Wednesday, October 8, 2014   
 
Dak attack
Dak Prescott, who may win the Heisman Trophy, was a chatterbox when young. By the time he put on shoulder pads at Haughton High School in northwestern Louisiana, Rayne Dakota Prescott, who most know as "Dak," had grown out of his talkative ways. As the starting quarterback at Mississippi State University now, Prescott has the college football world talking about him. So who is he? Where did he come from? On Haughton High School's football field, which is surrounded by pine trees, Dak Prescott would transform from the carefree boy who shared a bedroom with his mother into a Louisiana football legend. For all his wins and the hype surrounding MSU's season, Prescott, the people from his hometown say, remains the same young man he was in Haughton.
 
Big hype abounds for big game
Sid Salter has been waiting for a week like this for decades. Before he became Mississippi State University's chief communications officer, even before he began his ongoing syndicated political column, he was a student at MSU who was there for MSU's famed 1980 football win in Jackson over the University of Alabama. He said he already believes MSU's decisive 48-31 win over Texas A&M University last Saturday ranks with that 1980 game and any other victory in the program's history, and he believes an even bigger win lies ahead against Auburn University on Saturday. (Subscriber-only content.)
 
Ground Broken On New Baptist Student Union at Mississippi State
Mississippi Baptist Convention Board members, alongside Mississippi State University officials, broke ground Tuesday for what will become the largest Baptist Student Union in the Southern Baptist Convention. The site is located close to the BSU at 282 E. Lee Blvd. and will be a few feet south at the former location of Hamlin Hall, a former residence hall torn down in 2004. MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Vice President for Campus Services Amy Tuck emphasized the expansion of the BSU will serve to expand the connections among the students participating. "This is a great day as we celebrate a new beautiful building to serve the needs of the campus community, but more importantly to serve the spiritual needs of the students," Keenum said. He noted the many other ministries and student organizations represented on campus.
 
Mississippi State to Name Major Research Facility for Former President Portera
Mississippi State is honoring a former president with the formal naming of a building. At a 3 p.m. public program Friday, the university will dedicate the Malcolm A. Portera High Performance Computing Center in the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. Portera, a West Point native and MSU alumnus, served as the land-grant institution's 16th president from 1998-2001. As chief executive, he was a constant champion of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Computational Field Simulation that evolved into the High Performance Computing Collaboratory located in the facility that now bears his name. In addition to Portera, dedication speakers will include current President Mark E. Keenum; David Shaw, MSU's vice president for research and economic development; and Trey Breckenridge, director of the Portera Center.
 
Mississippi State pinks up campus
Mississippi State is painting the campus pink. Survivors, doctors and members of the university set up booths for the free breast cancer awareness event on Tuesday. They gave away cancer prevention information for those who stopped by. They want people to know breast cancer doesn't know age. Survivor Elizabeth Sykes knows that all too well. Doctors diagnosed her at 25. That age is far below the statistic. "I was the first person to be diagnosed in my family to ever be diagnosed with any kind of cancer, and I'm just so thankful that I get to help other people on their journey," the six-year survivor said.
 
Hygiene Key to Avoiding Ebola, Says MSU Viral Disease Expert
Prospective travelers may feel concerned about the recent confirmed diagnosis of Ebola virus disease both in North America and in the United States. People should remain cautious, according to a leading viral disease authority at Mississippi State University. "Hygiene is very important," said Dr. Henry Wan, associate professor of systems biology in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. MSU's Longest Student Health Center officials are informed and prepared, according to Dr. Cliff Story, the executive director of the center whose international clinical experience includes Central America.
 
Nine competing Friday Night for Miss MSU 2015
Two each freshmen, sophomores and seniors, along with three juniors, are seeking the title of Miss Mississippi State University 2015. Taking place Friday, the annual pageant gets under way at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. General admission is $15; $10 for enrolled MSU students with identification. Tickets may be purchased online at www.events.msstate.edu/tickets or from the Center for Student Activities in Colvard Student Union, Suite 314. The winner will represent the university next summer in the Miss Mississippi Pageant at Vicksburg. The winner there advances to the Miss America Pageant.
 
