| Thursday, September 4, 2025 |
| MSU-Meridian's Dr. Buys speaks at local Rotary Club meeting | |
 | Dr. David Buys stopped by the Rotary Club in Meridian Wednesday. Buys is the Interim Head of Campus of MSU-Meridian and the Associate Vice Provost for Health Sciences. He spoke on the long history of MSU in the Meridian area and its partnerships with local colleges, as well as the growth of MSU's healthcare-related fields. He also says Mississippi State has seen great success in the past few years with their growing healthcare-adjacent programs. "Absolutely doing a lot here in Meridian around healthcare. Starting in 2021, we sat our first class of physician assistant students, and we've graduated three now. We have our fifth class seated and are very proud of their recent successes," said Dr. Buys. "We couldn't do it without our local hospitals. Oschner and Baptist, Oschner Rush, Baptist Anderson are just wonderful partners for us, as are other outlying clinics. We're reliant fully on them for the clinical experiences that our students are required to get as part of this program." Buys also says there's much more to come from MSU's programs in the near future. |
| Agriculture leaders kickoff initiative to make the industry stronger and more resilient | |
 | A newly created committee aimed at ensuring Mississippi agriculture has a bright future met for its initial gathering on Wednesday in Jackson. The group discussed issues facing farmers, from labor shortages to high insurance premiums to international competition. Farmers, both in Mississippi and nationwide, have described the current farming climate as a struggle. "Pretty dire situation," one farmer said, and "more of the same misery" is expected. The initiative, called the Future of Agriculture Resiliency for Mississippi Strategic Plan, or the F.A.R.M. Plan, will examine a variety of issues. "Agriculture is currently in a time of crisis nationwide. When a crisis arises, we must respond," Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson (R) said during a press conference announcing the initiative. "Agriculture is Mississippi's largest industry, and we must make it a priority to plan for the future in order to make agriculture stronger and more resilient." During the Wednesday meeting of the committee, Keith Coble, Vice-President of the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, informed the group that the only highlight of Mississippi farming is cattle prices, which are at an all-time high. Otherwise, the state is struggling. |
| New Beef Cattle Specialist Joins MSU Extension | |
| Genevieve D'Souza joined the Mississippi State University Extension Service May 1 as a beef cattle specialist. D'Souza, a native of Texas, brings her experience in ruminant nutrition to cattle producers in the central region as well as statewide. She is based at the Brown Loam branch of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station in Raymond where she also conducts research. Her Extension educational programs and research will focus on improving cattle nutrition for pasture-raised cattle and other cattle production systems, including stockering and backgrounding. "My goal is to help Mississippi cattle producers be more competitive in local and national markets. My plans are to investigate how producers can utilize their locally available resources, like forages and commodity products, to help them continue to grow healthy, safe and nutritious beef cattle," said D'Souza, who is also an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. |
| Humane Society hopes to make a splash with 15th annual Dog Paddle | |
 | Last year when Ryan Handran began fostering Will, one of his two foster dogs from Oktibbeha County Humane Society, he wasn't sure when the dog would open up. But everything changed when they arrived at Moncrief Pool for the Humane Society's 14th annual Dog Paddle. "We would take them both to the dog park, and Will just was kind of his own little shy thing," Handran said. "And then last year, when we took him to the Dog Paddle, Will just opened up. ... He was just this friendly, bubbly dog that wanted to go talk to everybody." Handran, board member for the Humane Society, said he has been helping to organize the 15th Annual Dog Paddle from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. While the last normal open pool day was Monday, Moncrief Pool will reopen for the event, according to a post on the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page. The event serves not only as a way for people and their dogs to come together for a pool party but also as a key fundraising event for OCHS. The event typically raises between $5,000 and $10,000, but this year, the organization would love to get closer to $20,000 because of the immense need the shelter is facing at this time with increased animal surrenders and increasing operational costs, Handran said. |
| Mississippi's August revenue collections come in below estimates | |
| The Legislative Budget Office reported Thursday that Mississippi's revenue collections for the second month of the current fiscal year were $5 million, or less than 1 percent below legislative estimates. However, through the first two months of the fiscal year, Mississippi revenues have exceeded estimates by $11.9 million. July's revenues outpaced estimates by $16.9 million. The total Fiscal Year 2026 revenue estimate is $7.6 billion. According to the LBO report, corporate income tax collections for the month of August led the decline, coming in below the prior year by $22.1 million in the same month. Corporate income tax collections have been on the decline in the state since the 2023 fiscal year. Sales tax collections were also under the prior year by $300,000, despite seeing consistent, significant gains over the last five fiscal years. In fact, sales tax collections have risen each year over the past decade. Yet, even as Mississippi continues to phase out its individual income tax, individual income tax collections for the month of August were above the prior year by $6.5 million. |
| Mary Means Business: Whiskey Ranch closes shop in Starkville | |
| After about a year, Starkville's Whiskey Ranch has closed shop. The bar and grill located at 110 E. Main St. opened in September last year after Moe's (the former barbecue spot) closed shop earlier that year. Whiskey Ranch announced on social media that they were closing for the summer; however, I reached out and it appears that the temporary closure is now permanent. While walking downtown the other day, I noticed a "For Lease" sign in the window. If you're interested in opening a cool joint in a great spot, you can call (769) 223-4169. Also downtown, a salon has some new digs. Chromatix on Main has moved locations, but luckily they are still on Main Street. Check out their new spot just a hop, skip and jump away at 222 E. Main St. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is hosting its second Women in Business luncheon Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Mill at MSU. Kim Daly, owner of City Hall Cheesecake in Hernando, will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are $40 and must be purchased in advance. |
| 'Sinners' to screen at The MAX in Meridian | |
 | After becoming a hit in 2025, "Sinners" will soon have a two-day experience to celebrate the success of the Mississippi-based movie. Hosted by The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) in Meridian, the film will be screened on October 15, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Temple Theater free of charge. The movie takes place in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and showcases Mississippi musicians. The following day, there will be a panel discussion featuring Chandra Williams, executive director of the Crossroads Cultural Arts Center in Clarksdale; Tyler Yarbrough, a project manager for Partnership for a Healthier America's work in the Mississippi Delta who helped organize this summer's "Sinners" weekend in Clarksdale; Nina Parikh, director of Film Mississippi; and Jay Wesley, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians who served as a cultural consultant for "Sinners" and also appeared in the film as an extra. The panel will be moderated by Ralph Eubanks, a writer who currently serves as writer-in-residence at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, and will conclude with a performance by Rev. Slim, a blues artist from Grenada, Mississippi. This will take place at The MAX and is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. |
| Biloxi seafood businesses staying afloat despite below-average shrimp season, DMR says | |
