, and that was one of the ones that just kind of went to my feet," Johnson said. "Super good shot from Shep, so I just felt like I needed to put it in the back of the net and rolled in for me. So that was exciting." |
| Volleyball: Bulldogs Open Home Slate With Victory Over Iowa | |
| Mississippi State women's volleyball opened their home schedule and the Big Ten x SEC Challenge with a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes, 3-1. Bernardita Aguilar excelled for the Bulldogs on the day. "We were constantly talking about having a sense of urgency, digging deep and making plays throughout the contest," head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "We let the third set get away from us. We had to remember that we are under pressure all the time and that we have to make plays all the time. We made some scrappy plays, managed a lot of swings and had really good block touches. I thought our team stayed on assignment and did a good job executing their specific responsibilities." Aguilar, a 5-11 junior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, collected a season-high of 20 kills at a .400 hitting percentage. She set two new career highs with three service aces, along with 17 digs. She also tied her career high in scoring with 24.5 points. The Bulldogs will return to action on Friday for the final match of the Big Ten x SEC Challenge against Northwestern. First serve is set for 6 p.m. on SEC Network+. |
| Former Mississippi State QB Will Rogers joins Oklahoma State coaching staff | |
| The Oklahoma State offensive coaching staff got a boost this offseason, as coach Eric Morris confirmed this week the addition of former college quarterback Will Rogers to the staff. Rogers spent four seasons at Mississippi State (2020-23) and one season at Washington (2024) and put together one of the top careers in the sport's history. He threw for 14,773 yards -- which ranks ninth in college football history -- and 108 touchdowns across five seasons. Now, Rogers has a role on the offensive staff, Morris said Tuesday, and it sounds as if he will be helping out coaching quarterbacks with offensive coordinator/QB coach Sean Brophy and assistant QB coach Kevin Kilmer. "That's a position I don't have to worry about," Morris said. "I can leave installing the offensive staff, and I know we've been around each other for so long. Now, naturally I wanted somebody under Coach Brophy, so we inserted Kevin Kilmer as a guy that's here that was with us at Texas Tech. Super sharp. Called plays a ton. And we've got Will Rogers, the old quarterback at Mississippi State." Rogers is the all-time passing leader for the Bulldogs with 12,315 yards, nearly 3,000 yards ahead of second-place Dak Prescott, the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Rogers also threw for 94 touchdowns, owns 30 MSU all-time passing records and is the only QB in SEC history with more than 1,000 career completions (1,301). The addition of Rogers also adds another connection to Morris' offensive scheme and background. Rogers played for the late Bulldogs coach Mike Leach from 2020-22, who Morris also played under at Texas Tech. |
| College football's 'Wild West' era raises questions for its future | |
| As most college football teams prepare to kick off the season this weekend, legal experts at the University of Mississippi gathered Wednesday (Sept. 2) in Weems Auditorium to ponder what lies ahead for collegiate athletics in the era of NIL, lawsuits and eligibility challenges. Five experts from the School of Law and Department of Intercollegiate Athletics spoke during the Future of College Football symposium, posing questions that must be tackled to determine the sport's future in the age of compensation and commercialization. "Many are characterizing the commercialization in college football as the Wild West," said William Berry, the law school's associate dean for research and Montague professor of law. "But is this just the product of good old American capitalism? Or the loss of an amateur ideal to commercial greed?" College football was far less commercialized for decades. Until 20 years ago, playing college football was about getting a scholarship to receive a college education. "That college scholarship, that full ride, for a lot of them, the only way they could make college work," said David W. Case, professor of law. "The rank and file of college football players was the education, and it was the scholarship and the way they get something that they wouldn't have been able to get that would transform their lives." |
| Louisiana judge rules against NCAA, clearing path for former NFL players to join LSU roster | |
