| Monday, July 20, 2026 |
| Admission to MSU for 2027 term kicks off Aug. 1 | |
 | Prospective undergraduate students interested in joining Mississippi State's Bulldog family for the 2027 summer or fall semester should power up their computers by Aug. 1 for Hail State @ 8 CT. MSU's application for admission for the 2027 academic year opens on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. CT, and details about the process can be found at https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/howtoapply. Prospective students also should follow the steps for enrollment at https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/timeline to keep track of "planning for what will be an exciting first year in maroon and white," said Naron Remillard, director of student recruitment and marketing. "We want Mississippi State freshmen and transfers to fully experience all that is available to them, and planning ahead will make the transition of becoming a Bulldog a smooth one," she said. |
| Mississippi State expands international footprint with Uruguay partnership | |
| Mississippi State University is expanding its international footprint by partnering with a university in Uruguay. A memorandum of understanding has been reached between Mississippi State and Universidad ORT Uruguay, with an overarching goal of enhancing educational and research exchange opportunities for both students and faculty at each institution. The partnership, per officials, will also serve to identify commonalities between the two schools to grow the relationship and develop cooperative endeavors, while promoting the exchange of educational and cultural materials. New study abroad opportunities will factor into this equation, as well. Mississippi State's Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso has been heralded as the driving force behind this partnership. The assistant professor of Teaching English as a Second Language and linguistics had a program funded in 2025 to strengthen language instruction across Mississippi and Uruguay. The funding came from Mississippi State's Global Development Seed Grant program. |
| Organic production is increasing in Mississippi | |
| Organic production represents a small but rapidly growing segment of Mississippi agriculture, and a growing number of farmers are doing what it takes to meet this consumer demand for quality products. USDA reported that as of 2021, which is the most current year for this data, the total number of USDA Certified Organic acreage in the U.S. is 1% of farmland. Despite this low number, organic sales accounted for 3% of U.S. farm receipts as consumers are more willing to pay premium price for organic products. Consumer demand for these products has led to their increased availability in grocery stores and other retail outlets. This retail demand has encouraged many farmers to convert a portion or all of their acreage into organic production. The Mississippi State University Extension Service is one resource individuals use when learning how to grow and market organic crops. In April, Extension hosted an organic vegetable production workshop with more than 25 people in attendance. |
| New Albany native among recipients of rural veterinary scholarship | |
 | Sarah Grace Moody and William Watts of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine have been named recipients of the Dr. Elton "Mac" Huddleston Rural Veterinary Scholarship. Moody, a native of New Albany, received her MSU undergraduate degree in animal and dairy sciences in May. Her career interests include large animal practice, mixed animal practice, equine practice, large animal surgery, large animal medicine, equine surgery, equine medicine, theriogenology and academia. Watts, who joins the college from Wesson, attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, and later MSU. He is primarily interested in mixed animal practice, equine practice, bovine practice, large animal surgery, small animal surgery, large animal medicine, equine surgery and equine medicine. The Dr. Elton "Mac" Huddleston Rural Veterinary Scholarship Program was created in 2024 by Mississippi's Legislature to address the state's need for rural veterinary practitioners. The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine is Mississippi's only college of veterinary medicine and serves all 82 counties as well as the surrounding region through education, research, clinical service and outreach. |
| 2026 Mississippi Miss Hospitality Landry Kent signs contract, discusses future plans | |
 | Saturday night, Landry Kent of New Albany took home the crown to become Mississippi's 2026 Miss Hospitality. On Sunday, she signed the Miss Hospitality contract to make it official, and Kent said this is a moment she has dreamed of since she was a little girl. "I learned about this organization in the 7th grade, and I knew since then that I wanted to be Mississippi's Miss Hospitality, and I worked," she said. "I got to see my sister compete in Mississippi Miss Hospitality in 2022, and then I was able to compete myself." Kent said she wants to increase tourism and promote Mississippi culture. She plans to meet with various organizations across the state to help them highlight what they have in their towns. Kent is an upcoming sophomore at Itawamba Community College, and she plans to graduate and attend Mississippi State University for a degree in communications. |
| HCC president commissions son into U.S. Air Force | |