 | Quality Seafood retail manager Troy Rosetti is well into shrimp season, and he says business is going smoothly. He's selling large amounts of shrimp for prices ranging from $5.99 to $11.99 a pound. "The season is going good," Rosetti said. "We are getting a lot of shrimp, fresh 16/20s." According to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, this year's shrimp season has been below average due to an early brown shrimp migration caused by rainfall. Rosetti said that hasn't made things easy. "All the fleets are in Louisiana now, that's where most of the shrimp are," he said. "When the first cold front comes in about three weeks, it always picks up in Mississippi waters. We'll start getting a lot of local Mississippi shrimp." He's also selling imported products like gumbo, redfish and calamari. "Things are clearly labeled in our business, whether it is imported or domestic, so you know exactly what you're getting," he said. "We carry both just to please our customers. Some people want cheaper shrimp. Some people want a local shrimp." |
| Hood Industries bringing $245M operation expansion to Waynesboro | |
 | Hood Industries, Inc., is expanding its sawmill operations in Wayne County with a $245 million corporate investment. The company's strategic expansion involves the construction of a new advanced sawmill in Waynesboro. It will be built in multiple phases on the existing site. "Hood Industries is a leader in the forest products sector and has called Wayne County home for its sawmill facility through the past 40 years," said Wayne County Board of Supervisors President Keith Clay. "We believe Hood Industries' significant investment speaks volumes about our workforce as well as the business strength and viability of Wayne County and the entire Pine Belt region of Mississippi." The Mississippi Development Authority will assist through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. They will also help with road and infrastructure improvements. Hood Industries has been manufacturing wood products in Mississippi for more than 40 years. "This nearly quarter-billion-dollar investment by Hood Industries is the latest win in Mississippi's record-breaking economic development efforts," said Gov. Tate Reeves. |
| Brandon residents want answers, guarantees about data center | |
| Residents of Brandon have raised concerns about the environmental impact and safety of a data center planned for their city. AVAIO Digital, a Connecticut-based company, announced Aug. 19 that it plans to build a data center in Rankin County. While some celebrated the $6-billion investment and the over $20 million in annual tax revenue it would bring, other residents worry about the data center's water and power consumption and possible pollution. The 600,000-square-foot facility is expected to be completed by 2027. Bailey Henry has lived in Brandon for over a decade. She said that when she read about the new data center on social media, she became concerned. " I've lived in Mississippi the majority of my life and I was raised to leave things better than you found it," Henry said. " And I just don't think that Mississippi is going to be better off from this." Henry is worried about the pressure the data centers will put on the city's infrastructure, pollution and power demands. She describes the announcement as " brief and nonchalant as all the explanations have been. From politicians to people who work for Entergy. It has just been, 'This is what it is. It's going to be great. Don't ask any questions.'" The biggest concerns from residents nationwide over data centers has been potential pollution and increases in utility bills. Across the country, there are stories about data centers driving up energy rates, worsening water shortages, polluting the air and creating a constant noise. |
| John Deere, a U.S. Icon, Is Undermined by Tariffs and Struggling Farmers | |
 | Josh Enlow buys and sells used tractors every day, filling a vast lot in Tulsa, Okla., with hundreds of agricultural and construction machines. His customer base has shifted recently, as farmers and ranchers who would buy only new machines are now coming to his Enlow Tractor Auction interested in his secondhand equipment. "The increases in new pricing has definitely driven people back to the used market," Mr. Enlow said. The list price for new tractors rose at least 60 percent over the last eight years, according to the University of Illinois Extension, with some models more than doubling in price, costing at least $250,000 more than they used to. That's bad news for companies like John Deere, the leading supplier of agricultural machinery in the United States. The company reported a record profit two years ago, but President Trump's tariffs and trade policies are making the market more challenging and unpredictable for the business and its customers. One of the country's largest manufacturers is worse off now than it was six months ago. Last month, John Deere said net income in its most recent quarter was down 29 percent from a year earlier. Higher tariffs, primarily on steel but also on aluminum, have cost the company $300 million so far, with nearly another $300 million expected by the end of the year. This summer the company laid off 238 employees across factories in Illinois and Iowa. |
| Labor market growth slows dramatically in August with U.S. adding just 54,000 jobs, ADP says | |
| U.S. private sector hiring rose less than expected in August, data released Thursday shows, offering the latest indication of trouble in the labor market. Private payrolls increased by just 54,000 in August, according to data from processing firm ADP published Thursday morning. That's below the consensus forecast of 75,000 from economists polled by Dow Jones and marks a significant slowdown from the revised gain of 106,000 seen in the prior month. "The year started with strong job growth, but that momentum has been whipsawed by uncertainty," said Nela Richardson, ADP's chief economist, in a press release. Richardson pointed to rising worries from consumers, labor shortages and disruptions tied to artificial intelligence as potential drivers of this decrease in growth. Now, attention will home in on the all-important jobs report slated for Friday morning. Economists expect the official government report to show 75,000 non-farm payrolls added in August, about even with the prior month, according to estimates collected by Dow Jones. Economists predict the unemployment rate inched up to 4.3% from 4.2%. |
| Chamberlin, Maxwell appear before U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee | |
| Last month, President Donald Trump (R) nominated two sitting Mississippi Supreme Court Justices to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. On Wednesday, they sat for a nomination hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Justices Robert Chamberlin and James Maxwell appeared before the Senate committee, having been introduced by Mississippi's two U.S. Senators, Roger Wicker (R) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R). In a joint statement, Senators Wicker and Hyde-Smith said they wholeheartedly support Justices Maxwell and Chamberlin's nominations to the U.S. District Court. "President Trump chose these men for their qualifications and experience, which will serve them well on the federal bench," the Senators said. "Jimmy and Bobby have dedicated their lives to upholding the Constitution, defending the rule of law, and serving their Mississippi communities with distinction." Wicker and Hyde-Smith said the two state justices are ready to assume the federal roles, "and we look forward to their speedy confirmation both in committee and by the Senate." |
| Trump federal judge nominees for Mississippi testify to Senate committee | |
| Senators pressed Mississippi's two nominees for federal judgeships on Wednesday about their judicial philosophy, qualifications and how they feel about the U.S. Supreme Court recognizing gay marriage. Robert Chamberlin and James Maxwell, two current Mississippi Supreme Court justices, testified at the Senate confirmation hearing about their nominations by President Donald Trump to lifetime judicial slots in northern Mississippi. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the committee's chairman, said the slate of nominees that appeared before the committee was full of "highly qualified men and women who understand the importance of judicial independence in our constitutional design." But senators from both parties still questioned the two men about their judicial records and how they would approach the job of ruling in civil disputes and overseeing criminal trials. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, asked Maxwell to justify the majority opinion he wrote in Nash v. State of Mississippi. In this case, the state Supreme Court upheld a lower-court judge's sentencing of a man to serve 12 years in jail for possessing a cell phone in a correctional facility. Maxwell responded that the lengthy sentence may have been harsh, but his role wasn't to impose a personal sentence on the defendant. "Our role as the Mississippi Supreme Court is to determine if that was a lawful sentence as set by the parameters of our state Legislature," Maxwell responded. |
| Colom campaign starts race with fake call to Hyde-Smith | |
