| Wednesday, November 8, 2017 |
| New Mississippi center will focus on Delta water issues | |
 | The money's now in the bank for a new Delta regional water center, to be located at Stoneville, Miss. The multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional facility will be jointly operated by the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Mississippi State University, and will focus on water issues specific to the Delta region. "We're really excited that funding came through about three weeks ago, and that we can get moving on this effort," Dr. Jeff Johnson, head of the Delta Research and Extension Center at Stoneville, said at the annual meeting of the Mississippi Agricultural Economics Association at Mississippi State University. "We're already in the process of searching for faculty, and we've started renovations on a facility for offices and laboratory space." |
| Ulysses S. Grant, Wendy Pearlman, and More Books We're Reading This Week | |
 | Writing in The New Yorker, Louisa Thomas recommends "The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant:" The Ulysses S. Grant who emerges from Ron Chernow's new biography, "Grant," is a man with quite a story to tell. I could easily imagine the pitch for a modern-day memoir: Grant's struggles with alcoholism, his difficult relationship with his father, his improbable journey to the White House. But Grant left all of that out in the autobiography he did write. When I first flipped through the new, fully annotated edition of "The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant," edited by John F. Marszalek, with David S. Nolen and Louie P. Gallo, my heart sank. It appeared to be eight hundred pages of troop movements and descriptions of battlefield terrains. Once I started to really read it, however, my impression changed. Grant's style is direct and plain, but it has a kind of quiet music to it, the indescribable quality of an authentic voice. |
| McGee, Jenkins and Harrington take on new MSU development roles | |
 | Mississippi State University Foundation has added a new fundraiser for the university's Division of Student Affairs, and two veteran team members take on new roles in athletics and the business college. Casey McGee has begun her new duties as assistant director of development for the Division of Student Affairs. The Starkville native joins the MSU fundraising team from a successful stint with the MSU Alumni Association. Also beginning a new fundraising role is Rob Jenkins. As associate athletic director for development, Jenkins will serve as a liaison between MSU Athletics and the MSU Foundation as he works to secure major gifts for both organizations. Succeeding Jenkins as lead College of Business fundraiser this month is Zack Harrington who has served as the college's assistant director of development since mid-2014. |
| MEC: Workforce development key for economic growth | |
 | Scott Waller said Mississippi, in order to meet its potential, has to think outside the box in terms of economic development. Waller, the interim president and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council, said the state needs to focus on workforce development in order to continue to attract new businesses and industry. But he didn't just make the statement in a vacuum. During Monday's Starkville Rotary Club meeting, which the MEC hosted at the Mill at Mississippi State University conference center on Russell Street, Waller periodically asked the audience to respond to questions with clickers at their tables. During a brief panel discussion with Greater Starkville Development Partnership CEO Scott Maynard and Tracey Braham, with MSU's Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Waller asked what's happening locally to bolster workforce development. |
| Mississippi Economic Council Tour visits Rotary | |
 | The Mississippi Economic Council Tour provided the program for the Starkville Rotary Club Monday at The Mill Conference Center. MEC Interim President and CEO Scott Waller was the speaker during the program. "We want to focus on economic development and what it means in terms of job creation, strengthening our infrastructure and developing a business climate that allows businesses to not only grow, but attract new businesses and employees to the state of Mississippi," Waller said. President and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership Scott Maynard and Associate Director of the Office of Institute Research and Effectiveness Tracey Baham joined Waller to discuss programs in Oktibbeha County that are working to further create a skilled workforce in the area. Maynard said partnerships with the Golden Triangle Development Link, Mississippi State University, East Mississippi Community College and public and private schools are all working toward opportunities to enhance the state's workforce in the future. |
| 'Against' vote triumphs in hospital election | |
