| Friday, May 9, 2025 |
| Hyde-Smith Questions Homeland Secretary on FEMA Future, Continued MSU Role in UAS Project | |
 | U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) Thursday used a budget review hearing for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to getting a better handle on how President Trump's plans to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could affect Mississippi, a state prone to weather-related disasters. Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that received testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on her agency's FY2026 budget request. Hyde-Smith also highlighted Mississippi's contributions to homeland security, and sought to ensure support for contributions made by Mississippi State University to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) development and testing under the Joint Unmanned Systems Testing in Collaborative Environment (Project JUSTICE). "As you may be aware, the DHS JUSTICE NextGen program at Mississippi State serves an incredibly valuable resource. The primary mission of this is to serve the operational entities within DHS through research, development, testing, integration and the evaluation of UAS -- the unmanned aerial systems -- and related technologies," Hyde-Smith added. |
| Choosing to lead: Bert Sanders excels in volunteer role with 4-H Shooting Sports | |
| Bert Sanders is a longtime resident of Tallahatchie County, where he faithfully serves as a Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports volunteer, demonstrating his support in the growth and development of 4-H'ers. The youth development program, overseen by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, trains and certifies volunteers who teach young people firearm safety and qualities critical to the development of productive citizens, like responsibility, sportsmanship and self-discipline. Sanders has given 25 years of his life to investing in the lives of his 4-H'ers, and he's served as president of both the Mississippi Volunteer Leaders' Association and the Mississippi Shooting Sports Association. |
| New LIFT Resource and Referral Center open in Brandon | |
| On Thursday, the new Mississippi LIFT Resource and Referral Center in Brandon held an open house, showcasing a place for young kids to learn and have a whole lot of fun doing it. This is now one of 50 centers across the state, which provides the needed resources for parents to start early childhood education. "We're really talking about starting at birth. So, birth to five, those are the most formative years in terms of preparing children for lifelong learning and success. And when we talk about supporting early childhood education, it's important that anyone that's working with children need to have the materials and the resources and the support to do that properly," Chad Allgood, Director of MDHS Division of Early Childhood Care and Development, said. This new center is thanks to partnerships with the Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Early Childhood Care and Development and the Mississippi State University Extension. |
| Starkville city leaders plan to repurpose old railroad for recreation | |
 | Starkville City leaders are all aboard for a new "Rail to Trail" project that would transform an unused railroad into a 38-mile recreational path. The mayor and Board of Aldermen discussed the plan during Tuesday's meeting. "I think we have a window that has opened, that we did not have open before to make this happen," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. For years, the city has been wanting to repurpose the railroad, but hasn't had any luck with the previous owners. The railway is now owned by Canadian Pacific and the Kansas City rail network, also known as CPKC. Spruill believes this is a new chance to move forward. "I think it's an opportunity for not just recreation but also an alternative travel opportunity because it goes through Starkville, so you could conceivably bike to work in ways that you haven't been able to and have a very safe path, compared to trying to merge with traffic," said Spruill. |
| Pope Leo Warns Against Spread of 'De Facto Atheism' | |
 | Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass as pontiff in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, stressing the importance of missionary work in a world where many live "in a state of de facto atheism." Leo, wearing head-to-toe white and golden vestments, returned to the chapel a day after cardinals elected him as pope on the second day of a secretive conclave. Standing before Michelangelo's altar wall frescoes, the first American pope briefly spoke in English -- calling his election a blessing as well as a cross he will carry -- before switching to Italian, the Vatican's dominant language. In his sermon, the pontiff spoke of the challenges the Catholic Church faces in the modern era. "There are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure," he said in the sermon. "They are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed." He lamented that "there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman." The pope added, "this is the world that has been entrusted to us." Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago as Robert Francis Prevost, is the church's 267th pope. Friday's Mass is a first in a series of engagements, from ancient rituals to worldly gatherings, that will keep him busy in coming days and weeks. |