| As the sun set on his first day as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom called up his likely general election opponent, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, to "wish her a good night." "Alright everybody, I just announced that I'm running for United State Senate against Cindy Hyde-Smith," Colom said in the video. "This is not personal. I'm going to call her and wish her good night. Let's see if she answers." A woman's voice is heard answering the phone, to which Colom says, "I can't believe she answered." Colom goes on to unload a litany of campaign talking points over the call, until he closes with, "Bless your heart, OK?" However, the call was staged and the person on the other end of the line was not Hyde-Smith. The social media post was merely a veiled campaign advertisement from the Democrats' preferred candidate. Hyde-Smith's campaign manager, Jake Monssen, said, "Already lying on day one," of the Colom campaign ploy. On Thursday, the Mississippi Republican Party sent a letter to the FBI Special Agent in Charge in Mississippi, the U.S. Attorney in North Mississippi, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Fraud Section, referring Colom for a potential violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 912. MSGOP chairman Mike Hurst, a former U.S. Attorney himself, writes that while some may chalk the social media post up to "dirty politics," "impersonating the voice of a sitting United States Senator is not politics as usual and is not something to be taken lightly." |
| National Democrats promote five candidates in Mississippi special legislative races | |
| The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national Democratic Party-affiliated organization that supports statehouse races, announced Wednesday that it will help five candidates competing in Mississippi's special legislative elections this fall. The five Democratic candidates the organization is supporting are: Theresa Gillespie Isom (Senate District 2), Reginald Jackson (Senate District 11), Dianne Black (Senate District 19), Johnny DuPree (Senate District 45) and Justin Crosby (House District 22). "The DLCC is proud to support these five Mississippi Democrats running strong campaigns to challenge the toxic GOP power in their state," said Heather Williams, president of the DLCC. Isom and DuPree are the Democratic nominees seeking to win newly redrawn Senate districts with no incumbent in the race. Black and Crosby are trying to topple Republican incumbents. Jackson is a Democratic incumbent attempting to ward off a Republican challenger. In 2023, the organization also promoted a slate of Democratic candidates seeking to defeat incumbent Republicans in Mississippi. None of those candidates were successful. |
| Bill Cassidy's reelection once looked tenuous. Things are looking up. | |
 | Bill Cassidy's political career was on life support not so long ago. Now Senate Republicans are waiting to see if President Donald Trump will let him make a miraculous recovery. The potential U-turn comes after the two-term Louisiana Republican was written off by much of his party's MAGA base when he voted in 2021 to convict Trump over his alleged role in fomenting the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. But since January, Cassidy has stuck closely behind Trump, touting his support for the president's nominees and brushing off questions about his relationship with the White House. That fraught relationship is set to come back into focus Thursday, when he'll face a high-profile sparring partner in the Trump administration: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is appearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Cassidy, a doctor trained as a liver specialist, voted to confirm Kennedy earlier this year while airing misgivings about the nominee's unorthodox medical views. In recent months, that criticism erupted again and again after Kennedy pushed out a panel of vaccine experts, and, last week, ousted the head of the CDC. An open clash in Thursday's hearing could complicate the efforts being undertaken by top Senate Republicans to privately urge Trump to back Cassidy. In their view, the Louisianan is a team player and diligent legislator who has a significant fundraising advantage over his field of conservative challengers. |
| Trump extends his reach into Congress in ways large and small | |
 | The invitation arrived in the final days of the summer recess, President Donald Trump's political team summoning House Republican staff to an early morning meeting about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the coming midterm elections. "Attendance will be tracked by Team Trump -- see you there!" read the flyer obtained by The Associated Press. On Wednesday morning, staffers lined up to check in to the private meeting at Republican National Committee headquarters across the street from the U.S. Capitol. What would have been a routine political strategy session with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, pollster Tony Fabrizio and political director James Blair showcased the depth of Trump's reach into the affairs of the legislative branch, with Republican majorities in Congress being led by a powerful executive. While leadership from the White House can prove powerful in motivating lawmakers to fall in line behind a president's priorities, Trump is leading the GOP into a new era of executive power that is steamrolling past the legislative branch in a way unseen in peacetime presidencies. |
| Trump officials ask Supreme Court to quickly allow sweeping tariffs | |
 | The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to quickly overturn a lower-court ruling that invalidated most of the sweeping tariffs on goods from dozens of nations that form the core of the president's economic policy. If the high court decides to hear the appeal, the case would be a blockbuster test of a centerpiece of President Donald Trump's agenda, one that could have huge impacts for consumers, businesses, the U.S. economy and global trade. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the justices to decide by Sept. 10 whether to take the case and urged them to schedule oral arguments by the first week of November, setting up an expedited timeline to render a decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled last week that Trump did not have the authority to impose tariffs under a 1977 law that grants the president power to impose sanctions and other actions in response to threats from abroad. The appeals court put its ruling on hold until mid-October to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. Trump is the first president to assert he can use the nearly 50-year-old International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs, but the appeals court ruled 7-4 that the president went too far. |
| Chief Justice John Roberts is wary of entering political fray, his top adviser says | |
| When Chief Justice John Roberts released his annual year-end message last December, he lamented increasing threats against the judiciary and urged respect for court orders. Some observers saw the message as a veiled response to President Donald Trump's electoral victory less than two months earlier -- or a warning about what Trump's second term might hold. But Roberts' top aide said Wednesday that the chief justice's New Year's Eve missive was not prompted by the election. Robert Dow, a federal judge who serves as counselor to Roberts, told a judicial conference here that the chief justice was instead reacting to a long-term trend of eroding esteem for the judiciary. "We started work on that in about September, and there was a full draft of it before the election, and it was finished up between the administrations," Dow told the 6th Circuit Judicial Conference. "It was the culmination of a lot of things that had been brewing. ... It was a message for that moment and it's really a message for the general times." Dow pointed to other periods in American history when the judiciary loomed large in political debate and sometimes encountered threats of violence over unpopular rulings. "This isn't the first time that we've had to navigate times similar to the times we're in now. It doesn't make it any less scary for all of us who have to navigate that." Roberts "is very aware of these threats," Dow said. But he also suggested the chief justice is wary about being pulled into political struggles where the judiciary is at a significant disadvantage compared to the White House and Congress. |
| U.S. Space Command can be running in Huntsville before Trump leaves office, Redstone official says | |