Sweet potato producers hoping weather turns friendly
A dry September put a damper on Mississippi sweet potato production, but the rain in early October may help the crop remaining in the field. Stephen Meyers, sweet potato specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said sweet potato fields received about an inch of rain Oct. 3. "We're optimistic that this rain will help size up the storage roots, but because of muddy conditions, producers will probably be out of the field for two days, and then resume harvest," Meyers said. The bulk of Mississippi's sweet potato production is grown within a 40-mile radius of Vardaman in Calhoun County.
 
MSU Extension award honors Lincoln County businessman
A new endowment at Mississippi State University honors the life and work of Brookhaven resident Franklin Theodore Burns. Burns' children, Jill Logan and Ted Burns, created the Franklin T. Burns Outstanding Extension Community Resource Development Award at MSU. The endowment will provide a financial stipend to an outstanding professional with the MSU Extension Service. The award will be presented at the Extension Annual Conference held each October on MSU's Starkville campus. Burns is well-known for his extensive involvement in his hometown. Since the 1950s, he has owned Brookhaven Nurseries. The fund remains open for additional contributions from donors who wish to honor Burns.
 
Starkville School District readying lobbying effort for consolidation funding
Starkville School District representatives and stakeholders will yet again lobby lawmakers this legislative term for state-level funding that could help facilitate various construction projects as the system joins with Oktibbeha County School District in 2015. Despite receiving no state funding in the last term, SSD Superintendent Lewis Holloway said lobbyists again will seek monies for the proposed construction of a grades 6-7 school on Mississippi State University's campus and an expanded pre-kindergarten program. State Rep. Gary Chism, R-Columbus, said lawmakers previously discussed opening up the state's $25 million-capped public school building fund for districts under forced consolidation orders for construction projects, but it is unlikely representatives will allocate new funding streams for such endeavors this upcoming legislative session.
 
Starkville aldermen tap T.E. Lott for Cadence due diligence studies
Starkville aldermen greenlit Golden Triangle accounting firm T.E. Lott and Company to perform due diligence studies on Cadence Bank's Main Street location in advance of the city's potential purchase of the building and subsequent transformation into Starkville's police and judicial headquarters. Aldermen spent more than an hour Tuesday behind closed doors discussing several executive session items dealing with the looming purchase and emerged with a motion authorizing Mayor Parker Wiseman to sign a letter of intent with the company.
 
Starkville man arrested on aggravated assault charge
A Starkville man was arrested Sunday after fleeing from a traffic stop and assaulting an officer. Starkville police say 23-year-old Shawn Dewayne Boyd was stopped on Lynn Lane Extension around 2 a.m. Sunday for traffic violations. Boyd ditched his vehicle and fled into the woods on foot with officers following behind him. Once in the woods, Boyd hit one of the officers. Starkville police say the officer is okay, and detectives later arrested Boyd at his home.
 
Murray to lead Christmas parade in Columbus
The Columbus Christmas Parade is going to have a younger feel this year. Jasmine Murray, the reigning Miss Mississippi and Columbus native, will serve as the parade's grand marshal. "It means a lot to me, because I'm from Columbus," Murray said. Murray has taken the year off from her studies at Mississippi State University to serve as Miss Mississippi. She said she is learning a lot even outside the classroom. She's also helped fund her education by winning scholarship money at the Miss America competition. "It's going to definitely help me continue my education, and that's what I'm very excited about," said Murray, who is studying broadcasting at MSU.
 
Qualifying deadline for District 17 Senate vacancy passes
The candidates hoping to replace the vacant District 17 Mississippi Senate are set after the deadline to qualify passed Monday. The four names on the Nov. 4 special election ballot will be Bill "Doc" Canon, Bill Gavin, Bobby Patrick and Chuck Younger. They are vying to fill the one year remaining on the late Terry Brown's term. Brown died Sept. 4 after a battle with cancer. District 17 currently comprises all of Lowndes County but will be redrawn to include eastern Lowndes County and portions of Monroe County due to redistricting. The regular senate election next year will be based on the redrawn boundaries, which exclude the city of Columbus.
 
Dole commits to Gulfport state port for at least 13 years
The state port expects to finalize a new lease with Dole Fresh Fruit Co. that will keep the company in Gulfport for at least 13 years, with renewal options that extend through 2037. The port is investing $30 million in a West Pier terminal for Dole. The funding comes from $570 million the federal government agreed to give the port for West Pier expansion and restoration post-Katrina in exchange for creating 1,300 jobs.
 