| OCH Regional Medical Center will remain a county-owned hospital after Oktibbeha County's voters chose to oppose the facility's sale. Tuesday's election results, with walk-up and absentee votes counted showed 5,651 people voting against the sale of the hospital, or 58.55 percent of the vote, and 4,000 people (41.45 percent) voting for the sale. Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis said 201 affidavit ballots remain to be counted. Election officials will review them in the morning. The vote is the culmination of process that began last year, when county supervisors started considering selling or leasing the 96-bed facility. Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation and North Mississippi Health Services, two non-profit hospital systems, bid on the hospital earlier this fall. |
| Voters choose to keep OCH locally owned | |
| After the unofficial election results were announced, OCH Regional Medical Center will remain locally owned and not sold. The vote against the sale of the hospital received 58.55 percent of the vote, while the vote for the sale sat at 41.45 percent. OCH Administrator and CEO Richard Hilton said hearing the results was a relief after a long fought battle. "That's what we've been waiting for is for the will of the people to give the direction of what they would like to see and how this hospital moves forward going into the future," Hilton said. Hilton said the hospital's board will meet today at noon to discuss the hospital's first steps following the referendum vote. He said the meeting was scheduled regardless of the outcome of the election. |
| Oktibbeha County voters reject sale of hospital | |
 | Oktibbeha County voters want OCH Regional Medical Center to remain a county-owned hospital. In unofficial results from the Tuesday referendum, there were 5,271 votes against the sale of the Starkville hospital– just shy of 58 percent of the ballots cast. Those in favor of the sale had 3,819 votes, 42 percent. The results do not include absentee or affidavit ballots. OCH Regional chief executive officer Richard Hilton praised the teamwork of supporters Tuesday night. Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors president Orlando Trainer, who has long been an advocate for selling the hospital, said the people of the county took the opportunity to participate in the discussion about the future of the hospital. "The only thing we can do is look at our options and do what's best for the county," Trainer said. |
| Oktibbeha chancery, circuit clerk races move to runoffs | |
| Oktibbeha County voters will return to the polls in three weeks to decide the winners of two runoff races after Tuesday's round of special elections. Both the chancery and circuit clerk races will have runoff elections. Both elections had large candidate fields, with six candidates competing for the chancery clerk position and five vying for circuit clerk. Runoffs are set for Nov. 28. Sharon Livingston, who drew 3,396 votes (36.66 percent) will go to a runoff in the chancery clerk race against Martesa Bishop Flowers. Flowers drew 2,885 votes, or 31.14 percent. In the circuit clerk race, Tony Rook will advance to a runoff against Teresa Davis. Rook got 3,447 votes, or 36.67 percent. Davis got 3,577 votes, or 38.06 percent. |
| Taylor wins House District 38 seat | |
| Brickfire Project Executive Director Cheikh Taylor will now have a new title after winning the three-candidate race for the Mississippi House of Representatives District 38 seat vacated by longtime State Rep. Tyrone Ellis in June. Unofficial results show Taylor won with 59 percent of the vote in Oktibbeha County and won all precincts in Clay and Lowndes counties. In total, Taylor managed to net 2,590 votes in Oktibbeha County (59 percent), 74 votes in Clay County (59 percent) and 56 votes in Lowndes County (70 percent) "It's very sobering and I'm humbled," Taylor said. "This is just a step in the right direction. There's a lot of work to be done and no time to gloat or shout. This is just the public speaking and saying these are the things that we value and those are the exact same things I will uphold as District 38 state representative." |
| FEMA OKs grant to build shelter in Starkville | |
| A $1.54 million grant has been awarded to Oktibbeha County for construction of a domed multipurpose safe room in Starkville. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to construct Phase II of the Oktibbeha County Safe Room at 607 Lynn Lane in Starkville, according to a joint statement released Tuesday by U.S. senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker and Congressman Gregg Harper. "Oktibbeha County and FEMA will construct this facility to provide new options for staying safe during severe weather," Cochran said. "I'm thankful the people of Starkville and Oktibbeha County will soon have a safe place to seek shelter," Wicker said. |
| Meridian children's museum to locate at former Sears | |
 | Officials on Tuesday morning announced that the old Sears building on 22nd Avenue in Meridian will be site of the Mississippi Children's Museum-Meridian. Museum officials unveiled the design renderings from Mississippi-based architectural firm Weir Boerner Allin at a news conference at the Mississippi State University Riley Center. "Oh happy days in Meridian!" said Meridian Mayor Percy Bland, echoing the words of the youth choir that performed prior to the ceremony. The old Sears location at 403 22nd Avenue, across from the Meridian Police station, stands in the 22nd Avenue corridor, which Bland called "the gateway to our city." With a target amount of $13.5 million, MCM-M has raised about $10 million for the project. That amount includes a recent pledge of $4 million from the Riley Foundation, added to an earlier pledge of the Phil Hardin Foundation of $3 million to help fund the facility. |