 | U.S. Space Command headquarters can be fully operational before President Donald Trump leaves office, a Redstone Arsenal official said on Wednesday. "That command can theoretically be operational very, very quickly, in under the three-year timeline easily," Martin Traylor, deputy to the garrison commander, said during a roundtable at the Huntsville-Madison Chamber. "We're the Army. We're going to adjust to whatever we need to do." Traylor presented the timeline for Space Command's relocation from its temporary location in Colorado Springs, saying a small "torch party" would arrive first which could be absorbed "effective today." "We have the space for that and all of the communications," Traylor said. "The next would be a small advance part to come in, maybe 100 people. We also have plans to absorb that instantly." |
| Trump Mulls Sending National Guard to New Orleans | |
 | New Orleans might be the next city to get additional law enforcement from the National Guard, President Trump said Wednesday. Louisiana's Republican governor, Jeff Landry, would welcome the federal assistance to combat crime, the president said during a White House event in the Oval Office. Trump has already deployed National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., to quell what he said was a crime emergency in the nation's capital. He plans to do the same in Chicago, he has said, over the objections of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker. Landry voiced support for Trump's proposal for boots on the ground in Louisiana, posting on X that he would accept National Guardsmen across the state from New Orleans to Shreveport. As governor, however, Landry doesn't have to wait for Trump if he wants National Guard troops in New Orleans, said Georgetown University law professor Stephen Vladeck. "The governor can just call out the Louisiana national guard to perform whatever services are necessary," Vladeck said. "There's no need for federal intervention." Trump has previously said he intends to intervene in Chicago to combat what he has called out-of-control crime. He told reporters he was embarrassed to discuss Chicago's latest crime wave in front of Poland's new president, Karol Nawrocki, who visited the White House on Wednesday. His remarks came the day after a federal judge ruled that the way he deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this year was illegal. |
| Mississippi universities halt funding for student groups, citing DEI law | |
| Some Mississippi universities have stopped giving money to student organizations for club activities due to uncertainty over a state law -- on hold by a federal judge -- that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools. It's one of the first widespread, tangible consequences of a law that attorneys say will have sweeping ramifications across the state's education system. A federal judge has blocked House Bill 1193 for the foreseeable future because he believes it may violate the First Amendment rights of students and teachers. The law will remain blocked until he issues a final ruling after a bench trial, something that will take months to complete. The law -- which prohibits any programming and curriculum related to diversity, equity and inclusion -- includes an exemption for registered student organizations. However, it does not exempt money collected from student activity fees from the prohibition. The Institutions of Higher Learning, the board that governs the state's public universities, said that student activity fees, despite being paid by students through their tuition, are considered state money. "Universities are following state and federal law, including the First Amendment's requirement that student activity fees be used in a viewpoint and content neutral manner," John Sewell, director of communications for IHL, said in an emailed statement to Mississippi Today. |
| University Enters Private Partnership For New Student Housing | |
 | After years of University of Mississippi students facing housing shortages, such as not enough dormitory space on campus to accommodate all enrolled freshmen, the university has entered a partnership with housing development Greystar to construct new student housing complexes on the Oxford campus. Two of these facilities are already in the works, offering approximately additional 2,700 beds for students. The rooms are expected to be available for move-in by 2027. Through this partnership with Greystar, the university will be able to share the financial burden of developing new housing, as well as dining and parking facilities. Greystar has engaged in similar partnerships with other universities across the country. The company completed construction on the College View Apartments at Mississippi State University in 2019. According to MSU, partnering with Greystar allowed the school to build the complex without issuing bonds or accruing additional debt. |
| Ole Miss addiction specialists urge safer choices as new school year begins | |
| As the fall semester and college football season gets underway, University of Mississippi addiction specialists are reminding students to be mindful of alcohol and drug use. "Society normalizes partying, drinking, using drugs as part of the college experience," said Alysia Lajune, program manager for the William Magee Center for Alcohol and Other Drugs and Wellness Education. "It's part of the boxes we feel we need to check when we go to college." A spring 2025 survey from the university's William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing found that more than half of undergraduate students in Mississippi reported using harmful substances in the past month. About 53% said they drank alcohol, 20% reported using cigarettes or e-cigarettes, and 15% said they used recreational drugs. While alcohol remains the most commonly used substance, drinking among college students has been declining nationally. According to the Monitoring the Future report, alcohol use is at its lowest recorded rate, with 71.5% reporting use in the past year and 63% in the past 30 days. September is Recovery Awareness Month, and the Magee Center is promoting harm reduction strategies and alternatives for students on campus. Counselors recommend several safer drinking practices, such as alternating alcohol with water, eating before and while drinking, avoiding binge drinking, and arranging safe transportation through a designated driver or ride-share. |
| Plaque Placed Outside Fulton Chapel To Honor Ole Miss 8 | |
| The University of Mississippi has unveiled a plaque commemorating a 1970 campus protest by Black students at Fulton Chapel. A ceremony was hosted on Tuesday, Sept. 2, outside Fulton Chapel, where the plaque stands. The plaque honors the Ole Miss 8, who, on Feb. 24, 1970, read out the Black Student Union's 27 demands at a peaceful protest against racial discrimination at the university. The students voiced their desires for "inclusivity on campus." These eight students, along with several other Black students, were arrested; all eight were also "suspended from the university," and the other students were "placed on probation," reads the plaque. The Ole Miss 8 finished their degrees elsewhere, but in 2020, UM offered a formal apology to the group and presented Linnie Liggins Willis with her diploma, which the university denied her in 1970 despite the fact that she had completed all her required hours. The front of the plaque contains a short description of the Fulton Chapel protest. The back of the plaque explains in greater depth why this protest was an important step toward civil rights for Black Southerners. |
| Officials seeking outside help in search for new Jackson State University president | |
| Officials overseeing public colleges and universities in Mississippi are seeking outside help in finding a new president at Jackson State University. "The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning is seeking proposals from executive search firms to assist with the search for a new president at Jackson State University," a release from the institution reads. The request comes a little under three weeks after IHL officials announced that board vice president Dr. Steven Cunningham, a graduate of Jackson State, will chair the search committee. All other trustees will also serve on the committee. But to aid in seeking a qualified candidate for the post, officials are looking for a search firm to help fill any potential gaps. The IHL's official request for proposal is located on its website. A search committee was formed three months after former Jackson State president Dr. Marcus Thompson resigned from his post amid litigation pending against him. Dr. Denise Jones Gregory, the university's provost and vice president of academic affairs, has taken Thompson's former office in the interim. |
| JSU art history professor Brittany Myburgh speaks to Rotary | |
| JSU art history professor Brittany Myburgh gave a talk to the Rotary Club of North Jackson about art history in the digital age. Myburgh, a New Zealander, talked about preserving and accessing art using advances in digital technology, including AI. She said she loves living in Mississippi for its warm climate and friendly people. She has been in Mississippi four years now. She is assistant professor of Art History at Jackson State University, Curator of the Permanent Art Collection at JSU and Co-ordinator of Computational Arts at the African Digital Humanities Lab. |