Hosemann releases report on primary, runoff
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann on Tuesday released his report on the 2014 primary elections -- including the June 24 runoff. The report, which Hosemann provides to the state Legislature after each election, appears pretty milquetoast, given the infamous GOP U.S. Senate primary runoff, which is still being contested in court by Chris McDaniel, who lost to incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran by 7,667 votes.
 
Hood seeks dismissal of MAEP lawsuit
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood is seeking dismissal of former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove's lawsuit that asks a Hinds County chancery judge to mandate the Legislature fully fund local school districts. Hood, like Musgrove a Democrat, filed his response to Musgrove's lawsuit Tuesday in Hinds County Chancery Court. In a statement, Musgrove said, "I deeply respect the attorney general, and his commitment to our state, but we disagree on this case. Unfortunately, General Hood finds himself in the difficult situation of having to defend a client that is undeniably guilty."
 
Hood asks justices to toss Musgrove-led MAEP lawsuit
Attorney General Jim Hood is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed by 21 school districts that argues Mississippi owes them $230 million in education aid and demands an end to future shortfalls. In papers filed yesterday in Hinds County Chancery Court, Hood's office wrote that even though a 2006 law says Mississippi's school aid formula must be fully funded, that guarantee has no power to bind future legislatures. "One session of elected legislators cannot dictate the discretionary budgeting and appropriation authority of a future session of elected legislators," Hood's office wrote. Hood cited cases from five other states to prove his point, but said it's ultimately common sense.
 
Groups oppose expansion of EPA's Clean Water Act
Some conservative groups are warning that a proposed expansion of the federal government's Clean Water Act may hurt farmers in Mississippi. The regulation would encompass most bodies of water connected to or near federally controlled waters. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule that would give the federal government regulatory authority over hundreds of miles of streams and wetlands across the Magnolia State. Under current rules, the federal government only has authority over navigable waters -- like the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. The new rule would expand that oversight to any smaller river, stream or wetland that acts as a tributary to any larger body of water. Ted Kendall with the Mississippi Farm Bureau says they would like to see the EPA amend its rules to make sure farmers won't be affected by the changes.
 
Advocates decry refusal to expand Medicaid
Groups supporting low-income Mississippi residents said Tuesday that elected officials are ignoring 300,000 people and refusing billions of federal dollars by choosing not to expand Medicaid in one of the poorest states in the nation. If the state were to extend Medicaid, as allowed under the health overhaul that President Barack Obama signed into law, many low-wage workers could receive coverage that would enable them to afford doctors' visits, prescriptions and medical supplies, said Roy Mitchell of the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program. Gov. Phil Bryant and other Republican leaders have said repeatedly over the past two years that they don't believe the federal government will fulfill its promises to pay most of the tab for Medicaid expansion in the future, and they don't want Mississippi to get stuck with a health program that eats a disproportionately large share of the state budget.
 
Obama heading to Pentagon to get update on fight against Islamic State
President Obama will be briefed Wednesday at the Pentagon by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commanders on operations to confront the Islamic State in the Middle East and contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said Air Force Col. Ed Thomas, a spokesman for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. One way the U.S. could increase the pressure on the Islamic State would be to train Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian resistance forces to call in airstrikes, said retired Maj. Gen. James Poss, former Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. "I think a limited number of coalition liaison personnel with these forces would go a long way to help in a close-air support battle," said Poss, now a researcher at Mississippi State University.
 
Is 'Big Soda' mimicking Big Tobacco? California beverage battle spills over
The battle for votes on soda-tax initiatives in two California cities is contentious, but both sides agree: The votes could be hugely important in the national campaign to raise taxes on sugary drinks. So far, efforts to pass similar measures in 30 states have failed. But historically, the Golden State has been a leader in public health initiatives, such as tobacco and recycling, says Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. Critics of the industry point to research that suggests sugary drinks are a prime culprit behind obesity rates and diabetes in the United States. The industry counters that the tax would have negative economic consequences.
 
Southern Miss student charged with Yik Yak threat out on bond
A University of Southern Mississippi student charged with a felony for posting a computer threat to cause injury is out on bond. Velton Williams, 20, of Hattiesburg was released from the Forrest County Jail after posting a $2,500 bond. He was the second Southern Miss student arrested for posting a threat to the Yik Yak application. Brandon Hardin, 20, was charged with the same crime on Sept. 22. He is accused of making an anonymous post that threatened members of the university at Joseph Greene Hall. Hardin was released on a $40,000 bond two days after his arrest.
 