| Big boost for Meridian campus of Mississippi Children's Museum | |
| The Mississippi Children's Museum's anticipated satellite location in Meridian got a boost Tuesday when officials announced a new multi-million dollar donation to the project. The Riley Foundation, based in Meridian and Lauderdale County, announced at a press conference Tuesday it would provide a $4 million grant for the project to "improve the quality of life for our children, and grandchildren, for many generations to come," president and treasurer Marty Davidson said in the release. The new museum is a signature project of the Meridian-based Phil Hardin Foundation, which announced in May 2016 that it would provide a $3 million grant. Like the Jackson museum, the Meridian campus will offer exhibits surrounding topics like literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) health and nutrition and cultural arts. |
| Mississippi Medicaid looking at work requirement | |
| The Mississippi Division of Medicaid wants permission from the federal government to impose a requirement that a small percentage of recipients work or are in work force training programs. Medicaid officials have scheduled two public hearings later this month in Jackson to garner public input on the proposal. Collecting public input on the proposal is one of several steps in the process of requesting permission from the federal government to institute a work requirement. Those who would fall under work or work force training requirements, if federal officials grant Mississippi's proposed waiver request, would be low income parents/caretakers, according to the Division of Medicaid proposal. According to information compiled in December 2016 by the Division of Medicaid, low income parents/caretakers represent 7 percent of Medicaid's total enrollment in the state. |
| Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves visits Pine Belt, talks about 2018 legislative session | |
 | Lt. Governor Tate Reeves was in the Pine Belt Tuesday to meet with educators and to speak about the upcoming 2018 legislative session. Reeves visited the Jefferson-Todd Education Center in Purvis and congratulated teachers and administrators in Lamar County for their recent "A" rating. He also answered questions about school choice and education funding. He said the biggest issue facing legislators next year is Medicaid re-authorization. "It's a huge program, it's about a third of our overall budget in the state," Reeves said. "And so, that re-authorization is definitely going to take a lot of time and effort from a lot of different parties to come to a consensus." |
| Lawmakers: No plans to change gun laws in state | |
 | Several area lawmakers -- all gun owners -- feel laws in place are adequate and don't foresee any new weapon legislation in the works when they regroup in January for the next legislative session. "I think everything is fine," said Rep. Vince Mangold, R-Brookhaven. "Folks just need to do their job. Somebody dropped the ball and families suffered for it." Mangold, a farmer representing Lincoln, Pike, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis and Franklin counties, is referencing the tragic shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday. The suspected shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after slaughtering 26 people. Kelley was able to buy the rifle and three other weapons even though he was convicted in 2012 at a court-martial of choking his wife and cracking her son's skull and was given a bad-conduct discharge in 2014. |
| Lawyer: Legislators Don't Have to Give Up Documents in Suit | |
 | Mississippi legislators are telling a federal judge that they shouldn't have to turn over documents about their 2016 vote to shift control of Jackson's airports to a new board mostly appointed by state officials. Mike Wallace, an attorney for eight lawmakers, on Monday argued before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Ball that his clients are protected from having to turn over any documents by a principle known as legislative privilege. That means lawmakers can't be hauled into court for anything they do in the normal flow of passing laws. In this case, Wallace said that extends to any correspondence or text messages legislators might have exchanged with anyone about the law. Otherwise, he said "you threaten to cut off lines of communication that are important to legislators." |
| Report: Mississippi's immigrant population boosts state economy | |