| Two juveniles arrested for over 20 auto burglaries on local college campuses | |
| Two juveniles were arrested in connection with over 20 auto burglaries in Jackson. Capitol Police made the arrests on Tuesday morning after multiple vehicles were reported broken into on the Belhaven University and Millsaps campuses, and one vehicle was reported stolen. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said that within just a few hours, Capitol Police officers spotted the stolen vehicle traveling on Pear Orchard Road and conducted a traffic stop. The driver and passenger, both juveniles, were then arrested, and stolen items were recovered from the vehicle. |
| Schools prepare for the worst as RFK Jr. reshapes the vaccine landscape | |
 | Schools already dealing with declining childhood vaccination rates are watching with alarm Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent moves on public health. Leaders are putting plans in place to handle outbreaks in classrooms after the U.S. this year saw its largest measles outbreak in decades and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for those under 18. Kennedy, meanwhile, has fired all 17 sitting members of CDC's vaccine advisory panel and also moved to oust the CDC head and other top HHS experts. The states of Oregon, Washington and California announced on Wednesday that they are creating a public health partnership in an effort to spread the word about the safety and importance of vaccines. But some states are taking the opposite approach. Florida announced Wednesday it is looking to end all vaccine mandates in the state. "Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery," said Joseph Ladapo, Florida's surgeon general. School districts in the Sunshine State currently require vaccinations for polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus and other communicable diseases, similar to others around the country. |
| How Trump is using civil rights laws to bring schools to heel | |
 | In April, the U.S. Department of Education used a landmark law intended, in part, to end racial discrimination to investigate Chicago Public Schools over a "Black Students Success Plan," after a complaint that the program discriminated against students of other races. In July, the department ruled five Virginia school districts had violated another civil rights law, intended to protect women and girls from sex discrimination and harassment, by allowing transgender students to use school facilities based on gender identity, not biological sex. And just last week, the Trump administration announced a similar finding against Denver Public Schools, warning the district to, among other things, "adopt biology-based definitions for the words 'male' and 'female'" within 10 days or risk losing federal funding. The country's federal civil rights laws, written to protect marginalized groups from discrimination, have become an unlikely tool in the Trump administration's efforts to end targeted support for students of color and protections for transgender students. Of this new campaign, the Trump administration insists it is enforcing decades-old civil rights laws as they were intended. |
| U. of Alabama to implement changes to core curriculum | |
| The University will implement its new system for general education this semester for new students. The new system, "Built by Bama," takes full effect in the fall 2025 semester, making the class of 2029 the first to come in under the new system. The number of credit hours required for graduation dropped from 53-55 to 37-38 credit hours, depending on the major. The change will allow students to reduce time until graduation. "This is a huge step forward for the University and our curriculum," said Ayinde Tor, a junior majoring in biology. "When I was an incoming freshman, I had to take all of these gen ed courses that I didn't think were really applicable to me or my major." "Built by Bama" has been in development since January 2023, after a faculty referendum held in November 2022 supported changing the University's general education requirements. Over the last three years, aspects of the plan have been integrated, such as the addition of the UA First Year Experience peer program. "The updated curriculum allows for a coherent, unified core spanning an entire undergraduate education while providing a foundation for all majors and minors," said Chapman Greer, an associate provost of general education and senior instructor of management. |
| Julia Letlow rules out bid to be next LSU president | |
 | U.S. Rep Julia Letlow on Wednesday ruled out applying to be the next president of LSU, ending widespread speculation just as the search to replace former President William Tate is gearing up. Scott Ballard, who is chairing the search, said he hopes the university will announce Tate's replacement before Thanksgiving and, addressing a matter of much speculation, said Gov. Jeff Landry hasn't expressed to him a preference for who that person should be. In her statement, Letlow answered one question about her future but left another unanswered: Will she join the three other Republicans challenging U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy in his campaign for reelection? "For now, I need to stay focused on the 5th," Congressional District, which includes LSU, Letlow told host Brian Haldane on Baton Rouge radio station 107.3. "There's so much more good work that can be accomplished for the university right here in D.C." Letlow said, "It has been humbling, to say the least, to be considered," but that "now is not the right time to pursue the presidency of LSU." other questions about her political future. Political insiders have been discussing Letlow's plans for weeks because of her academic background -- she was a top official at the University of Louisiana at Monroe before her husband's death in 2020 prompted her to run for Congress -- and the positive reviews she's received during her four years in Washington, D.C. |
| Fall enrollment at U. of Arkansas surpasses 34,000 students | |
| Fall enrollment at the University of Arkansas has hit another milestone. Preliminary numbers for this year's fall semester show 34,175 students are enrolled at the university -- the most ever recorded. Of those, 29,260 are undergraduate students and 4,915 are graduate students. Both undergraduate and graduate enrollment are records as well. Information came from the university's "11th day" enrollment figures, which are taken on the 11th day of the semester. The data are preliminary and will be finalized later this fall, according to a university spokesman. This year's totals mark the fifth consecutive year in which overall enrollment increased and the first time enrollment has exceeded 34,000. In 2024, the university reported 33,610 students enrolled, making for about a 2% increase. However, fall enrollment grew by 6,613 students, or 24%, since 2020. Of the total, 16,658 students, or just short of 49%, are from Arkansas, according to the figures. |
| New center for disease research, prosthetics and startups opens at U. of Tennessee Research Park | |
 | The collaborative, technologically advanced Center for Precision Health at UT Medical Center is now open at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm, furthering the hospital's ongoing relationship with the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The center will serve various functions, including studying disease trends in East Tennessee and creating parts for prosthetics. First envisioned in 2021, the 13,000-square-foot center is a shared space for UT faculty members, students, hospital physicians and community partners to use for research, located on the third floor of the Orthopaedic Institute at 1600 Accelerator Way. Precision health focuses on how a disease affects individual patients and understanding differences between regions, like cancer rates in East Tennessee. "From the time we first conceived of the Center for Precision Health, that's been our goal -- to bring researchers, physicians, community partners together with the tools and capabilities they need to solve the problems we're experiencing," UT Chancellor Donde Plowman said during the ribbon cutting Sept. 3. "The collaboration that happens here at the Center for Precision Health will improve health outcomes for Tennesseans and people everywhere." |
| UF's new interim President Dr. Donald Landry to focus on filling 'key leadership positions' | |
 | The "need to secure leadership" is among the top issues new University of Florida interim President Dr. Donald Landry plans to address during his time in Gainesville. Landry, a professor of medicine from Columbia University, was selected as the university's next interim president by the board of trustees on Aug. 25, and replaces outgoing interim President Kent Fuchs, who had served in the role since August 2024. During his confirmation hearing in front of UF's trustees, Landry called the number of UF colleges without a permanent leader the "major issue facing the university at this time." Currently five of the university's 16 colleges are without a permanent dean. "Much effort must be made to fill these," Landry said. "I have no presuppositions about how they should be filled -- internally or externally." UF's Presidential Search Committee is expected to begin its next search for a permanent leader -- its third in four years -- in early 2026. |