| State keeps trying to control South Mississippi casino leases. Judges aren't buying it | |
 | Mississippi's secretary of state has lost another lawsuit over control of waterfront property in Biloxi. Chancery Judge Jim Persons ruled Thursday that Grand Casino Biloxi owns outright a piece of waterfront property south of U.S. 90 on the west side of Oak Street. Secretary of State Michael Watson -- and predecessors -- claimed the state of Mississippi owned the property as part of the tidelands law applied to waterfront property subject to the ebb and flow of the tide. The issue is a big one for the city, county and state. State ownership would require a developer to lease the land from Watson's office, generating revenue for the state but driving up the cost of development. Most casinos have signed tidelands leases with the secretary of state. But Persons followed an April 2024 ruling from the state Supreme Court finding that the state never owned 511.34 acres of waterfront land in East Biloxi, which includes the Grand's small, vacant parcel. Instead, the acreage was transferred through the 1784 Spanish Land Grant to a private property owner. The acreage was never owned by the state and was not included in land Mississippi was granted when it was admitted to the union in 1817, the Supreme Court found. |
| Hyde-Smith draws GOP challenger as Democrats target her Mississippi U.S. Senate seat | |
| Thirty-five seats are up for grabs in the U.S. Senate during the 2026 midterm elections, with 23 of those held by Republicans. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to retake the majority in the chamber. Mississippi's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Cindy Hyde-Smith is one of the GOP-held seats. Senator Hyde-Smith, who is completing her first full term, will be seeking re-election next year. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Party strategists are reportedly "thinking outside the box" and "looking for political lottery tickets" in Republican strongholds like Mississippi in the 2026 cycle, according to a recent article in the New York Times. The New York Times reported that Schumer told associates that he sees an intriguing opportunity in Mississippi, "which has the largest percentage of Black residents of any state." "One possible candidate there is Scott Colom, a district attorney who was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to a federal judgeship -- only to be blocked by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, whom Mr. Colom would be running against in 2026," the New York Times reported. "The state is also appealing for Democrats because it is small and relatively cheap to compete in." As of this reporting, no federal campaign statement of organization is showing as being filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by Colom. However, Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Cheikh Taylor told the Clarion-Ledger that the Lowndes County DA does intend to run for the U.S. Senate. |
| 'Republicans talk a big game': GOP trims Trump's sails after spending cuts falter | |
 | President Donald Trump wanted a "big, beautiful bill." Now Republicans are having to take some of the shine off of it. GOP leaders on Capitol Hill signaled Thursday they are scaling back their tax-cutting ambitions after running into difficulty making deep spending cuts and facing stern warnings from Republican deficit hawks who are threatening to vote against Trump's sprawling megabill. On the chopping block could be a litany of Trump demands, including a permanent extension of the tax cuts passed during his first term, as well as second-term campaign promises to provide tax relief to seniors while also exempting taxes on tips and overtime earnings. Those provisions could end up getting enacted only temporarily, according to four Republican lawmakers, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity. "Republicans talk a big game ... about reining in reckless spending," House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told reporters. "You won't get the full permanency in the tax policy on all the provisions if we don't get to the $2 trillion in savings, and that's unfortunate." That cake is not yet totally baked: Republican leaders are still exploring a request from Trump to increase income taxes on the highest-earning Americans -- from 37 percent to 39.6 percent, the level that prevailed before the 2017 law -- in order to make room for more tax cuts elsewhere. |
| The Republicans and Democrats Pulling Off the Unthinkable: Staying Friends | |