| LSU coach Lane Kiffin's chances of fielding former NFL players improved Thursday night when a Louisiana judge issued a preliminary injunction against the NCAA in a high-profile eligibility case. East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden issued his ruling the night before LSU was due to submit its 105-man roster to the Southeastern Conference, which last week announced heavy potential punishment for football and basketball teams that bring in ex-pros. The ruling clears the way for LSU to list some former NFL players on its roster. How many games they might be eligible to play remains to be seen as the matter continues working its way through the courts. "It's not about coach Kiffin. It's not about LSU. It's about treating these kids fairly," said Tony Clayton, an attorney for the athletes. "Today, justice was served. And justice was serve to the SEC. It was served like a cold cup of gumbo. And that judge forced them to eat it." The ruling followed a nearly nine-hour hearing in a courtroom less than three miles from the LSU campus. Several athletes took the stand to explain why they should be allowed to return to play college sports for a fifth season -- some of them after turning pro. |
| Judge grants injunction to pro players seeking LSU return | |
| Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris are cleared to return to college football after brief stints in the NFL, according to a judge's orders issued Thursday evening, setting up a dramatic showdown between the SEC and LSU leading into its season-opening game this weekend. Wright and Harris, both former Ole Miss players, said in a lengthy court hearing Thursday that they intend to join their former coach Lane Kiffin during his debut season at LSU, which opens play Saturday night against Clemson. They are among 42 athletes from various sports -- including former Notre Dame pass rusher Junior Tuihalamaka, who also plans to play for LSU -- who have sued the NCAA in Louisiana to play a fifth and final season of college sports. After the ruling, Wright said he plans to be ready to play against Clemson, adding that he has had two days of practice with LSU this week. "I've been working out doing my own thing before I was able to practice, so I'm definitely well prepared," he said. Harris said he will need a couple weeks but will be ready for LSU's game against Ole Miss on Sept. 19. |
| LSU President Wade Rousse responds to ruling in eligibility suit, says US lawmakers should act | |
 | LSU President Wade Rousse said in a statement Friday that the university will review a Baton Rouge judge's ruling granting a group of former collegiate athletes a preliminary injunction in their lawsuit against the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference. Thursday's ruling by Judge William Jorden was a victory for LSU's hopes of adding a pair of players recently cut from NFL rosters. "LSU respects the judicial process and the court's decision," Rousse said. "Our responsibility is to support our programs while complying with the law and the rule governing our conference." Rousse also used his Friday statement to urge U.S. lawmakers to pass legislation to end "ambiguity" in eligibility standards. "...This is just another illustration that Congress needs to pass a version of the Protect College Sport Act," he said. The historic ruling only applies to athletes named in the suit. It came the same day as the SEC filed a separate lawsuit in an Alabama federal court against LSU, athletic director Verge Ausberry and coach Lane Kiffin, accusing them of orchestrating the legal saga that produced the injunction on Thursday. |
| LSU Eligibility Battle Attracts Web of Politicians | |
| The landmark Louisiana state lawsuit over college athlete eligibility -- which could result in former NFL players returning to college to play for LSU -- is far from just a battle embroiling the college sports world. It's become a local political football, with a cadre of elected officials, from district attorneys and state attorney general Liz Murrill to Gov. Jeff Landry himself, on opposite sides of the issue. Multiple neighboring states' attorneys general have involved themselves as well. Louisiana has a long history of local officials involving themselves in the workings of LSU football -- look no further than the history of former Gov. Huey Long. But the lawsuit, Pyburn v. NCAA, has attracted a deep web of local political entanglements -- which will be on display during Thursday's pivotal court hearing on the case. "Many rules get thrown out the window when it involves college sports," Tulane sports law professor Gabe Feldman told Front Office Sports. "We have not only the DA, but the governor, and there are a lot of folks who are getting involved in this that you might not normally see in a legal case. Is it typical? No. But I don't know that anything we're seeing right now is typical." Mississippi AG Lynn Fitch told FOS: "The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University run two of the very best football programs in the country. I support their right to do what is necessary to protect the integrity of their programs and the integrity of the sport. I support their right to promote the best interests of their student-athletes." |
| Ruling for LSU's Ex-NFL Players Sets Up State-Federal Court Clash | |