| Texas A&M students arrive to dirty apartments in College Station | |
 | Move-in day for Texas A&M University students returning to College Station to start another year can be a time of anticipation and excitement. Several students moving into The Aria apartments at 117 Holleman Drive West late last month said the experience was an exercise in frustration. Several said they arrived to find dirty, underfurnished apartments with apparent black mold in the ventilation, though the apartment managers said the issues were isolated to a few units. "When I came in here, we originally moved all our stuff in, and we found a whole bunch of trash around the apartment, like our floors haven't been swept or cleaned. There's a full trash can of trash. There's a bunch of flies and bugs in the sink area," said Ella Tran, a student from Austin. "And when I stayed over the night for that first night, I started feeling sick and congested throughout the night, and I would wake up and be uncomfortable. And then when we opened the ducts and the vents, we found that it was growing mold." In a statement last week, the general counsel for the apartment management company said the vast majority of the property had no issues as about 1,000 students moved in, and problems that arose with a few units have been addressed. According to spokesperson Colin Killian, the city of College Station does not have an apartment inspection program. He said Texas A&M has an off-campus student services office that can assist with apartment rental problems. |
| He Neutered Faculty Senates. Now He's Set to Be a Chancellor. | |
 | In 2023, Texas became one of the first red states to institute a sweeping ban on diversity, equity and inclusion in public colleges and universities. Following pro-Palestinian protests and a police crackdown on an encampment at the University of Texas at Austin in 2024, the Texas Legislature this year passed another law restricting free speech on public campuses, including banning all expressive activities from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. The Legislature also this year passed a wide-ranging bill that allows public college and university presidents to take over faculty senates and councils, prohibits faculty elected to those bodies from serving more than two years in a row, and creates an "ombudsman" position that can threaten universities' funding if they don't follow that law or the DEI ban. The lead author listed on all three laws is Sen. Brandon Creighton, chair of the Texas Senate education committee. Having overhauled higher ed statewide, he's about to get the chance to further his vision at one large university system: On Thursday, the Texas Tech University System plans to name Creighton the "sole finalist" for the system chancellor and chief executive officer job. His hiring by the system's Board of Regents -- whose members are appointed by the governor with confirmation from the Senate -- marks another example of a Republican politician in a large red state, namely Texas and Florida, being installed as a higher ed leader. |
| Texas student groups sue to block state law that limits campus protests | |
| The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sued the University of Texas System in federal court on Wednesday to block a new state law that creates rules for campus protests and gives university systems' governing boards the power to limit where they can take place. In the 59-page lawsuit, attorneys from FIRE argue that Senate Bill 2972 violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments because it prohibits protected expression and speech. According to the law, expressive activity is banned on campuses from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., a rule that applies to students, campus groups and university employees. "The First Amendment doesn't set when the sun goes down," said FIRE attorney JT Morris. "University students have expressive freedom whether it's midnight or midday, and Texas can't just legislate those constitutional protections out of existence." Lawmakers passed SB 2972 during this year's regular legislative session largely in response to last year's pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses. Republicans who support the law say it will prevent disruption and unsafe behavior seen during those demonstrations. Critics say it contradicts previous conservative efforts to protect free speech rights on Texas campuses. |
| U. of Oklahoma announces new guidelines for employee email signatures, does not include personalized pronouns | |
| The University of Oklahoma announced new guidelines for employee email signature templates in a mass email Wednesday. New guidelines listed in the email require names to be bolded and typed in crimson font, and hyperlinks to be recolored to crimson font. The guidelines also prohibit unique or individualized quotes, along with images and logos, and discourages non-university affiliations. Employees may include academic credentials, name pronunciation, social media accounts, fax number, tribal affiliations and a confidentiality notice. The email does not mention the usage of preferred pronouns. The email states university employees must implement changes no later than Sept. 30. The changes align with the third pillar of OU's "Lead On, University" strategic plan, which aims to unify all OU campuses under shared goals, according to the email. "These templates are essential in advancing a unified One OU brand and will help strengthen consistency across all campuses and units," the email states. |
| How UNC Led a First-of-Its-Kind Plan to Shake Up College Accreditation | |
 | "Woke." "Ideological fads." "Cartels." That's how Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, described university accreditors in late June. Accreditors evaluate academic quality, and institutions can't receive federal financial aid without their signoff. But DeSantis said the review bodies' standards reinforce progressive ideology on campus, and he announced that Florida and several other state university systems were going to ditch their old accreditor and form a new one focused on public universities. "They exert all this power over our educational institutions," DeSantis said. "That stops today. Florida and our neighboring states -- our sister states who are joining us in this effort -- we're going to have the last say on that." DeSantis's critiques echoed widespread complaints among conservatives, including President Trump, about college accreditation. But while Florida broke the news about the six-state accreditor now known as the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE), more than 800 pages of public records and other documents obtained by The Assembly show the University of North Carolina system was at the center of the project for more than a year. In July 2024, the UNC system and the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, convened representatives from Florida, Georgia, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia to talk about alternatives to the current model for accreditation, documents show. |
| Scientists: Now Is the Time to Overhaul Federal Research Regulations | |
| The rise of generative artificial intelligence and the Trump administration's deregulation push make now the right time to streamline and reduce federal scientific research regulations, argues a report the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine published Wednesday. "At a time when the scientific enterprise is under a lot of pressure -- we don't want to pretend that's not true -- this is also a wonderful opportunity to streamline the workload not only of researchers, but of institutions and other individuals," Alan Leshner, chair of the NASEM committee that produced the report, said at a public briefing. "We would be foolish not to take advantage of the policy climate that favors deregulation and unburdening our scientific enterprise from unnecessary, duplicative and uncoordinated rules and regulations." The 125-page report, entitled "Simplifying Research Regulations and Policies: Optimizing American Science," lays out a three-pronged framework to guide a cohesive national strategy toward implementing more economical regulations. |
| 'A Robust Victory': Federal Judge Says Harvard Should Have Billions of Research Dollars Restored | |