| Hagerstown Community College President Dr. Jim Klauber administered the oath of office to his son, Jake Klauber, during a commissioning ceremony into the U.S. Air Force on Sunday. A retired U.S. Army officer, Klauber had the rare opportunity to formally commission his son, marking a significant personal and professional milestone for the family. Jake Klauber is a 2024 graduate of HCC's Early College program and earned his bachelor's degree in 2026 from Mississippi State University. He is set to begin pursuing a medical degree this fall at the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. College officials noted the ceremony as a meaningful moment reflecting both academic achievement and a commitment to military service. |
| McGee staying put at Starkville-Oktibbeha | |
 | Superintendent Tony McGee will remain at Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District for now. In a 5-2 decision during its regular meeting Thursday, the board of education for Baldwin County Public Schools in Southwest Alabama appointed BCPS Assistant Superintendent for Security, Athletics and Student Services Marty McRae to the position. McGee and McRae, who was serving as the district's interim superintendent, were the only two finalists named for the role. McGee was named superintendent for Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District in 2022, though he had previously been named a finalist for the position in 2017. Prior to joining SOCSD, McGee served as superintendent for the Scott County and Kosciusko school districts. In a text to The Dispatch on Friday, McGee thanked the school board, district faculty and the community for "their patience and support during this time." |
| Area schools rely on district cellphone policies as state legislation falls short | |
| Mississippi lawmakers' efforts to introduce a bill regarding cellphone usage in the classroom have missed the mark for the second consecutive legislative session, leaving Mississippi as one of two states to maintain an "F" grade on the national Phone-Free Schools State Report Card. The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District student handbook prohibits the use of electronic devices during school hours unless they are being used for instructional purposes in the classroom or the student has been given explicit permission to use them by an SOCSD employee. Use of a personal electronic device during school hours is considered a Level 1 infraction, resulting in disciplinary action ranging from one day of in-school detention to three days of out-of-school suspension and a loss of parking privileges. SOCSD Communications Director Haley Montgomery said these policies go a long way toward controlling the use of cellphones and their impact on the learning environment, even if that isn't regulated at the state level. |
| Historic renovations: Investors breathe new life into old buildings in downtown West Point | |
| Having grown up in West Point, Bruce Simpson was tired of driving down Main Street to see door after door of downtown buildings closed. Now Old Growth Holdings, a company Simpson founded with two other local partners, is renovating a strip of downtown buildings with hopes that new tenants could at least be a start to reversing the trend. Aiming to do more than simply fill empty storefronts, Simpson hopes the project can spur other citizens to invest in downtown properties. "When you drive through town, every door is shutting every other year," Simpson said. "It just needed to have somebody just take it by the reins and just show them what can happen when you invest in it and select good tenants rather than just people that want a storage building or something." |
| Lt. Gov. Hosemann discusses redistricting, mobile sports betting, Coast economic development | |
 | Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said the Mississippi Senate plans to address redistricting in the first week of January if Gov. Tate Reeves does not call a special session before then, and announced a joint legislative committee will hold seven public hearings on the issue beginning Aug. 15 and concluding by Sept. 30. Hosemann said he has asked the governor to call a special session in December, contingent on the Senate and House reaching an agreement on a redistricting plan. He said the timeline is driven in part by the state's candidate qualifying period ahead of next year's elections, noting that lawmakers would need to act before that deadline. "We either got to extend the qualification deadline or have a special session and pass what we want to do with redistricting," Hosemann said. The joint legislative committee on redistricting will conduct hearings across Mississippi that will solicit public input on how redistricting affects communities. "We'll be listening to people. What do you want to have in your redistricting effort? How does this affect you?" Hosemann said. |
| The Senate GOP's squeaky wheel suddenly has a lot of power | |
 | Sen. Ron Johnson is jumping directly into a legislative train wreck. The Wisconsin Republican cut his teeth as a fiscal hawk willing to irritate his own party in pursuit of his deficit-shrinking dreams. Now, following Lindsey Graham's death, Johnson is poised to take over the Senate Budget Committee gavel -- and assume an outsized role in helping shepherd the GOP's current attempt to pass another party-line spending bill. In theory, the ascension will give Johnson something he's long wanted: a megaphone to promote the agenda of spending restraint he has struggled to make resonate in the rank-and-file. "I wish Lindsey were alive," Johnson said in an interview. "This is not the way you want to become chairman of the Budget. But set that aside -- you know, this is a role that I think I'm pretty well suited for." His new reality is rocky, however, as he finds himself in the middle of a messy intra-party fight over how to advance a filibuster-skirting reconciliation bill to fund the Iran war and enact parts of the so-called SAVE America Act. |