| A new report on Mississippi's immigrant population offers updated numbers on how many documented and undocumented immigrants live and work in Mississippi, and how much they contribute to the state's labor force. The American Immigration Council fact sheet released Tuesday covers the makeup of immigrant households, their educational background and the industry sectors they are a part of. According to the report, as of 2015, 72,258 immigrants made up 2.4 percent of the state's population. The top countries of origin for Mississippi immigrants were Mexico (36 percent), India (6.7 percent), Vietnam (6 percent), China (4.9 percent) and the Philippines (4.3 percent). In 2014, 37 percent of the state's immigrant population -- about 25,000 immigrants -- were undocumented. The report says undocumented immigrants are a fraction of the total state population at 0.8 percent. |
| Lobbyists in 'frenzy' over GOP's tax-reform push | |
 | For lobbyists in Washington, it's all tax reform, all the time. The GOP's consideration of tax legislation has stirred feverish activity on K Street, with an army of lobbyists -- even those who don't specialize in taxes -- swarming the Capitol to keep tabs on the bill. The stakes couldn't be higher, with Republicans considering a sweeping overhaul of the tax code that could affect business profits for decades to come. "It's guns ablazing, from what I've witnessed. This is the time to get your changes or to shape the policy. Once it goes to the floor, you're too late in the process," said one Republican lobbyist who asked for anonymity in order to speak freely. Right now, those on K Street are focused on the House Ways and Means Committee, the House's tax-writing panel and the starting point for the legislative push. |
| GOP Tax Bill Could Pass The House By Next Week | |
 | House Republicans made steady progress Tuesday on their goal to pass a sweeping tax bill in their chamber by Thanksgiving, as Senate leaders prepared to release their own tax legislation later this week. The quick progress comes as Republicans race to pass steep tax cuts into law by Christmas to meet a deadline set by President Trump. But significant challenges lie ahead as Republicans try to avoid repeating the bitter party infighting that doomed earlier attempts to pass a GOP health care bill. The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to approve that tax bill within the next several days, paving the way for a full House vote as early as next week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters that the Senate is also on an aggressive path, with a plan to release its own version of a tax bill by the end of the week. |
| Democrats euphoric after Tuesday election romp | |
 | Jubilant Democrats struck a defiant tone after sweeping victories across the country on Tuesday night, led by Democrat Ralph Northam's surprise pummeling of Republican Ed Gillespie in Virginia's gubernatorial race. Surveying their first electoral sweep in half a decade after a soul-crushing 2016 campaign and a desultory start to the Donald Trump era, Democratic leaders reset their expectations for the 2018 midterms. They're now expecting a fundraising and candidate recruitment surge, powered by grass-roots fury at the Trump administration. While most Democrats stopped short of predicting the party will take the House next year, they noted in Gillespie the failure of a candidate who tried balancing between Trump-style populism and establishment Republicanism. And at a time when Democrats have once again become enmeshed in their own civil wars over ideology, tactics and the 2016 loss, the victories provided them with hope that Republican fissures would dominate the political conversation again. |
| Historic tax credits on chopping block in House GOP tax plan | |
| Main Street Memphis wouldn't look nearly as historic or vibrant without a 41-year-old federal tax break that's on the chopping block in Washington. Knoxville's Tennessee Theatre might still awaiting renovation, and it would have been harder to repurpose the site of lunch counter civil rights sit-ins at a Nashville Woolworth. The House GOP tax plan released last week would eliminate investment tax credits for historic preservation projects as part of an effort to simplify the tax code. The tax credit program, overseen by the National Park Service and Internal Revenue Service, makes a 20 percent federal income tax credit available for rehabilitation of certified historic structures into income-producing ventures. Historic preservation groups are pushing back. They contend the program levels the playing field for projects that save historic treasures and generates 20-25 percent more federal income than it costs. |
| EPA's Scott Pruitt: Alarming climate report won't stop rules rollback | |
 | EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said a newly released government report that lays most of the blame for the rise of global temperatures to human activity won't deter him from continuing to roll back the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, a major rule aimed at combating climate change. "We're taking the very necessary step to evaluate our authority under the Clean Air Act and we'll take steps that are required to issue a subsequent rule. That's our focus," Pruitt said in an interview with USA TODAY Tuesday. "Does this report have any bearing on that? No it doesn't. It doesn't impact the withdrawal and it doesn't impact the replacement." President Trump has dismissed climate change as a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese to gain a competitive edge over the United States. |