| Louisiana Judge William Jorden on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the NCAA and SEC from enforcing eligibility rules against players who signed NFL contracts over the summer but now want to play college football at LSU. Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris are among more than 40 player-plaintiffs in Pyburn v. NCAA, one of many cases involving athletes who began college play in 2022–23, completed four years of NCAA eligibility and, in some instances, signed with professional teams after leaving college. The ruling, for now at least, clears the legal path for Wright and Harris to play for LSU in its matchup against Clemson on Saturday night. Earlier Thursday, the SEC sued LSU, head football coach Lane Kiffin and others in federal court in Alabama. The SEC accuses LSU and Kiffin of recruiting players they knew to be ineligible because they had already completed college and, in some cases, turned professional. The SEC has petitioned U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon to issue an injunction that would block LSU from engaging in "conduct that is contrary to the conference's purpose and mission." Axon would likely clarify whether such "conduct" includes recruiting and placing on the roster players whom the SEC deems ineligible. This means there is a possibility of conflicting injunctions: a state-court injunction that makes a group of players eligible to play at LSU and blocks LSU from taking adverse action against those players, and a federal one that blocks LSU from making those players eligible or playing them. |
| Be boring? Lane Kiffin is anything but as he enters a new era at LSU | |
| Making the rounds at SEC media days in July, Lane Kiffin patted his jacket pocket and joked that, inside, there was a card on which he had written a reminder to himself: "Be boring." Or, maybe it wasn't a joke. With Kiffin, it's hard to tell. Everything he says or posts online tends to come with a wink, a smirk and the historical context that implies he might be full of it. Regardless, being boring was an impossible goal for a coach whose career in the public eye suggests he's incapable of keeping his hand out of the cookie jar. His willingness to say whatever is on his mind and do whatever it takes to get ahead has made him, at varying times, the sport's most renowned social media troll, most necessary truth-teller and most reviled villain. |
| Lane Kiffin made himself college football's main character again. LSU is his biggest stage | |
 | While college sports' powerbrokers have been fighting the once-absurd idea of schools adding players from NFL camps, one coach has been the most visible in looking for a loophole on the other side. Lane Kiffin. It's always Lane Kiffin. Even when he's not leaving literal ashes in his wake at Tennessee, being fired at the airport by USC or attracting congressional attention by leaving College Football Playoff-bound Ole Miss for a $13 million annual salary at rival LSU, Kiffin is at the center of every major college football story or trend. Booming player payrolls? His Rebels were an early big spender. The transfer portal? Kiffin prioritized second-chance prospects before the portal even existed. Up-tempo offenses? Kiffin modernized Alabama, then was accused of faking injuries to slow down Tennessee. Recruiting via helicopter? Playoff expansion? Satellite camps? Kiffin, Kiffin, Kiffin. "There's always something swirling around him," said Ken LaVicka, who was part of Kiffin's inner circle during the coach's three seasons at Florida Atlantic. |
| Lombardi out as UNC investigators probe allegations of drug use, sex among players, staff | |
| University of North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi, the highest-paid general manager in college football, resigned Thursday after a tumultuous tenure in Chapel Hill working alongside Bill Belichick, the university said. But the investigation is still ongoing, and lawyers hired by the university are now focused on behaviors by defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, people familiar with the investigation tell WRAL. Lombardi, 67, a longtime Bill Belichick confidant, was placed on paid administrative leave on July 27. Three days later, the university announced its investigation, citing concerns over allegations that led to Lombardi being placed on leave. The announcement came hours after WRAL questioned university officials Thursday morning about new revelations about the investigation. Lawyers hired to conduct the investigation are also questioning people about whether defensive coordinator Steve Belichick used drugs on the job or provided drugs to at least one player -- and, separately, about whether a member of UNC's recruiting staff had a sexual relationship with a player, people familiar with the investigation told WRAL. The lawyers also asked about possible sexual relationships between assistant coaches and recruiting staff, the people said. The nature of the questions, posed in recent weeks to people associated with the team, provide a glimpse into the widening scope of the ongoing probe. |
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