LSU's new state-funded research center won't duplicate existing efforts, officials say
LSU, with financial help from the state, has created the Transformational Technology and Cyber Research Center in an effort to attract federal research dollars. But some wonder if LSU already has that ability with its Center for Computation & Technology. Supporters of the new initiative concede the CCT is also going after significant federal grant projects, but Jeff Moulton, director of the new TTCRC, said the two entities are extremely different. "The CCT and others, are focused on a lot of basic research and development, (but) that's not our focus," Moulton said on his first day on the job. "Our focus is to bridge the gap of what's going on in the classrooms and laboratories and actually take that technology and apply it to an operable environment. In other words, this new effort will look for ways to monetize informational technology research already underway on the LSU campus.
 
LSU Alumni head: No wrongdoing found in audits
LSU Alumni Association President and CEO Cliff Vannoy says two separate audits that were ordered following a sex scandal involving the group's former leader have found no wrongdoing or misused money. The independent reports are expected to formally be released this week, Vannoy told the LSU Faculty Senate on Tuesday. Former association head Charlie Roberts resigned in August after an ex-employee claimed in a lawsuit that Roberts gave her a marketing job at the Alumni Association so she would continue a sexual relationship with him and then paid her monthly hush money after she resigned. "No association funds were ever used by Dr. Roberts to give to Kay Heath or any thing like that," Vannoy said Tuesday.
 
LSU fails in goal to increase out-of-state students despite rise in overall enrollment
It didn't take long for LSU President F. King Alexander to look at the enrollment numbers for the state's flagship campus in Baton Rouge and realize something wasn't adding up. There were, to be frank, too many students from the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas. King, then just four months on the job, declared a top-flight research institution can't be so home grown and announced plans, including the hiring of recruiters in Texas, George and Florida, to increase out-of-state enrollment. No doubt, reversing the trend will take time, but the early results aren't positive: LSU's out-of-state population has decreased this academic year, dropping to 4,250 this fall semester, down from 4,419 fall 2013. This despite the Baton Rouge campus welcoming its third largest freshman class and seeing its overall enrollment climb above 30,000.
 
U. of Kentucky to lead $14.9 million health study of patients in transition
The University of Kentucky will lead a $14.9 million project to help identify the best ways to help patients move between hospitals, nursing homes and their own houses, as part of the Affordable Care Act. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, an independent, non-profit organization authorized by Congress, is funding the project. "UK's new $14.9 million contract will help improve research and understanding of outcomes in the patient transition process and translate new knowledge into applications," said President Eli Capilouto. "It's how we help shape better outcomes along the spectrum of patient care." Health officials at Tuesday's announcement said poorly managed transitions can lead to bigger medical problems, including excessive hospitalizations.
 
Congressman talks homeland security, factors that led to creation of ISIS during visit to Texas A&M
U.S. Rep. Michael T. McCaul capped off his tour of Texas A&M's campus with a presentation on national security titled The False Narrative: How Ending the 'War on Terror' Put America in Danger at the Bush Presidential Library on Tuesday night. McCaul, R-Austin, who serves as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, told an audience of administrators and students that the Obama administration's attempts to downplay the threat ISIS poses to the U.S. and pulling military out of the Middle East gave rise to the terrorist group. "Congressman McCaul in is a unique position to comment on national security," Interim President Mark Hussey said during McCaul's introduction. "Earlier today the congressman saw first-hand the unique assets we have on this campus relating to homeland security. As you can see, Congressman McCaul, Texas A&M embodies the land grant university spirit by taking our discoveries to the people, in this case in helping to keep our homeland secure."
 
McCaskill questions students, police about sexual assault at U. of Missouri tour stop
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill asked pointed questions about sexual assault of students and police Tuesday morning at the University of Missouri. McCaskill, a former prosecutor who specialized in sex crimes, has focused on reducing campus sexual assaults and is on a discussion tour this week of Missouri colleges to speak with administrators and students about the issue. Her visit at MU was the third stop. The meeting focused on the importance of educating students on the resources available to them in the event of a sexual assault. McCaskill also discussed her recently filed legislation called the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.
 