| White and black Southerners both feel 'under attack,' split on hot button issues | |
 | New polling data from Winthrop University shows sharp divides in how black and white Southerners see Democrats and Republicans, Confederate monuments and the Black Lives Matter movement. Poll results from 11 Southern states show both groups are feeling anxious after a series of high-profile and occasionally violent protests. Forty-six percent of white respondents told pollsters they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" white people are under attack, while three-fourths of black respondents said racial minorities are under attack in the U.S. today. Southerners across the board said racism was the number one issue facing the country, followed by politicians/government, President Donald Trump and the economy. Black residents were more than twice as likely to list racism as the most important problem, followed closely by Trump. Winthrop polled 830 residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. |
| Tough financial times at USM: 20 layoffs, some unfilled positions eliminated | |
 | The effect of nearly $8 million in state cuts to the University of Southern Mississippi from January to July is still being felt as winter approaches. President Rodney Bennett outlined in an email measures he will take to manage the cuts, which include layoffs for workers. The university's chief communications officer, Jim Coll, declined to answer any questions about spending adjustments, saying current communication efforts were focused on ensuring affected employees are fully informed of extended benefits and options available to them. |
| Delta State honors instructor for best use of technology | |
| There are several benefits when it comes to using technology inside the classroom especially for college students. Technology has changed the way students learn and how educators teach. One of the benefits of technology use in the class is that students are more comfortable interacting with their instructors and it gives them time to process the information being taught. Delta State University has shown this information to be true by honoring 56 educators for how they use technology in the classroom. Tuesday, DSU Office of Information Technology and Ellucian hosted its fourth annual Connected Educator Awards luncheon in honor of Connected Educator Month. |
| No U. of Florida plans to ban Greek life, but 'work to do' | |
 | The University of Florida has no plans to ban fraternities or sororities following Florida State University President John Thrasher's decision to ban them indefinitely at FSU. Thrasher banned Greek organizations at the Tallahassee campus after 20-year-old FSU Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge Andrew Coffey was found unresponsive Nov. 3 following a house party about a mile from campus. Coffey died on the scene, despite receiving medical treatment. But UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said Thrasher's ban and an unfortunate death of another fraternity pledge did get UF officials' attention. "We're paying attention and focusing on the issue," she said. |
| UGA enrollment up sharply to new record | |
 | University of Georgia enrollment shot up by nearly 3 percent from last year --- setting another enrollment record. The university's official fall 2017 enrollment is 37,606 students, according to statistics released by the University System of Georgia. UGA added 1,032 new students this year, more than enough to fill a big new student housing development that opened downtown. With one of UGA's high-rise residence halls closed this year for renovations, the university had nearly 1,000 fewer beds for students. The university spent more than $400,000 in a program that gave students money if they agreed to back out of housing contracts they'd signed with the university. UGA has now grown its enrollment by about 9 percent in the past four years, adding 3,070 students. |
| Kentucky pension crisis: Will it cripple regional universities and community colleges | |
 | Teachers and state employees aren't the only ones worried about Kentucky's pension crisis. Education officials estimate that Kentucky's six regional universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System will have to pay 70 percent more next year to fund the pensions of thousands of their workers. It's a combined increase of $47 million. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville fund their own retirement systems, but for the state's smaller schools, the higher pension payments required by the state could bring campus budget cuts that range from 4.4 percent at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to 24.8 percent at Northern Kentucky University. |
| How the GOP Tax Plan Could Hurt Graduate Students -- and American Research | |
 | Buried in the details of the 400-page tax-reform plan unveiled on Thursday by House Republicans is a proposal that, if enacted, would leave many graduate students wondering if they could afford to continue their studies. Under current law, college employees are allowed to get a break on tuition without counting that break as taxable income. Graduate students who work as research or teaching assistants are among the chief beneficiaries of that policy. But the bill released last week recommends that tuition waivers be counted as income and be subject to taxes. If that provision becomes law, graduate students could find themselves paying taxes on a far greater amount of money than they actually receive in paychecks from their college. |