| A federal district court in Massachusetts gave a nearly complete victory to Harvard University on Wednesday, ruling that the Trump administration was wrong to terminate more than $2 billion in grants and contracts in April. Judge Allison D. Burroughs awarded summary judgment on nearly all counts to Harvard, finding that the government had violated the institution's rights under the First Amendment and under the civil-rights law Title VI. At the heart of the case, Burroughs ruled that the government's explanation for canceling the grants -- that Harvard had done too little to respond to antisemitism -- rang hollow. "The record here ... does not reflect that fighting antisemitism was" the government's "true aim in acting against Harvard and, even if it were, combating antisemitism cannot be accomplished on the back of the First Amendment," Burroughs concluded in her 84-page decision. Harvard's president, Alan Garber, seemed to tread carefully in a message to the campus community on Wednesday. University officials have for weeks been in discussions about a potential settlement with the Trump administration. Other higher-education legal experts agreed that the court handed Harvard a major win, at least for the moment. Neal M. Hutchens, a professor who studies the intersection of law and higher-education policy at the University of Kentucky, said the ruling affirms the strong protections that the First Amendment provides higher education. But Hutchens warned that the Supreme Court may have a different take on the case, given the justices’ recent ruling in a lawsuit involving hundreds of National Institutes of Health grants. |
| UC warns of 'distinct possibility' of federal funding losses beyond UCLA, with billions at risk in spat with Trump | |
 | The University of California's top leader has raised the "distinct possibility" that financial losses due to the Trump administration's funding cuts could amount to billions of dollars and extend beyond UCLA to the entire 10-campus system, telling state legislators Wednesday that "the stakes are high and the risks are very real." In a letter to dozens of lawmakers obtained by The Times, UC President James B. Milliken said the university is facing "one of the gravest threats in UC's 157-year history" after the Trump administration cut off more than $500 million in grants to UCLA before demanding a $1.2-billion fine over allegations of campus antisemitism. Milliken outlined the potential losses at the nation's preeminent public university system under Trump's higher education agenda in his strongest and most detailed public words since starting the job Aug. 1, days after funding troubles hit UCLA. In a statement about the letter, a UC spokesperson said the university "is committed to working with leaders in Sacramento and across the country to ensure we have the resources we need to continue generating jobs, life-changing discoveries, and economic opportunity in the face of historic challenges." |
| House Appropriators Protect Pell While Cutting Other Federal Grants | |
| First, President Trump proposed a multibillion-dollar slash to the federal budget for higher ed. Then, Senate appropriators rejected his plan, keeping funding for many programs intact. And now House Republicans have landed somewhere in the middle, choosing to advance some of the president's political priorities while blocking others. Released Tuesday, the House's spending plan would cut the Department of Education's budget by 15 percent. That gives the agency $67 billion, down from $79 billion in fiscal year 2025. Funding for key student aid programs like the Pell Grant and the TRIO college-access initiative would remain stable, but others could face steep cuts or be zeroed out entirely. The bill also includes a $456 million cut to the National Institutes of Health, a ban on enforcing certain Biden-era regulations and an attempt to rename the new workforce Pell Grant as the Trump Grant. Policy experts largely say this bill represents exactly what they expected. The few surprises, they added, were positive ones. "At a high level, the House seems to be attempting to align with Trump a little bit more closely than the Senate side," said Emmanual Guillory, senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education. "But if anything was surprising, it was the pleasant surprise that [cuts to] some areas like Work-Study weren't as significant as the ones Trump proposed." (Trump's proposal would have slashed $980 million from Federal Work-Study, and the House plan would only cut about $451 million, congressional Democrats say.) |
| Mississippi farmers are in a free fall | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: Northside Sun outdoor columnist Jeff North stopped by to see me just as I was running up against my column deadline. After chatting for 30 minutes, I told him I really had to get to work writing, "What are you going to write about this week," he asked. "I think I'm going to write about what you've just told me." What Jeff told me was not good news. He said that after 47 years in the business, he's never seen Mississippi farmers in such bad shape. "It's a bloodbath." He predicted 20 percent of Mississippi farmers will be pushed out of business. Jeff is an entomologist. He studies the bugs that like to eat crops and how to control them. He knows a huge number of Delta farmers. He should know what's going on. I've heard the same story from Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, who is the main political figure sounding the alarm about the impending Mississippi farm disaster. ... I can't help but wonder if the Trump administration's unprecedented international trade war with its endless rejiggering of tariffs is partially causing this farming crisis. Business needs stability and predictability in which to operate. |
SPORTS
| Football: 'We've Been Preparing For Moments Like This' | |
| If your heart pumps blood that's colored a shade of Maroon, you already know the assignment. Saturday night. Stark Vegas. Under the lights at Davis Wade Stadium. It's THE place to be for anyone and everyone that loves Mississippi State University. And if, for whatever reason, you're a Bulldog still on the fence about your Saturday night plans, cornerback Kelley Jones wants you to know he and his teammates strongly hope you're there to have their backs against No. 12 Arizona State. "I expect all of our fans to come out," Jones said. "We've been preparing for moments like this." If you do, one of the Dawgs that's likely to have you clanging your cowbell throughout the evening is Jones. The dynamic defensive back got his 2025 season off to a stellar start last weekend at Southern Miss. Jones opened the year by posting a career-high two pass breakups to go along with a pair of tackles. What led to his early success? Jones said it was a mentality preached to the Dawg corners by position coach Corey Bell. "I [believe] the ball is always coming to [the man I'm covering]," Jones said. "Every play, [believe] the ball is coming to your man." |
| Like Travis Hunter? Mississippi State football's Stonka Burnside will play offense and defense | |
 | Mississippi State football safety Stonka Burnside will continue playing offense and defense this season, according to Jeff Lebby. "He's always been good with the ball in his hands, so having the ability to use him at times offensively, we're going to continue to do that," Lebby, MSU's second-year coach, said on his weekly radio show appearance on Sept. 3. "I think that's important for us, and he'll be a part of it every single week somehow, some way." Burnside, a Starkville native and four-star wide receiver in the 2024 recruiting class, played wide receiver last season before switching to safety. However, he mostly played special teams in 2024, recording two tackles. His one reception was for minus-6 yards. Burnside played two snaps on offense and 13 on defense in MSU's 34-17 season-opening win at Southern Miss on Aug. 30, according to Pro Football Focus. He had one rush for six yards in the third quarter but did not record a defensive stat. |
| Whitson, D-line show promise ahead of big test | |
| Mississippi State's season-opening win saw the defense smother the opposing run game. Southern Miss's offensive line is a unit with several newcomers, and while they got some push early on, they struggled to establish the run beyond the first two drives. The Bulldogs wore them down and put it all on quarterback Braylon Braxton to make plays happen, allowing just 102 yards on the ground with only 44 coming from the running backs. "It was huge for our confidence, but for those guys to play free and fast and make plays, that was the stress for those guys all week," MSU head coach Jeff Lebby said in Hattiesburg after the win. "We have a ton to clean up, a ton to work on, but it was a good starting point." For MSU, the personnel adjustments seem to have paid off on defense, especially with retaining difference makers and adding talent through the transfer portal. It's a strength in numbers approach that helps make up for the lack of a dominant pass rusher or game-breaker on the defensive line. |