| Every morning Congress is in session, a bipartisan group of lawmakers meets in the House gym at 6:30 a.m. for an hour of cardio and weights. Discussing politics is forbidden. Lawmakers who transgress are forced to do burpees. "That's the standing rule. Everybody knows that," said Sen. Markwayne Mullin. The Oklahoma Republican, a former professional mixed martial arts fighter, has led the group of 15-20 lawmakers through the Crossfit-like workout for a dozen years. The gathering, where for once groans aren't directed at one another, is a rarity on Capitol Hill these days. During the second Trump administration the political distance between Democrats and Republicans has increased, particularly in Congress, where petty squabbles are common and across-the-aisle friendships are rare. Many lawmakers still like to claim the mantle of being able to work across the aisle, but the yearslong bipartisan relationships that were once the legislative lifeblood of Capitol Hill are increasingly scarce. Lawmakers spend more time fundraising and less time in Washington, and social media rewards the most bombastic viewpoints. But at the morning workout sessions, the biggest point of contention is Rep. Darin LaHood's Pandora subscription. The Illinois Republican refuses to upgrade, and ads promoting businesses in Peoria regularly interrupt the group's flow. Those who do make it---the number varies each day---sometimes go out for breakfast after their workout, usually to Ted's Bulletin, which serves all-day breakfast not far from the Capitol. |
| David Souter, Supreme Court justice favoring judicial restraint, dies at 85 | |
 | Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, the intellectual New Englander who disappointed Republicans and delighted liberals by slowing a conservative transformation of the high court, died May 8 at his home in New Hampshire. He was 85. The high court announced his death but did not cite a cause. Justice Souter, who supplied a key vote to uphold abortion rights in his early years on the court, was a little-known New Hampshire judge dubbed the "stealth candidate" when President George H.W. Bush nominated him in 1990 to replace justice William J. Brennan Jr., then the anchor of an eroding liberal majority. John H. Sununu, Bush's chief of staff, assured Republicans that the pick would be a "home run for conservatives" who were on the brink of a significant remaking of the court. But the nominee proved to be anything but. His backers in Washington did not realize they were getting someone with a conservative temperament and a dedication to judicial restraint, rather than a conservative ideologue. One of Justice Souter's most significant opinions came two years into his tenure when he joined two other justices nominated by Republican presidents -- Anthony M. Kennedy and Sandra Day O'Connor -- in writing an unusual three-member opinion reaffirming a woman's constitutional right to have an abortion. |
| Donald Trump suggests 80% tariffs on Chinese imports on eve of trade negotiations | |
 | On the eve of trade negotiations with China, President Donald Trump signaled a willingness to drop tariffs to 80% from 145%, a level so high that trade has nearly halted between the world's two largest economies. But it wasn't clear whether his May 9 social-media post was a negotiating tactic or a final offer to Chinese officials who have called U.S. tariffs "illegal and unreasonable." "80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B," Trump said in one post, referring to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "CHINA SHOULD OPEN UP ITS MARKET TO USA -- WOULD BE SO GOOD FOR THEM!!! CLOSED MARKETS DON'T WORK ANYMORE!!!" he wrote in another post. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng agreed to discuss trade in Switzerland with Bessent from May 9 to 12. But Lifeng called U.S. tariffs "illegal and unreasonable" on May 7 and said they were "disrupting the international economic and trade order." Trump and his aides said his May 8 announcement of a trade deal with the United Kingdom would serve as a template for arrangements with other countries. The broad outlines of that deal kept Trump's 10% tariffs on all imports but with fewer restrictions on U.S. products such as beef and dairy sent to England. |
| Melania Trump unveils US stamp honoring Barbara Bush | |
 | Melania Trump is giving a first look at a new stamp honoring Barbara Bush, helping to unveil it at a White House ceremony despite a seemingly sticky relationship between President Trump and members of the former first family. "Barbara's unwavering conviction, dignity and [loyalty] to her loved ones have left an undeniable mark on our hearts and history," the first lady said Thursday as the U.S. Postal Service stamp bearing the image of Bush, the wife of late President George H.W. Bush, was revealed publicly for the first time. "Mrs. Bush's legacy is marked by her respect for tradition while also breaking with convention," Melania Trump said. "While she is known for championing literacy, she also supported women's empowerment, changed the national conversation on AIDS, and took a stand supporting gay rights," she added, saying she applauded Bush for "defending our society's vital need for women across all avenues -- whether CEO or homemaker." The image that will be featured on the first-class postage stamp is from a 1995 "favorite" portrait of Bush by artist Chas Fagan. In the painting, Bush is seen sporting a "signature, multi-strand pearl necklace" and displaying a small smile. |
| President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden | |
 | President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden as the White House continues to purge the federal government of those perceived to oppose the president and his agenda. Hayden was notified in an email late Thursday from the White House's Presidential Personnel Office, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. Confirmed by the Senate to the job in 2016, Hayden was the first woman and the first African American to be librarian of Congress. "Carla," the email began. "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service." The unexpected move Thursday against Hayden infuriated congressional Democrats, who initially disclosed the firing. "Enough is enough," said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who called Hayden "a "trailblazer, a scholar, and a public servant of the highest order." The Democratic leaders praised Hayden, who had been the longtime leader of Baltimore's library system, for a tenure that helped modernize the Library and make it more accessible with initiatives into rural communities and online. She is a graduate of Roosevelt University and the University of Chicago. |
| Lori Mann Bruce tapped as next UTC chancellor, would be first woman in role | |
| Lori Mann Bruce has been tapped as the next chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. If approved, she will become the first woman to hold the role in the university's 138-year history. Her appointment follows a monthslong national search to succeed interim Chancellor Robert Dooley, who has led the school since Chancellor Steve Angle stepped down Jan. 1 after more than a decade in the position. According to a statement from UT System President Randy Boyd, the University of Tennessee board of trustees will vote on Bruce soon, and if she's accepted, Bruce will begin her role June 30. Before being recommended for the new role, Bruce served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Tennessee Tech. A Tennessee native, Bruce earned her doctorate in electrical and computer engineering and has held faculty and administrative positions at Mississippi State and Tennessee Tech. Her research in hyperspectral remote sensing and precision agriculture has been widely published, and she has mentored dozens of graduate students throughout her career, according to her online resume. |
| UGA commencement student speaker plans to speak from the heart | |
 | Every soon-to-be University of Georgia graduate knows that graduation night isn't over until the iconic fireworks launch and light up the sky. Kate Hall expects both the fireworks and waterworks. Hall says those tears are going to be bittersweet. Sad because her time at UGA is ending, but also happy to have lived something worth missing. As this year's undergraduate student speaker, Hall hopes she can emulate the emotional roller coaster of the UGA student experience. "I just love those fireworks when you get admitted, and then when you graduate, because it feels like the most wonderful way to open and close out a chapter," she said. "It's so poetic, so when I see the fireworks, everyone throwing their caps, and all the smiles on everyone's faces, I'm going to feel so much joy. I can't wait for that moment." That ride began for Hall when she realized she no longer wanted to earn her degree in business -- a route she had planned for since high school in Cumming. While changing her major was a difficult decision, Hall knew from the very first public relations class she took that she had discovered the right path for her. |
| Santa Ono explains why he's leaving U. of Michigan for Florida | |
| Santa Ono sees the potential to make University of Florida the nation's very best public university. Ono announced his intention on May 4 to step down as University of Michigan president to take the same job in Florida. He published a letter Thursday in Inside Higher Education explaining his choice. The May 8 letter "Why I Chose University of Florida" details Ono's vision to focus his next presidency on instilling an emphasis on merit, ensuring peaceful protest and shifting how to promote diversity. "The University of Florida is already one of the nation's premier public universities," Ono wrote. "But it has the potential to be the very best. That belief -- in UF's momentum, its mission and its future -- is what led me to pursue the extraordinary opportunity of the UF presidency." Ono, 62, announced Sunday expects to assume the Florida president's role this summer. UM-Dearborn's Domenico Grasso will assume Ono's role as UM president pending a Board of Regents vote on May 15. |
| Conservatives Clash Over Ono Hire at UF | |
 | Less than a year after former president Ben Sasse resigned abruptly, the University of Florida has gone in the opposite direction for its next presidential pick, announcing Santa Ono as the sole finalist. Ono, who stepped down from the University of Michigan presidency last week after less than three years on the job, brings a wealth of academic and research experience: He also served in the top jobs at the University of Cincinnati and the University of British Columbia. Sasse, a Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska when he was hired in late 2022, previously served as president of Midland University, a small institution in his home state. Despite a lack of experience overseeing a massive research enterprise like UF, Sasse fit a profile in demand in Florida, where GOP lawmakers have ascended to presidencies at multiple universities. But his time at UF was short-lived; after less than 18 months on the job, he stepped down amid a spending scandal. At the time, he cited his wife's deteriorating health as his reason for leaving. Ideology has regularly trumped experience in recent Florida presidential hires. Multiple former lawmakers, all Republicans, are at the helm of various state institutions. Considering those recent hiring trends, Ono is an outlier -- a traditional higher ed candidate in a state where Republican governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Governors, most of whom he appoints, have taken active roles in presidential searches. |