U. of Missouri campus to have census research satellite office
The National Science Foundation has given the University of Missouri the green light to set up a satellite location of the U.S. Census Bureau's new Research Data Center in Kansas City on its Columbia campus. MU has dedicated $1 million from its general operating budget to finance the Research Data Center satellite, which will be located in Ellis Library, according to a news release from MU. The satellite location will have the same access to census data as the primary Research Data Center in Kansas City, the release said. Hank Foley, senior vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, said in the release that the opening of the satellite bolsters MU's reputation as a research institution.
 
FBI joins investigation into Emory frat house graffiti
The FBI has joined the investigation into offensive graffiti painted on a Jewish fraternity house at Emory University, the university said Tuesday night. Early Sunday, the Alpha Epsilon Pi house was targeted, within hours of the observance of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Additional anti-Semitic marks were found Monday on a wall near the fraternity, an Emory spokeswoman said. The graffiti, including swastikas, was painted over quickly. By Sunday night, the Emory president decried the actions in a campus-wide message. Other community groups also condemned the acts.
 
New App Measures Students' Moods and Mental Health
A computer-science professor at Dartmouth College is building a smartphone application that can detect users' levels of happiness, stress, and loneliness, he says, with the hope of helping students monitor their mental health. The app, called StudentLife, draws on sensor data from smartphones to "infer human behaviors," says the professor, Andrew Campbell. It was inspired partly by the mental-health struggles that Mr. Campbell's brother experienced while in college. The professor also wants to test his hypothesis, based on classroom observations, that students' fluctuating stress levels correspond to their behaviors.
 
As Iowa's largest public university scrambles for students, private colleges worry they will suffer
Some private colleges in Iowa worry they could end up having to shut down because of an aggressive effort by the University of Iowa to enroll more students from within the state. The state Board of Regents backed a funding plan earlier this year to encourage its three public universities to enroll more Iowans. The plan could cost the University of Iowa up to $60 million over the next several years if the cosmopolitan university doesn't dramatically increase the number of Iowans on its campus. When the Board of Regents decided to revamp how it distributes money, it put a huge emphasis on in-state student headcount. In order to avoid losing millions of dollars because of the new formula, the University of Iowa is blitzing the state with a heavy marketing and recruitment effort for next fall's class.
 
BOBBY HARRISON (OPINION): Complexities in election challenge
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison writes: "The decision by the Mississippi Supreme Court rendered in the McDaniel vs. Cochran case will have long-lasting implications that could impact future elections. The Supreme Court is weighing whether Chris McDaniel's challenge of his election loss to six-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in the June 24 Republican primary runoff should be dismissed because he waited too late to file it. As so often is the case in legal disputes, it could be argued that the laws passed by the Legislature dealing with this issue are confusing and ambiguous. A reasonable argument could be made on either side of the issue."
 
EDITORIAL: Enjoying the view from a lofty perch
The Sun Herald editorializes: " Yes, it's just football, and college football at that. And it's only early October. And yet... We still marvel at how magical it feels to have both Mississippi State and Ole Miss not only tied for first place in the West Division of the SEC, but tied for third place among all the major college football programs in the nation, according to the AP poll. Granted, others have been here. But it is our first visit to these athletic heights and, frankly, the view and the attention are both spectacular. Since Saturday night Mississippians have basked in the glow of gridiron glory. ...We've had moments to savor before, but nothing like this. Never has the good fortune and excitement been spread so generously. For that feeling and this place in the annals of college football, we thank the coaches and players at Mississippi State and Ole Miss."
 
SLIM SMITH (OPINION): Bulldogs, Rebels are an argument against the status quo
The Dispatch's Slim Smith writes: "To fully appreciate where the Ole Miss and MSU football programs are today, it's important to understand how far they have come. ... Under the guidance of young, energetic athletic directors (Greg Byrne followed by Scott Strickin at State and Ross Bjork at Ole Miss), the programs went to work on a number of fronts, not the least of which was broadening their bases. They embraced new ideas, did not apologize for demanding that millions of dollars be invested in facilities. They fixed their goals very high, so high as to invite ridicule in some circles. They were not content with the status quo. They did not accept the old excuses for why their programs could not aspire to achieve the very best. It was a message that resonated with everyone connected with the program, from the university administrations, to coaches, players, students, professors and thousands of Mississippians throughout the state. What has happened with these two football programs should serve as a reminder to us all: When properly inspired, Mississippians can achieve remarkable things."
 