| State Officials and Experts Discount New Trump Push for Election Probes | |
| Trump administration officials took only minor steps Friday to follow through on the president's demands for a crackdown on alleged voter fraud, while repeating his widely disputed claims that election systems are vulnerable to abuse. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, in a news conference the day after President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on election security, said the department would withhold federal funding from states that don't "scrub" their voter rolls of ineligible voters and participate in the administration's other election security initiatives. Mullin's remarks rehashed threats and assertions Trump made in his speech Thursday night, including baseless claims that U.S. election systems are catastrophically vulnerable to foreign adversaries. Election experts, state officials and some lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration's election narrative Friday, with many calling it a revamped attempt to undermine confidence ahead of a midterm election that could result in heavy Republican losses. "This is what panic and desperation is like," David Becker, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research, told reporters Friday morning. "They are just trying to grab as much garbage as they can and throw it up against the wall, and it's not sticking." |
| JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years | |
 | Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, on Sunday announced the birth of their fourth child, the first born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years. Born Sunday, Alec Neel Vance joins older siblings Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4. Vance announced the birth on social media with a statement signed by him and his wife. "We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother," the statement said. They thanked doctors and staff at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and with the White House medical team. The Republican vice president's growing family is in keeping with his passionate advocacy for Americans to have more children. He has also suggested that the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was his friend, factored into the decision to have another child. |
| China's Top AI Event Delivers Message to the U.S.: We're Coming for You | |
 | Inside China's biggest artificial-intelligence convention, visitors wilted under the heat. With all the hot air from computer servers, people resorted to the ancient device of paper fans and organizers placed large ice blocks all over the exhibition hall. If the Shanghai event was uncomfortable for the public who lined up by the tens of thousands to get in, it was just as much so for American companies competing with Chinese AI technology. On the first day, Beijing-based Moonshot AI jolted global markets with a new model seen as ranking with the world's best. It took just two days for another Chinese company, Alibaba to claim to have topped Moonshot with its own new model. Some 20 football fields of exhibition space were filled with hardware trying to apply AI to everyday life, such as earbuds that listen to a meeting and produce a transcript. Robots were everywhere, dancing in unison, making cappuccinos, shooting soccer goals, massaging visitors and playing the piano. A furry AI pet batted its eyelashes at cooing onlookers. This was the ninth year for the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, and it has emerged as the premier occasion for China to strut its stuff in AI. Beijing flaunted its prowess at overcoming U.S. sanctions that largely block Chinese companies' access to the best AI chips and chip-making equipment. |
| Mississippi Community College System Proposes New Performance-Based Workforce Investment Program | |
| Mississippi's community colleges have proposed a new performance-based workforce investment initiative that would prepare an estimated 5,500 additional workers each year for high-priority careers while tying new state funding directly to workforce outcomes. The Jobs Promise Performance Program (JPPP), recently approved as part of the Mississippi Association of Community College's (MACC) legislative agenda for the 2027 session of the Mississippi Legislature, is a new concept in workforce development and performance-based investment. Should the program receive funding by the Legislature, it will allow the State of Mississippi to make targeted investments aimed at equipping an additional 5,500 workers annually with skills required for high-priority occupations, in order to promote economic growth in the state. As policymakers in Mississippi continue discussing how public education can better serve its stakeholders, such as students, employers and taxpayers, the ongoing debates about accountability and performance-based investments center on a common question: How should public investment be measured by public outcomes? |
| Delta State's BPAC unveils fall lineup featuring Dwight Yoakam, Jamey Johnson, and Heather McMahan | |