| Local police up patrol count for U. of Missouri Reading Day | |
 | The Columbia Police Department and MU police said they will increase their presence around the University of Missouri's campus and the East Campus neighborhood Friday in anticipation of widespread Reading Day student celebrations. "(Campus police) and the Columbia Police Department are increasing patrols on Reading Day since there are often large gatherings," Sarah Yoro-Massad, a spokesperson for MU police wrote in an email. "We are taking a proactive approach to discourage unsafe behavior and respond quickly, if needed." Sydney Olsen, a City of Columbia spokesperson, wrote in an email that the department will focus its efforts around the East Campus neighborhood. No classes are held at MU on Reading Day, also known as stop day, a tradition aimed at offering students the chance to study or relax on the Friday before finals week. Many students use the day as an opportunity host large celebrations to mark the end of the year. |
| Education Dept. Cancels Fulbright-Hays Applications, at Least for Now | |
| The Department of Education canceled this year's competition for three Fulbright-Hays fellowship programs, adding to the growing list of higher education grants that have been eliminated since President Donald Trump took office in January. The decision, announced Thursday on the Federal Register, will affect doctoral students and faculty who applied for the Group Projects Abroad, Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad and Faculty Research Abroad programs -- all of which focus on expanding American expertise in critical languages and are congressionally mandated. About 110 individuals and 22 groups from over 55 institutions benefited from these three programs, according to department data, in fiscal year 2022, the most recent year for which data is available. This year, prior to the cancellation, more than 400 applications had been submitted. Department officials wrote in Thursday's announcement that the cancellation is just for fiscal year 2025 and was part of a "comprehensive review" to ensure that all competition criteria and priorities "align with the objectives established by the Trump Administration." But outside critics say these cuts signify larger problems that stem from cutting nearly half of the department's staff in March. |
| Under Republicans' Scrutiny, College Presidents Apologize for Their Handling of Campus Antisemitism | |
 | When college presidents go before the U.S. House's Committee on Education and the Workforce to talk about antisemitism and campus protests, the stakes are high. That's even more true now that President Trump has retaken office and acted on campaign promises to go after colleges' federal funding. A three-hour-long hearing on Wednesday once again gave House Republicans the opportunity to amplify reports of antisemitic social-media posts, events, and confrontations, and to demand that institutions provide information on how they discipline students and faculty members who transgress. It also enabled Democrats to call out the Trump administration's hobbling of the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, where 40 percent of the staff have been laid off. Wednesday's hearing marked yet another expansion of Republicans' efforts to put higher ed under pressure. Since January, the Trump administration has canceled or frozen grants at several prominent research universities, largely for alleged failures to combat antisemitism. Dozens more colleges received letters from the U.S. Department of Education warning about potential enforcement actions if they didn't protect Jewish students' safety. Likely with that context in mind, the presidents were adamant in admitting that they'd fallen short in some ways. |
| Most Americans disapprove of Trump's treatment of colleges, a new AP-NORC poll finds | |
| A majority of U.S. adults disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of issues related to colleges and universities, according to a new poll, as his administration ramps up threats to cut federal funding unless schools comply with his political agenda. More than half of Americans, 56%, disapprove of the Republican president's approach on higher education, the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds, while about 4 in 10 approve, in line with his overall job approval. Since taking office in January, Trump has tried to force change at universities he says have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism. The poll shows a disconnect between the Trump administration's targeting of universities and an American public that sees them as key to scientific research, new ideas and innovative technology. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say colleges and universities make more of a positive contribution to medical and scientific research than a negative one, and a similar share favors maintaining federal funding for scientific research. Most Americans with a college degree, 62%, are opposed to withholding funding from universities that don't comply with the president's requirements, while those without a college degree are split, with about 3 in 10 in favor, a similar share opposed, and about 4 in 10 saying they don't have an opinion. |