SID SALTER (OPINION): Poking Mississippi's often negative self-image right in the eye
Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: "Like most families in Mississippi, we have some Mississippi State supporters and some Ole Miss fans, too. This past week, everyone was happy. ...No one skipped church on Sunday in Mississippi after the MSU Bulldogs dismantled the Texas A&M Aggies in Starkville and Ole Miss turned back the Alabama Crimson Tide in Oxford. Every minister worth his salt mentioned the wins prior to the sermon. ...Winning football programs and the national exposure they bring won't directly solve the state's economic woes. But it's clear that showing the rest of the country that we have high quality institutions of higher learning Mississippi is a step toward breaking down stereotypes that have held the state back."


SPORTS
 
Mullen builds Mississippi State program from the ground up
Nothing like a program-changing win to make a coach start reflecting on his journey. In the moments following Mississippi State's 48-31 win over then-No. 6 Texas A&M on Saturday, that's exactly what MSU coach Dan Mullen did. "You know what, it's pretty special," said Mullen in his postgame press conference, moments after knocking off a second-consecutive top 10 team for the first time in school history. "I'm just so proud of our guys, proud of our effort. When we got here six years ago, there were just so many people that bought in, that believed in what we were doing... There's going to be a lot of firsts here." Under Mullen, those first have already started rolling in.
 
Despite GameDay visit, SI cover, Mississippi State looking to continue usual approach vs. Auburn
It might be more difficult nowadays for Mississippi State to maintain a "business as usual" approach. On the strength of a 5-0 start and a 48-31 victory over previously unbeaten Texas A&M last week, the Bulldogs have achieved the highest-ranking (tied for No. 3 in the Associated Press poll) in the program's history. Along with in-state rival Ole Miss, Mississippi State graces the cover of a Sports Illustrated issue that will hit newsstands on Wednesday. And ESPN's College GameDay will be in town to broadcast live prior to the Bulldogs' nationally televised showdown with fellow unbeaten and second-ranked Auburn. But at least so far, the MSU players have tried to shut out any outside factors.
 
Mississippi State's Robinson putting together historic season
Mississippi State began the preseason with few position battles. It returned all but three starters on offense. One spot where the Bulldogs had to replace a starter was running back. Josh Robinson led a three-player race after the spring. He widened his lead through fall camp. Now? It's not even close. "Josh has done a tremendous job of getting tough yards when he needs to get tough yards, hitting explosive plays when there are opportunities to hit explosive plays, catching to ball out of the backfield, blocking when we need him to block," MSU coach Dan Mullen said.
 
Fred Brown reviewed his TD, which 'clearly' crossed the plane
Fred Brown's first career touchdown almost wasn't. Brown caught a 51-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter against Texas A&M to go up 24. Replay showed the wide receiver may have only taken the ball 50 yards. Brown reviewed the play on the field, and confirmed it as well. "The replay, they said I dropped the ball before I crossed the goal line," Brown Said. "We watched it Sunday night. It clearly (showed) that the ball was on the plane and crossed the plane when I dropped it." The coaching staff also looked at it and told Brown to secure the ball through the end zone.
 
Former Ole Miss, MSU players enjoy success of programs
Former Ole Miss and Mississippi State football players are riding high along with the rest of the programs' fans headed into week seven of the season. Pascagoula High School offensive coordinator Kevin Fant is a familiar name for many Mississippi State fans as the team's former quarterback. The former Moss Point star played for the Bulldogs from 2000-03 and ranks second all-time in career passing yards at MSU with 5,631. This Saturday, current MSU starting quarterback Dak Prescott has a shot to tie Fant for the school record for most career 200-yard passing games at 11. "Dak's playing great and I think he's just a great kid with a good head on shoulders," Fant said. As a true Heisman Trophy candidate, Prescott has captured the imagination of fans and former players alike.
 