| The Bologna Performing Arts Center at Delta State University has announced its fall 2026 lineup, which includes six acts ranging from country music and comedy to Broadway, Southern Rock, and a holiday circus. The fall season in Cleveland will happen on the following dates: Sept. 10, Sept. 17, Sept. 30, Oct. 15, Oct. 29, and Dec. 8. It will also be the first fall season under BPAC executive director Matty Bengloff, a local business owner with a strong background working with civic and cultural organizations. "We've got a new team settling in for our first season together. As we built the lineup, we kept coming back to what an incredible resource this venue is," Bengloff said, noting that it's somewhat unusual for a place like Cleveland to have a 41,500-square-foot performing arts center that seats just under 1,200. "It's not every day you find a world-class performing arts center in a rural community, and that allows us to bring in outstanding artists across genres – from rock and R&B to country, like our season opener," he continued. "It's something we're truly proud to offer the Delta." |
| Q&A: Nora Miller reflects on her tenure, her hopes and the 'constant battle for funding' for Mississippi University for Women | |
| Nora Miller laughs now when she tells the story. As a high school student in the 1970s living in St. Louis, Missouri, Miller threw away a $1,300 presidential scholarship offer she received from Mississippi University for Women before she even opened it. She was certain she wasn't moving to Mississippi to attend an all-women's college. But after much convincing from her parents, who had retrieved the letter, and her high school guidance counselor, Miller visited the campus in Columbus. That visit changed everything, setting Miller on a path that eventually led to her presidency at the university. Miller retired on June 30 after nearly eight years as president of MUW, also known as The W, and more than three decades in higher education in the state. "The accents, the colloquialisms, it was all funny to me," Miller said, recalling her first visit to Mississippi. "I'd never seen roaches before, especially not flying ones. But, the slow pace, the friendliness of the people, my newfound friends and support from my family kept my homesickness away." |
| LSU advances national security research through expanded partnership with Integer Technologies | |
| Integer Technologies, a national defense research company, expanded its current partnership with LSU to continue national security research on campus. When the company partnered with LSU economic developer Greg Trahan in 2023, it received a $9.8 million award from the Office of Naval Research. Since 2023, Integer Technologies has consistently grown its presence on campus and involvement in LSU-based research projects. Integer Technologies and LSU faculty are focused on building defense technology to assist in data analysis and the creation of automated naval systems. The program taking place on campus, titled Intelligent Data Management for Distributed Naval Platforms, aligns with the U.S. Navy's goal of transitioning from staffed missions to autonomous, or artificial-intelligence based, vessels for maritime operations by strengthening distributed operations and data management. Drs. Shuangqing Wei and Corina Barbalata, engineering professors at LSU, oversee LSU's involvement in the partnership. Zachary Burchfield, program manager for Mission Solutions at Integer and LSU alumnus, explained that projects taking place on campus revolve around advancing communication systems for unmanned underwater and surface vehicles. |
| U. of South Carolina foundation buys property that houses two downtown restaurants | |
 | The University of South Carolina's private real estate arm has added another property to its South Main Street portfolio. USC's Development Foundation, which operates at an arm's length from the university, recently purchased a property at the corner of Main and Pendleton streets on the southern doorstep of the state capitol complex, property records show. The USC Development Foundation paid $1.5 million for the property in late April, records show. While it has no immediate plans for the land, the foundation jumped at the chance to acquire the prime parcel after connecting with its owner about eight months ago, president and CEO R. Jason Caskey told The State Media Co. "We felt like because of its location it could be strategic for the university in future developments," he said. "And so right now our goal is just to hold it, and figure out what the next steps might be." For the past decade, the USC Development Foundation has methodically acquired parcels of land along South Main Street with the intention of redeveloping them and revitalizing the drab corridor that runs directly through campus. |
| Kevin Guskiewicz Is Back at Michigan State. Is Anyone Happy? | |
 | Shortly after Kevin Guskiewicz announced on May 27 that he would be leaving Michigan State University's presidency for Clemson University, members of MSU's Academic Congress steering committee set a meeting for July 7 to discuss how the university was going to move forward and how they could be involved in the search for a new president. The governing board, too, was looking to the future. Even while some mounted a last-ditch effort to convince Guskiewicz to stay, the board as a whole turned to the task of replacing him. One particularly notable name emerged as a top contender: former University of Michigan president Santa J. Ono. But the future both bodies were planning for never arrived. The day before the faculty group was scheduled to meet, Guskiewicz made the surprising announcement that he would stay on. It was a simple, if head-spinning, piece of news that yielded complex fallout. |