| From Villanova to the Vatican -- Pope Leo XIV | |
| The Vatican announced the selection of a new pope to lead the Catholic Church on Thursday, the first to come from the United States and the first to hold a bachelor's degree from a U.S. university. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, is a Chicago native who graduated from Villanova University in Philadelphia in 1977 with a bachelor of science in mathematics. In September of that year, he joined the Order of St. Augustine. He took his solemn vows in August 1981 and earned a master of divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982. Villanova president Peter M. Donohue said in a statement that the university celebrates the election of Pope Leo XIV. "I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our university community and our world," Donohue said. "Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV's leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission." |
SPORTS
| Baseball: MSU Carrying Momentum Into Rivalry Series | |
| Mississippi State is riding a four-game winning streak and will be looking to carry the momentum of an SEC series sweep into its final home series of the season. The Diamond Dawgs swept Kentucky at Dudy Noble Field last weekend and will try to do the same when instate rival Ole Miss invades campus for a three-game series. Interim head coach Justin Parker plans to send the same starting pitching rotation to the mound that brought the Bulldogs success last weekend. Junior left-hander Pico Kohn gets the ball first for State. Kohn is 5-2 with a 3.90 earned run average and ranks fifth in the conference with 93 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 67 innings. Ole Miss counters on Friday with a southpaw of its own in Hunter Elliott. The redshirt junior is 6-3 with a 3.71 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 31 walks through 60 2/3 innings of work in a dozen starts. |
| Baseball Shifts Schedule To Friday Doubleheader | |
| Due to expected inclement weather on Saturday, Mississippi State has shifted its weekend baseball series against Ole Miss. The Diamond Dawgs will now host the Rebels in a Friday doubleheader with the first game beginning at 4 p.m. on SEC Network+. The second game will begin approximately 40 minutes following the first on SEC Network. Due to Saturday's game now starting Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday tickets will have priority in the seating in premium areas for the first game of the day while Friday's tickets will be honored for entry as standing room only tickets. Due to the Friday's nightcap remaining on schedule, Friday's tickets will have priority seating in the premium areas for the second game while Saturday's tickets will be honored for entry as standing room only. Only Friday's parking passes will be accepted. |
| What to watch, keys to victory for Mississippi State baseball against Ole Miss | |
 | It has been a full decade since Mississippi State lost the season series to its biggest rival, and the Bulldogs, playing arguably their best baseball of the season right now, welcome No. 24 Ole Miss to Dudy Noble Field this weekend at a critical time. MSU (29-19, 10-14 Southeastern Conference) has won four straight games under interim head coach Justin Parker, including a home sweep over Kentucky. That vaulted the Bulldogs up to 35th in the latest RPI, putting them in good shape to return to the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels (33-15, 13-11) are 16th in the RPI, so these three games will be MSU's final Quadrant 1 opportunities of the regular season. A lot has changed in the two and a half weeks since the Bulldogs met Ole Miss for the Governor's Cup in Pearl. |
| Black Friday Will Feature Egg Bowl & A Men's Hoops Showdown | |
| The 2025 version of Black Friday will be a marquee day in Starkville, with the Egg Bowl moving to Friday, Nov. 28, followed by a highly anticipated men's hoops showdown. The Egg Bowl game, moved from its original Saturday date for the second-straight year by ESPN to a national time slot, will kickoff at 11 a.m. CT inside Davis Wade Stadium. Later that day, Humphrey Coliseum will host a men's basketball game against Southern Methodist University. State's game against SMU completes a home-and-home series that started in Dallas last year. A tipoff time, along with TV networks for both football and basketball, will be announced at a later date. |
| Mississippi State announces lead gift for new football indoor practice facility | |