Auburn preparing for Mississippi State's cowbells in practice
How does one prepare for the ear-rattling sound of 62,000 cowbells? Auburn is trying its best to replicate the noise the second-ranked Tigers are sure to hear Saturday at No. 3 Mississippi State this week in practice. No. 2 Auburn returns to the practice field Tuesday, and a special track is expected to be included on the coaches' play list, which usually plays loud music and cheering fans to simulate crowd noise. "We may," Gus Malzahn said. MSU fans are allowed to ring their "traditional noisemakers," but not between the time the center lines up over the football and the play is whistled dead by the officials, according to SEC legislation. The atmosphere in Starkville promises to be unlike any other in recent memory.
 
Auburn defense readies for Mississippi State QB
Auburn's defense has improved dramatically since the last time the Tigers faced Dak Prescott. Then again, so has Prescott. That was long before the 6-foot-2, 230-pound star for No. 3 Mississippi State emerged as the Southeastern Conference's hottest quarterback and the biggest challenge the second-ranked Tigers have faced this season. "This will be the first quarterback in a while with that size and caliber," Auburn cornerback Johnathon Mincy said. Known more for offense, the Tigers (5-0, 2-0 SEC) have had one of the league's best defenses so far this season but have only faced two quarterbacks ranked in the Top 100 nationally in total offense. A much truer test of Auburn's defense comes Saturday versus Prescott, who's ninth in that category.
 
State and Ole Miss seeing spike in merchandise sales
With a historic weekend of college ball behind us, fans are now looking forward. Another weekend of huge games is ahead for the two number three ranked teams in the country. Those teams happen to be Mississippi State and Ole Miss. What does that mean for Bulldog and Rebel merchandise? The people at Sports Shack in D'Iberville are seeing both teams' logos flying off the shelves. "I think the whole state of Mississippi has prospered from that," said owner David Thompson. His store is seeing the benefits from the wins. He and his employees celebrated something that they strive to do all year. "We beat last year, this day last year, just because of what those teams did," said Thompson.
 
Will Ferrell not available for GameDay in the Junction
Mississippi State will have to find someone else to cure Christopher Walken's fever. Will Ferrell isn't available to be the guest picker at ESPN's College GameDay at the Junction. Ferrell, who's Saturday Night Live cowbell skit plays at Davis Wade Stadium during each home game, is shooting a movie and can't make it to Starkville on Saturday, a university spokesperson told The Clarion-Ledger. Ferrell was one of the top choices of Mississippi State fans.
 
Mississippi State's Gang of Misfit Recruits on Revenge Tour of SEC
This is a Vengeance Tour, that's what this is. It sounds a little sinister, but some Mississippi State players are looking for a little retribution around the SEC. Coach Dan Mullen talks in public about the cuddly emotions of chemistry and togetherness and other nice things, but his players have emotions that are more tactless, more raw. They were unwelcome at the big-market SEC schools. They had egos squashed by SEC recruiters. "There's a lot of guys on our team with chips on their shoulders," said left guard/center Ben Beckwith, who started his career at Mississippi State as a walk-on. Here is the other thing about the bulldog Bulldogs. Jamerson Love said Mississippi State has grown together as a cohesive unit. Guys don't have one eye on Sunday and the NFL. Everything they put into it is for Saturday and Mississippi State. They have as much pride for HailState as they do scorn for the other team.
 
College Football: The Mississippi Renaissance |
It's too early to know whether this Mississippi renaissance is anything more than a half-season anomaly, but it still shows us the tantalizing promise of college football: That creative thought can still elevate a team above its station, and that the inherent power structure is dynamic and forever shifting, no matter the obstacles. When those of us from elsewhere in America think of Mississippi, we conjure up the old South, and all the discomfiting baggage that comes along with that imagery. We think of a state with severe political and economic challenges, a state that has not been and most likely never will be associated with progressive thought. And this is what was so wonderful about last weekend: Every time you think the status quo is fixed and unchangeable and rigged in favor of the richest of them all, something happens to make you realize that change, however small, is still possible.
 
Auburn police investigating threatening tweets against Gus Malzahn, Jordan-Hare
The Auburn Police Department is investigating threatening rants made against Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn and Jordan-Hare Stadium on Twitter, the police chief confirmed. Chief Paul Register said investigators are working to identify the owner of the Twitter account to determine if there is a credible threat. The tweets sent from @bhayes4420 on Oct. 5 refer to cutting Malzahn's head off ISIS-style and killing Auburn fans by setting off C-4 at Jordan-Hare. Register said it isn't clear at this time if the threats are credible, or if they're just rants.
 