| Iowa agriculture experts release report on state ag economy amid downturn | |
| A new report suggests Iowa's agricultural industry is in a multi-year downturn that might not let up for a few more years, and experts are advising farmers to look back to the practices that got them through tough financial times a decade ago to weather the current storm. The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development and the Iowa Bankers Association released the executive summary of the report Friday at the Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit in Ankeny, detailing Iowa's current agriculture economy from different perspectives, how it came to reach this point and what the future holds. Christopher Pudenz, an economist with the Iowa Farm Bureau, moderated a presentation of the report as well as a discussion by ISU economics professor Chad Hart and Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Director John Crespi. Hart wore suspenders to the panel discussion, a fashion choice he said was to help people recall the past and how they've made it through times like this. |
| Inside Harvard's Campaign to Slash Its Own Bureaucracy | |
| Harvard is kicking off one of the university's largest reorganizations in years---an endeavor expected to result in hundreds of staff cuts and job changes. The moves, announced this week, are the culmination of Harvard's yearslong effort to simplify its structure---but even the process to reduce bureaucracy has proven incredibly bureaucratic. The changes take aim at a projected $365 million structural deficit, a longstanding issue exacerbated by the Trump administration's funding disruptions and endowment-tax hike. The school is calling the streamlining a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reduce complexity within its largest unit that includes the undergraduate college and Ph.D. programs. It currently takes 67 steps to hire a new staff member; some department administrators use over 60 different systems; and there are over 1,500 unique job titles for about 2,300 staff within the restructuring scope. Behind the scenes, the restructuring process was nearly as complicated. It included a three-phase plan, months of interviews and data collection, years of financial reviews, scores of faculty and staff, and a re-analysis of how the university measures depreciation in its accounting. |
| Young Men's Perceptions of Higher Ed | |
 | A new report by the national research organization Public Agenda found that many young men are skeptical of higher ed's value and are more likely than their female counterparts to believe colleges are better designed for women. The report, called "Listening to Young Men," examines the attitudes of American men on higher ed and other topics. Its findings are based on a survey of 3,559 American adults aged 18 or older fielded in November. Public Agenda also conducted three online focus groups with 32 men in September to develop the survey, as well as postsurvey focus groups to add context to the results. Similar shares of men and women said they believe college credentials are less valuable now than they were a decade ago. Half of men and 55 percent of women said college will be less valuable 10 years from now. And 53 percent of men and 57 percent of women saw college as a "questionable investment." Men and women also largely viewed bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and trade school credentials as very or somewhat likely to yield well-paying jobs and viewed associate degrees and high school diplomas as interchangeable in terms of job-market value. |
| A wave of student loan borrowers have entered default since pandemic-era protections lapsed | |
| Defaults on student loans have surged across the United States, reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to keep up with payments. The numbers have spiked since payments came due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people -- 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers -- are in default, meaning they are more than nine months behind on their payments. While credit scores can suffer when borrowers are just a few months behind, entering default brings the possibility of more serious consequences, including garnished wages or Social Security payments. For now, the Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections. Despair is on the rise, advocates say. "Folks are struggling to make ends meet and cover all the rising costs of everything else. The growing student loan bills are making things worse and folks are falling behind," said Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers. |
| Critics mount offensive against change to federal grant rules | |