| How Mississippi State football fans can tour Davis Wade Stadium locker room, get premium packages | |
| Mississippi State football fans can now tour the locker room at Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs announced Sept. 3 that they are selling tickets for tours the night before home games. It starts Week 2 when MSU (1-0) hosts No. 10 Arizona State (1-0) on Sept. 6 (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2). Tickets are $100 per person. Fans also can take a photo on the field. The ticket description notes that it's for Mississippi State fans only and "anyone wearing non-MSU fan gear will not be permitted to participate in the tour and will not be issued a refund." Locker room tours are available before the Week 3 home game against Alcorn State as well. MSU announced it is auctioning premium seat packages and pregame sideline passes, with proceeds going toward the Bulldog Club, MSU's athletic foundation. Bids are open for the Arizona State and Alcorn State games. Pregame sideline pass bids start at $375 for two people or $500 for four people at the Arizona State game; they are slightly cheaper for the Alcorn State game. |
| 15 former Mississippi State players set to hit NFL stage in week one | |
| College football was back in full force last week and now it's the NFL's turn to take center stage. A new season begins on Thursday night when Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys head to Philadelphia to take on the defending Super Bowl Champions. It all kicks off four days of football with a former Bulldog featured across the board. This season, we will be back to breakdown how each week went for State players in the NFL with a full stats recap of the week and we'll follow them as the season progresses. As we head into week one of the season, 15 former Bulldogs will be on active rosters this week with others having a chance to find new homes in the coming weeks. |
| Soccer: Senior Night Features Battle Of The Bulldogs Thursday | |
| Mississippi State soccer will celebrate the four members of its senior class on Thursday night as the Bulldogs host Louisiana Tech at 6:30 p.m. CT. The battle of the Bulldogs will air on SEC Network+. The match will feature two teams committed to playing possession-oriented soccer. State has managed to have more possession in every one of its wins this year, and posted a season-high 70 percent of possession against Jacksonville State. MSU's dominance on the ball was on display last weekend as the Bulldogs possessed for more than 11 of the final 13 minutes of play at Oklahoma State. State has posted two shutouts so far, and six different players have scored a goal through four contests. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech has been shut out in three consecutive matches while allowing at least 20 shots in each of those. Mississippi State's four seniors that will be recognized pregame are Nancy Almanza, Chelsea Wagner, Naila Schoefberger and Ally Perry. Wagner and Schoefberger transferred into the program prior to the 2024 season, while Almanza joined the team this year. Perry has played in Starkville for five seasons. |
| Millsaps, Belhaven football to square off in annual Riverside Rumble | |
| College football is back across all levels, and one of the first games to kick off the Division III season will happen in Jackson between crosstown rivals Millsaps College and Belhaven University. With one road -- Riverside Drive -- dividing the two schools and a shared neighborhood footprint, the annual Riverside Rumble is a rivalry that couldn't be much closer in distance or record. Kickoff from inside the Belhaven Bowl is Thursday at 7 p.m. It's free to get in, but before you go, here's what to know. Brandon Lechtenberg heads into his second season as head coach and is avidly working to move Millsaps away from over a decade of also-ran status. His first year as frontman was a good start with the team pulling out a win in the Riverside Rumble before finishing 5-5 – the program's most wins since 2019. Lechtenberg was rewarded at the end of the season with the honor of Southern Athletic Association Coach of the Year. Going into year two of the CJ Nightingale era, the Blazers will take the gridiron with a squad anchored by veterans. Belhaven's roster consists of 28 seniors and a litany of returners who earned significant playing time in 2024. Like the Majors, the Blazers broke even a season ago with a 5-5 record. Nightingale made his way to Jackson in January 2024 and had to hit the ground running quickly to solidify the roster before opening kickoff. But now, with a full year of recruiting and player development to work with, the Belhaven frontman is more confident in the product that will be on display in his second campaign. |
| Record-Breaking List of 3,685 Graduates Playing College Football This Season | |
| For the eighth year, the National Football Foundation has released its annual list of current student-athletes at all levels of the game who have already earned their undergraduate degrees, underscoring the game's commitment to academic achievement and reinforcing the belief that football develops leaders. "This is proof that education remains at the heart of college football and that the game continues to shape leaders beyond the field, something we should celebrate just as much as the competition itself," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. The NFF compiled this list with the help of sports information directors from all divisions of the NCAA and NAIA who identified the players on their 2025 fall rosters who have already earned their undergraduate degrees. 302 schools submitted their information for inclusion. The numbers include 2,255 players from 133 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), 1,083 players from 86 schools in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), 238 players from 39 schools in Division II, 71 players from 33 schools in Division III and 38 players from 11 NAIA schools. Northwestern and Virginia lead all schools nationwide (as well as the FBS) with 34 players each having already earned their degrees. |
| Nearly $80 million worth of NIL deals cleared by College Sports Commission | |
 | Nearly $80 million in name, image and likeness deals were cleared by the newly established College Sports Commission from June through the end of August, the clearinghouse announced on Thursday. According to a report detailing the commission's first two months, over 8,000 NIL deals were cleared, with values ranging up to $1.6 million and beyond. The commission said more than 28,000 college athletes have registered to use the program, called NIL Go, which was created in the wake of the House settlement that allowed universities to distribute payments for the use of NIL directly to athletes. Schools are allowed to spend up to $20.5 million per year to athletes. The deas athletes have with schools do not go through the College Sports Commission. Only deals with external parties must get approval from NIL Go. In a given week since going live on June 11, NIL Go has been used by an average of 1,658 athletes and 507 institutional users, the commission said. There have been 332 proposed NIL deals that have not been approved, with 75 deals since altered and resubmitted for approval. The most common issues with rejected NIL deals were delays in submitting information, contradictory deal terms or incorrectly entered information, and proposals that failed to "satisfy valid business purpose requirements." There are currently no deals in arbitration, according to the report. |
| It's Not a 'Mutual-Defense Compact.' But a New Ad From 18 Universities Aims to Send a Message. | |
| Months ago, faculty leaders across the Big Ten tried to push their institutions to adopt a "mutual-defense compact" -- effectively a commitment that if the Trump administration sought to pull grant funding or otherwise punish one university, its peers would respond. Administrators didn't endorse the idea. Now the 18 universities in the Big Ten, which represent both an athletic conference and an academic alliance, have collaborated on an advertisement defending higher ed that will air during college football games. The 30-second spot blends a healthy dose of agrarian charm and shots of high-tech laboratories, highlighting the universities' contributions to research, health care, and their communities. College sports broadcasts often feature ads promoting the competing universities as well as the athletic conference as a whole. But this fall, amid the federal government's attempts to slash research funding and the general public's shaky confidence in higher education, the Big Ten's campaign hits differently. In the same week that the new ad was announced, the chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign acknowledged that reality in an interview with Illinois Public Media. "I am assuming that we will eventually find ourselves a target, as is everyone in higher ed," said Charles L. Isbell Jr. |
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