So that's where the Ole Miss goalpost went
On Sunday afternoon a group of guys got together in Oxford and went about the business of cutting up a yellow goalpost. Yes, really. That happened. About 30 students, all of them friends for years now, each took a piece a couple of inches long of one of the goalposts that went down after Ole Miss' 23-17 win against Alabama. It's not likely those pieces are going to be for sale anytime soon --- and certainly not Buckner Corso's. He's a graduate student at Ole Miss from Jackson (he attended Jackson Prep) and a lifelong Ole Miss fan with parents who also attended the school. "I just knew this was going to be the coolest piece of Ole Miss I could ever have," Corso said.
 
UGA football player hit in the face at downtown Athens bar
The downtown Athens scene caused a confusing situation for a Georgia football player for the second consecutive weekend. Senior linebacker Kosta Vavlas was punched in the face at Silver Dollar Bar on College Street early Sunday, a few hours after the Bulldogs win over Vanderbilt. According to the police report, Vavlas, 22, was punched by Jeffery Cody Bradford, 23, who was arrested for battery and booked on Sunday into jail. The report stated the bar was crowded and Vavlas was pushed into some people. Bradford made a comment and then threw the punch, chipping Vavlas' tooth and causing an injury to his nose.
 
Butch Jones follows through on fan issue with U. of Tennessee students
Tennessee football coach Butch Jones said Monday that, when he got the chance, he would speak to UT students about an audible and controversial chant that permeated Neyland Stadium at the conclusion of the Vols' 10-9 loss to Florida last Saturday. Jones followed through on Tuesday afternoon when he and athletic director Dave Hart met with UT's student body president and vice president in Hart's office for the first of what Jones said will be more than one meeting with students. The News Sentinel was not granted access to the meeting, but Jones said after practice Tuesday that the discussion was "great" and that it covered more than just student behavior at games.
 
Warrant provides details of alleged attack that led to rape charge against U. of Kentucky football player
The University of Kentucky football player charged with rape had a previous relationship with his alleged victim, according to the warrant filed in court. The UK student told police Thursday that Lloyd Tubman raped her in her dorm room on campus about 11:30 a.m., the document said. Tubman has a court hearing at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The redshirt defensive lineman from Louisville has been suspended from the football team, Coach Mark Stoops confirmed Tuesday. Fayette County jail spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Taylor said Tubman was booked Tuesday, and bond was set at $10,000.
 
Vanderbilt rape defendants say they were coerced, threatened
Two former Vanderbilt University football players charged with rape say in court filings that campus police coerced them and athletics department staff threatened to sanction them during the investigation in ways that tainted the case. Their motions to suppress evidence will be among 12 legal filings argued Wednesday in front of Judge Monte D. Watkins during a pretrial hearing expected to last all day. With its latest maneuvers, the defense team is trying to chip away at evidence and raise doubts about police tactics. Vanderbilt spokeswoman Beth Fortune said no one from the university had been subpoenaed for the hearing and declined to comment further on the motions.
 
The Mediocrity of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer
Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are the pre-eminent football coaches of their generation. They preside over two teams that are financially rich and historically richer -- Alabama and Ohio State. They have combined to win five of the last eight national titles. Yet here's another thing they have in common: Both coaches are 4-3 in their last seven games. This remarkable stretch of near-mediocrity, the first time since November 2010 that Saban and Meyer each has lost at least three times in seven games, would have been unthinkable toward the end of last season.
 
LOGAN LOWERY (OPINION): Bulldogs must close out Auburn
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's Logan Lowery writes: "Mississippi State is in uncharted territory as a football program. The Bulldogs have risen from unranked to No. 3 nationally -- the Bulldogs' highest-ever ranking -- over a three-week span. MSU now has an opportunity to grab the top ranking from defending national champion Florida State. However, standing in the Bulldogs' way this week is an SEC West nemesis, No. 2 Auburn. ...Mississippi State will have to find a way to close out Saturday's game, something it has struggled with in dominating wins over LSU and Texas A&M. In fact, five of the 11 touchdowns the Bulldogs defense has surrendered this year have come in the final 2:29 of games. I bring up that point only because all three of Auburn's wins in the series over the last four years have come down to the wire and have been decided by one score."



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