 | Opposition is building to a sweeping government-wide crackdown on federal grant awards, with opponents threatening litigation over a proposed rule that would put the grant approval process into the hands of political appointees. A request for public comment on the rule by the Office of Management and Budget triggered almost half a million responses, most of them opposed to the changes. Stand Up for Science, a nonprofit advocacy group that organized opposition to the proposed rule, said it was "prepping with our partners for the legal battles to fight OMB in the federal court system" and "doubling down on the pressure it will take to get this Congress to stand up and stop the OMB rule from being implemented." With the 45-day comment period ended on July 13, the next step is for the Office of Management and Budget to review the comments and publish a final version of the rule by Oct. 1, in time for the fiscal 2027 grant approval season. The proposed rule would replace OMB's "uniform guidance" with regulations that apply to dozens of federal agencies that award grants, potentially affecting up to $1 trillion or more in annual grant funding. Among other changes, the rule would require approval from senior political appointees at agencies before competitive grants could be awarded, deemphasizing the role of peer review. |
| Politicians not yet fearful over pending Social Security cuts | |
| Columnist Bill Crawford writes: Fear and reaction erupt when major calamities occur without notice. Boredom and procrastination erupt when major calamities build up slowly over time. "Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds," screamed the CNBC headline last month. Government leaders responded with talk, no action. AARP said they need to "wake-up." The latest Social Security trustee's report now projects reserves will be depleted by the end of 2032. Should that happen, retirement checks would be cut 22% across the board. AARP's CEO, Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, called the report a "wake-up call." She urged Congress to protect Social Security, noting that cutting benefits is "not an option" for the 125 million Americans aged 50 and older. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who serves as Social Security's managing trustee, sought to dampen concerns calling the benefits a "foundational commitment." He seemed to suggest that eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse could solve the shortfall. And, yawn, he, as have many before him, pledged to work with Congress to preserve future benefits. |
SPORTS
| MSU Athletics announces $1 million donation from alumni | |
| Mississippi State Athletics announced Thursday a six-figure donation to the State Excellence Fund from a pair of MSU alumni. Ray (class of 1977) and Deborah (class of 1978) Dillion donated $1 million to MSU athletics through the Excellence Fund, a fundraising extension of the university's athletics. The fund was launched with an $8 million donation to MSU football in Sept. 2024, and was described then as " the Mississippi State Athletics fund of the future," according to a press release. "Mississippi State is near and dear to our hearts, and it's always our desire to see us competing at the highest level," Ray and Deborah Dillion said in a Thursday press release from MSU athletics. "We want to do all we can to help bring success to our great university. So many wonderful things are happening at MSU, and we're excited to help that continue." |
| Supporters gift $1 million to Mississippi State Athletics | |
 | Two long-time supporters gifted $1 million to Mississippi State Athletics to help elevate the university in the rapidly changing landscape of college sports. Ray and Deborah Dillion's generosity marks the latest chapter in their shared history with the school. Ray graduated from Mississippi State University (MSU) in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, while Deborah earned her bachelor's degree in medical technology in 1978. Following his time at MSU, Ray went on to become the President, CEO and Board Director of Deltic Timber Corporation in El Dorado, Arkansas, in 2003. He is currently retired and dedicates his time to philanthropic causes. Deborah spent her career working as a medical technologist at Slidell Memorial Hospital and Bogalusa's Charity Hospital. "We're so grateful for Ray and Deborah," said Director of Athletics Zac Selmon. "Their love for Mississippi State is evident, and we can't say 'thank you' enough for this selfless gift that will help us keep pushing forward and reaching new heights at State." |
| Roster Review: Mississippi State tight ends | |
| One of the biggest uncertainties on MSU's offense is the tight end room. The Bulldogs lost its leader, Seydou Traore, to graduation and the NFL. MSU's six tight ends on the roster bring just seven total receptions from last season across two players. Traore was MSU's third-leading receiver last season with 367 yards, and it'll be up to an inexperienced room to fill that space this season. Here's a look at MSU's 2026-27 tight end depth chart using Ourlads.com projected depth chart. |
| Mississippi State football assistant David Turner announces retirement | |
 | David Turner, who is in his third stint on the Mississippi State football staff, announced July 18 on social media that he is retiring. "To the Mississippi State University family, community, my former players, current players and many friends, it is time for me to step away from the game that I love and have devoted over two thirds of my life to," Turner posted on social media. Turner was the Bulldogs defensive line coach from 2023-25 but was set to be a senior defensive line consultant under coach Jeff Lebby in 2026. Lebby hired Ty Warren from Rice to be the defensive line coach. Turner was also the Mississippi State defensive line coach from 2007-09 and 2013-15. He has coached at multiple SEC schools, including Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Texas A&M and Florida. "Mississippi State has been good to me and my family, and in the life of a college football coach, which is often a nomadic one, this has been home," Turner wrote. |