| Mississippi State has received the lead gift for its new football-only indoor practice facility from Howard Industries, with the new Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility expected to open in the summer of 2028. Anticipated groundbreaking will occur in 2027. MSU is the only team in the Southeastern Conference without an indoor practice facility specifically for the football program, instead sharing the Palmeiro Center with baseball. The estimated cost for the new facility, which will be constructed adjacent to the Leo W. Seal Jr. Football Complex, is approximately $60 million, according to an athletic department news release. "We are so thankful to the Howard Family and Howard Industries for their thoughtful decision to invest in the development of elite talent at Mississippi State," athletic director Zac Selmon said. "We know this is a critical time in college football, and we must continue to take steps forward to elevate Mississippi State football." |
| Men's Tennis: No. 12 Bulldogs Take on No. 6 Buckeyes in NCAA Round of 16 | |
| The Mississippi State men's tennis team is going on the road to face the fifth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes for the second year in a row in the Round of 16. MSU (24-5) and Ohio State (28-3) are set to play outdoors in the Auer Tennis Complex on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The winner of the match will face the winner of Stanford and South Carolina on Friday in the Quarterfinals at Baylor University. The Bulldogs have won 10 of their last 11, with their last loss coming in the Semifinals of the SEC Tournament to South Carolina. |
| Mississippi State advances to NCAA Championships for fourth straight year | |
| For the fourth consecutive year, Mississippi State is off to the NCAA Championships after a fourth-place finish at the Gold Canyon Regional in Arizona this week. The No. 20 Bulldogs finished behind Oregon, Arizona State and Oklahoma State at 11 strokes over par in the three-round tournament. Sophomore Avery Weed was MSU's top finisher, tying for 12th individually at +2. Junior Izzy Pellot finished in a tie for 15th at +3, with seniors Chiara Horder and Ana Pina Ortega both in a tie for 20th at +5. Weed, Horder and Ortega all moved up the leaderboard in Wednesday's final round. Head coach Charlie Ewing has led the Bulldogs to the last four NCAA Championship tournaments, finishing 17th in 2022, 13th in 2023 and 15th last year. MSU won its first-ever Southeastern Conference title in 2024. This year's NCAA Championship event will be held in Carlsbad, California, from May 16-21. The 30 total participating teams include 10 from the SEC, more than any other conference. |
| Auburn AD John Cohen calls for 'help of the federal government' in college sports | |
 | The landscape of college athletics is currently experiencing levels of uncertainty and political involvement seldom seen before. While the House settlement continues to await approval -- something that would begin revenue sharing between schools and student athletes starting July 1 -- President Donald Trump is reportedly making plans to create a presidential commission on college athletics. Yahoo Sports reported that the commission is expected to examine aspects of college sports such as player movement in the transfer portal, unregulated booster compensation to athletes, the debate of student athlete employment, preserving Olympic sport structure, the application of Title IX to school revenue-share payments and conference membership along with conference television contracts. Auburn athletic director John Cohen didn't comment directly on the reportedly planned presidential commission on college sports, but said, "we need the help of the federal government in one way or another." "We need help because the structure of leadership is always going to be in peril as long as they are going to have to spend time in court," Cohen told AL.com at the Lutzie 43 Golf Invitational. |
| Pope Leo XIV brings hope to Chicago sports fans, and the Knicks for their Villanova ties | |
| The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a topic of conversation almost as soon as the white smoke emerged from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. Elected on Thursday, Robert Prevost is the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, also attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1977. Chicago's two baseball teams were front and center as sports fans reacted to the news. It was initially reported that the new pope was a Cubs fan. The team congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on X that had a picture of Wrigley Field's iconic marquee with the message: HEY, CHICAGO. HE'S A CUBS FAN! But his brother, John Prevost, set the record straight in an interview with WGN-TV. The pope is a White Sox fan. "He was never ever a Cubs fan, so I don't know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan," John said, adding that the confusion might stem from the fact their mother's side of the family were North Siders and Cubs fans. The election of the new pope coincides with a trio of former Villanova players leading the New York Knicks on an NBA playoff run. It didn't take long for a photoshopped picture of the four of them together to show up on social media. |
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