| Grad Students Are Freaking Out About the GOP Tax Plan -- And They Should Be | |
 | Amanda Coston was preparing for a meeting with her advisor Monday afternoon when her friend, another first-year PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's machine learning department, knocked on her door. Had she seen the email? A few minutes earlier, the university's Graduate Student Assembly had sent a Google Doc to department representatives across the university, and those reps had forwarded the document to their grad students. That document details the devastating impact the GOP's recently unveiled tax-reform plan could have on the university's PhD candidates. Buried in that plan is a proposed repeal that would cause graduate students' tuition waivers to be counted as income -- making them subject to taxes. The document analyzes how the repeal would affect graduate students in colleges across Carnegie Mellon. It's pretty bleak. Current and would-be graduate students fear that, were the bill to pass, getting a PhD in the US could become financially impossible. |
| House committee takes up anti-Semitism on college campuses | |
 | College campuses nationwide have seen an escalating number of anti-Semitic incidents over the past several years, but academics, experts and politicians remain divided on how to combat them. At a hearing of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Tuesday, some panelists depicted the Education Department as floundering without a definition with which to consider cases of harassment toward Jewish students. While the Education Department is charged with examining claims of harassment under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, it lacks any formal description of anti-Semitism, which can complicate an investigation, panelists said. Conversation Tuesday largely centered on a bill, first introduced last year, to change that. |
| Interviews start for Nicholls State president hopefuls | |
| Fundraising, communication among stakeholders and the importance of diversity were among the topics explored Tuesday during the first two interviews of semifinalists for the Nicholls State University president position. The search committee interviewed Shawn Mauldin and Wade Rousse Tuesday in the first of six public semifinalist interviews. The interviews wrap up today. Mauldin is a Nicholls alumnus and former Nicholls faculty member. He joined the Nicholls faculty in 1987 as an instructor in accounting and served as department head from 2000-05 and as dean for the following decade. He been director of Mississippi State University's accounting school since 2015. |
| It's possible you have a degree waiting for you | |
 | The Sun Herald editorializes: "Glenn Boyce is on a mission. The commissioner of higher education has driven from one end of the state to the other meeting with the media, with lawmakers, with anyone who'll listen to his simple message: Higher education is an investment, not an expense. And he hopes that's a message that resonates with the 80 percent of Mississippians who do not have a college or university degree. We're happy to help him spread the word. Boyce is right. A degree pays off not only in higher pay, but it also helps insulate the degree-holder against the whims of the economy. ...The lowest hanging fruit are the people who may have a degree and not know it. The Institutions of Higher Learning has started the program Complete 2 Compete to help people who left college before they finished their degree 'get across the finish line.'" |
SPORTS
| Dan Mullen looks to add big win to list of accomplishments | |
| Dan Mullen may not be Mississippi State's winningest football coach (yet), but his list of accomplishments never seen by the school before his arrival cements his place in MSU lore: the seven (soon-to-be eight) consecutive bowl games, five bowl games and 10 weeks ranked as a top 10 team, for instance. Not on that list: beating Alabama. No. 18 MSU (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 16 College Football Playoff) will get its next shot 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) at Davis Wade Stadium against the No. 1 Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0 SEC, No. 2 CFP). Even against the titan of late that has been the Alabama program, Mullen doesn't see this ceiling to bust through differently from any others he's already broken. "Same way we've done it before: Mississippi State's never been going to a lot of bowl games, never been No. 1 in the country, never had a lot of winning records. It's just what the program's done, it's what we've built here," Mullen said. |
| Nick Fitzgerald's feet lead No. 18 Mississippi State on win streak | |