| First look: Inside MSU's 2026-27 women's basketball team | |
| Madison Francis still looks like Mississippi State's best player, in case you were wondering. Francis led the Bulldogs in points, steals, minutes and blocked shots and was second in rebounds last season as a freshman. The 6' 2 forward moves smooth with the ball in hand, can stretch outside and hit the 3 when she needs to. She also dominates the paint, skills that were all on display at Thursday's women's basketball open practice. The practice, a relaxed vibe featuring 3-on-3 drills against scout team players and Sam Purcell color commentating to the crowd in attendance, was the first real look MSU's 2026-27 roster featuring just three returners. Francis, one of those three, stood out. "Madison Francis is clearly one of the best players in the country," Purcell said to a raucous applause. "Shout out to you all who showed her love because she came back here for you." |
| Congress looks to rewrite college sports bill in high-stakes push to win SEC, Big Ten support before time runs out | |
| Lawmakers are working towards revisions to the Protect College Sports Act in an effort to gain the support of major stakeholders within the industry. That includes adjusting the bill's expansion concept to permit non-power conference schools to join, if invited, the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and SEC, according to Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat and co-author of the legislation with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri). "I want teams to be able to move where they want to like Washington State," Cantwell told Yahoo Sports on Thursday in the U.S. Capitol. "We'll get an adjustment to that language." The change is one of many under discussion among Cantwell and lawmakers as they work on a revised bill with a goal of garnering support from the SEC and Big Ten, the industry's most valuable stakeholders that have, so far, opposed the legislation as currently written. The discussions unfold at a pivotal time for the future of college athletics on Capitol Hill. |
| Five years ago, how the biggest move in realignment history -- Texas and OU to the SEC -- all went down | |
| One of the key points on the timeline of Texas and Oklahoma joining the Southeastern Conference five years ago this month, is what Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte and Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione call their "Mission From God." In the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the summer of 2020, Del Conte and Castiglione agreed to meet in Dallas and then make the nine-plus-hour drive together in Del Conte's white, Chevy pickup truck to Birmingham, Ala., to meet with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. "Like 50 miles into the trip, a light came on saying my tire was low," Del Conte told Horns247. "We had to fill that thing up with air like every hour, because I didn't have a spare. It was a nightmare." "But me and Joe C were the Blues Brothers," Del Conte laughed, referring to the 1980 comedy classic movie starring John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. "We were on a mission from God." Added Castiglione, Oklahoma's 28-year AD who has announced he'll retire in June of 2028: One day, we'll tell all the tales of the Mission From God," Castiglione said. "But I'm telling you that my man CDC - the two of us together are kind of lethal." To put the timing of the meeting in Birmingham into proper context, at one point, Sankey had to step out to do a television interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN about if there would be a college football season in 2020 due to the pandemic. |
| LSU football coach Lane Kiffin used private plane perk paid for by donors for family vacation | |
| LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin took his family to Boca Raton using his private airplane travel benefits at a cost of $40,000 to LSU donors, according to LSU Board of Supervisors documents. Kiffin's employment contract allows him 65 hours of private air travel for personal use, a perk that is not unusual for head football coaches, but one that former head coach Brian Kelly did not have and other LSU coaches are not currently granted. LSU athletics spokesman Zach Greenwell declined to respond to a request for comment regarding the number of hours Kiffin used for the trip to Boca Raton, which is home to Florida Atlantic University, where Kiffin coached from 2017-2019. The nearly $40,000 tab for the trip was paid by the Tiger Athletic Foundation in March, though the report does not detail when the trip occurred or how long it was. Kiffin's trip was funded by the Tiger Athletic Foundation, but the bulk of his compensation is paid by the university itself. |
| Fueling the Dawgs: Inside UGA's approach to student-athlete nutrition | |