| Mississippi State's formula for offensive success has become fairly simple this season. If Nick Fitzgerald is running, the Bulldogs are probably winning. Mississippi State's bruising 6-foot-5, 230-pound quarterback has run for at least 100 yards in each of the past four games -- all wins. Now the 18th-ranked Bulldogs (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference, CFP No. 16) and Fitzgerald will take on No. 1 Alabama (9-0, 6-0, CFP No. 2), which has one of the nation's top defenses. Fitzgerald is well aware of the challenge. "Nick Fitzgerald is one of those actual dual-threat quarterbacks," Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans said. |
| Ground game has helped Mississippi State establish identity | |
| The Mississippi State football team knows what it is now. A team breaking in several junior college additions defensively and new offensive linemen, running backs and position coaches needed some time to establish an identity. MSU (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 16 College Football Playoff) will give that identity its toughest test yet 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) at Davis Wade Stadium when it hosts No. 1 Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC, No. 2 CFP). Offensively, that identity has been a throwback. In a modern era in which explosive plays are valued more than they ever have been before and time of possession loses meaning by the year, MSU has taken pride in a physical approach that scores by grinding through defenses as opposed to running past them. |
| Perfect opportunity for Mississippi State's Jace Christmann | |
| Following graduation at Memorial High School in Houston two years ago, most of Jace Christmann's friends scattered throughout the Lone Star State to Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. However, Christmann was one of a select few who had his sights set out of state. Christmann was bound for Mississippi State to major in petroleum engineering -- along with a walk-on opportunity as a kicker on the football team. "I really didn't know much about State at all," Christmann said. "I came to a camp and they told me they were looking for someone to takeover after Westin (Graves) left. That intrigued me so I looked into it, decided to come and here I am." Christmann has made 9 of 9 goal attempts and all 29 extra points since taking over the placekicking duties. "It's an unbelievable feeling and what you work for," Christmann said. |
| Nick Fitzgerald named O'Brien Award semifinalist | |
| Mississippi State junior Nick Fitzgerald was selected as a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award on Tuesday, which goes to the nation's top quarterback. Fitzgerald is the first Bulldog to be named a semifinalist for the honor since Dak Prescott in 2015 and joins Alabama's Jalen Hurts as the only two SEC signal callers to make the cut. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder from Richmond Hill, Georgia has completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,459 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the year. He also leads MSU with 801 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 116 carries. |
| Mississippi State's defensive schemes could be troublesome for Alabama | |
 | Accounting for Mississippi State's defensive front is more than just addition and subtraction. There's some geometry involved in reading the linemen and linebackers on the other side of the ball. "They can play multiple sets," Alabama tight end Hale Hentges said. "You can see them in odd, under, over, and they do a lot of things in their blitz schemes. They pose a lot of problems just from the fact that they're not going to play one thing the entire game." Bulldog defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has Mississippi State's defense ranked third in the SEC in rushing defense, pass defense and total defense in his first year. Only Alabama and Georgia are better. He brought his 3-4 defense to Starkville in the offseason and has helped the Bulldogs continue their climb through the conference. The scheme creates challenges of its own. Blockers try to identify the fourth pass rusher before the snap, but defenses can use different strategies to disguise who that will be. |
| What happens behind the scenes when an Alabama football player gets hurt | |
 | A muted celebration following Alabama's seventh straight win over Saturday night. It wasn't just the stalled running game that stole some oxygen from Bryant-Denny Stadium. The 101,821 witnesses saw a disgusted Shaun Dion Hamilton throw his helmet after suffering a season-ending knee injury for a second straight year. Before that, Mack Wilson was carted off with a foot injury that could end his 2017 season. And the stadium went silent when Minkah Fitzpatrick clutched his hamstring in what turned out to not be anything as serious. It was one of the busier evenings for Alabama's army of medical personnel on the sideline. Outside of the major injuries, a number of minor problems had the sideline examination tent in constant use. So, what happens when an Alabama football player goes down and doesn't immediately bounce up? Who takes care of the players? And who pays for the medical bills? |
| Where Mississippi State ranked in latest College Football Playoff poll | |
 | Mississippi State's ranking remained the same in the latest College Football Playoff poll released on Tuesday evening for Week 11. The Bulldogs (7-2, 3-2 SEC) are No. 16. Mississippi State will host No. 2 Alabama (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN). While MSU has an obvious opportunity to make some noise with a win, it also likely wouldn't be penalized much by losing to Alabama because of the Bulldogs' resume. After Saturday, Mississippi State will be the only ranked team to have played three teams currently in the top-10. Mississippi State still projects to play in an attractive bowl, likely in Florida or the Music City Bowl, assuming the Bulldogs -- along with Auburn, LSU and South Carolina -- stay on schedule. |
| Can Mississippi State's women's basketball team do it again? | |
| The team's leading scorer, Victoria Vivians, is back. So is the plucky point guard, Morgan William, who nailed "The Shot" to upset UConn in the Final Four. The emerging star at center, Teaira McCowan, is still developing in a Mississippi State uniform, too. And, of course, the tactician behind the operation, Vic Schaefer, hasn't gone anywhere, either. Mississippi State's women's basketball team will once again be pretty good this season. But can it return to the national championship game? And will it complete its goal this time and capture its first title? It all starts Friday when No. 4 MSU hosts Virginia (8 p.m., SEC Network+). "You can't be satisfied," Vivians said. "We didn't win anything. We came in second in everything we did." |
| Mississippi State's Victoria Vivians up for top shooting guard honor | |
| Mississippi State senior Victoria Vivians was added to the preseason watch list for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, which is presented annually to the top shooting guard in the country. Vivians was one of three players from the SEC on the 20 woman watch list, joining Chloe Jackson of LSU and Danni Williams of Texas A&M. The 6-foot-1 native of Carthage is fourth on MSU's all-time scoring list with 1,754 career points and is coming off a season in which she led the Bulldogs averaging 16.2 points. She also averaged 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals. |
| Mississippi State's Morgan William named to Lieberman Award watch list | |
| Mississippi State senior Morgan William has been selected to the watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top point guard. William is one of only two SEC players picked to the 20-person watch list. The 5-foot-5 native of Birmingham, Alabama started all 39 games last season and averaged 10.9 points and 4.6 assists per game. William shot 46.3 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from 3-point range and 84.2 percent from the free throw line. |
| Chuck Person, indicted by grand jury Tuesday, no longer an Auburn employee | |
 | Chuck Person is no longer an employee at Auburn University. The former associate head coach, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday for the part he played in the FBI's investigation into college basketball, has had his contract terminated. Person was originally suspended without pay when arrested and charged with six counts of federal corruption on Sept. 26, but the school has since cut ties. "He is no longer an employee," an athletics department spokesperson said. "As such, this is in the hands of the criminal justice system." Person was one of eight people indicted on Tuesday, joining three other assistant coaches. |
| Auburn University urges fans to use caution against counterfeit tickets | |
| The Auburn Athletics Ticket Office is reminding fans to use caution regarding the possibility of counterfeit tickets for upcoming games against Georgia and Alabama. The only authorized outlets to sell tickets are the Auburn Ticket Office, opposing school ticket offices (Georgia and Alabama), ReplyBuy and Stub Hub. Purchasing tickets from other sources is done at the buyers' own risk. A ticket's authenticity is in the bar code. If a ticket is purchased from another source the bar code may have been duplicated and the first to enter the stadium will be the valid ticket. Officials from EOG, located at each gate, are instructed to not allow counterfeit tickets to enter the stadium. If a counterfeit ticket is discovered, the ticket holder will be escorted out of the stadium. |
| UCLA athletes released on bail in China after reported shoplifting | |
 | The three UCLA basketball players arrested in connection with an alleged shoplifting in Hangzhou, China, have been released on bail, according to an ESPN report. Freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill remained at a luxury hotel in Hangzhou after police questioning while their Bruins teammates traveled to Shanghai for the team's season opener Friday against Georgia Tech, the report stated. The trio is being required by local police to stay at the hotel until the legal process is complete and will not play against the Yellow Jackets. It was not immediately known how long the legal process might take. "We are aware of a situation involving UCLA student-athletes in Hangzhou, China," UCLA said in a statement. "The university is cooperating fully with local authorities on this matter, and we have no further comment at this time." |
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