| At the University of Georgia, Saturday victories start long before kickoff. They start in the meetings, the meal plans and the daily habits of the athletes themselves. Meg Howell, a UGA football nutrition intern, explained that one of the biggest differences between working with a team's nutrition staff and following online advice comes down to credentials. "Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist," Howell said. "But [registered dieticians] have to have an internship, a master's [degree] and then we sit for the exam. So once you pass the exam, you can officially call yourself a registered dietitian, which is a level up above just nutritionists." Howell said that this distinction matters because much of nutrition content online "may not be scientifically correct," even when it appears credible. For Gannon Hearst, who played running back for Georgia, the lessons from the nutrition staff have become a part of his weekly routine, especially when it comes to what he eats in the days leading up to a game. "One thing I learned from the nutrition staff is different meats you should eat before games and which ones you shouldn't," Hearst said. |
| ACC revenue, average distributions to members rise in first year as coast-to-coast league | |
| The addition of three new schools, far beyond the Atlantic Coast Conference's traditional footprint, helped the league set a new revenue record and pushed distribution to its long-term members higher. The ACC generated $826.5 million from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, its first academic year with California, Stanford and SMU as league members, according to tax documents released Friday. In the previous year, as a 15-member league, the ACC reported $711.3 million in revenue. The 16% increase marked the sixth consecutive year the league has grown its revenue since the launch of the ACC Network. "The league is strong," Commissioner Jim Phillips said earlier this month at the ACC Spring Meetings in Amelia Island, Florida. "The league is well-positioned. The league is healthy. It's thriving. It's flourishing. It's helping lead nationally, and we're embracing creativity and innovation and we've had a progressive mindset." Phillips pushed hard for the western expansion, which league presidents and chancellors voted for in September 2023 over the objections of North Carolina, Clemson and Florida State. |
| Michigan AD Warde Manuel to step down after calendar year, ending embattled tenure | |
 | Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will step down following the 2026-27 calendar year amid an outside investigation into the culture of the athletics department, the school announced on Monday. The investigation began in the wake of former football coach Sherrone Moore's dismissal last December for having an impermissible relationship with a department staffer and then lying about the relationship. Manuel had been a focus of the investigation, along with the department-wide culture that contributed to a run of scandals since he was hired in 2016. "At this time, the university does not have additional public statements planned regarding these matters, nor does the university plan to release any associated documents," a Michigan spokesperson said to The Detroit News. "We can confirm, however, that Director of Athletics Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the calendar year and a search for a new AD will be conducted." Jenner & Block LLP, which led the investigation into the athletic department, interviewed nearly 300 witnesses reviewed more than 20,000 records as part of the probe that cost more than $11 million, the school detailed a release after the announcement of Manuel's departure. |
| How NIL is changing the NBA Draft | |
| Name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals arrived in the NCAA in 2021, allowing college athletes to make money for the first time. Since then, men's college basketball has changed fast. Now it has a more predictable March Madness, players swapping schools every spring, and 18-year-olds signing seven-figure deals. And NIL is changing the NBA, too -- specifically the draft. Thanks to last summer's House v. NCAA settlement, colleges can now compensate athletes through revenue sharing and NIL endorsement deals, paying some players millions. On average, men's basketball players are now the best-compensated college athletes, which complicates their NBA Draft decisions. In NIL's early days, college wasn't very enticing to young players who wanted to make money before going pro. "Not every school had a booster group that was paying athletes, and the market was in its infancy," said Mit Winter, an NIL attorney at Kennyhertz Perry Law. "The amounts being paid were much smaller, and it was going to tend to take more steps and jump through more hoops to get the money paid." So, they left. Then came the money. |
| Pavia, Chambliss Attorneys Not Paid Despite Beating NCAA | |
| The last two years have seen dozens of college athletes sue the NCAA to gain an additional year of eligibility, during which some could earn six or even seven figures in NIL and revenue-share money. Some of their lawyers haven't been paid a penny, and those lawyers are OK with that. The topic of compensation for attorneys who represent college athletes in eligibility cases sparked debate last week when attorney Darren Heitner, who has represented several players in litigation, posted on X about how he and his colleagues are compensated. Ryan Downton, who successfully represented Heisman Trophy runner-up and former Vanderbilt star quarterback Diego Pavia in litigation against the NCAA, bills at $1,400 an hour. In contingency cases, he usually receives 40%. How much has he earned representing Pavia and other athletes in litigation? Nothing. "I've represented college athletes in eligibility cases since 2024," Downton told Sportico in a phone interview. "And I've yet to be paid a dollar." |
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