| Wednesday, October 9, 2019 |
| 'Defying the odds': College was a dream. Now, he's Mississippi State homecoming king | |
 | When he was 2 weeks old, Spencer Kirkpatrick -- an ACCESS student at Mississippi State University -- had open heart surgery at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Then, some of Spencer's teachers told his father -- Kevan Kirkpatrick -- that it would be hard for him to learn because he was born with Down syndrome, a chromosomal condition that can affect cognitive ability, physical growth and development. "He has always adapted with his challenges," Kevan said. "We've also been fortunate to be surrounded by people that adapt with him." Spencer's ability to not only adapt but thrive was evident Tuesday night, when he was named MSU's homecoming king. "My friend, Shannon Johnston, taught me that when someone like Spencer comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself and it comes in the way other people treat that person," Kevan said. "In his time at MSU, we have seen the most beautiful side of human nature, from friends, family and strangers who became his best friends. From the staff of the ACCESS program that taught and advocated on his behalf to the entire Mississippi State family that has embraced him." |
| Hanford, Mississippi State University Team Up to Test Filters for Waste Treatment Operations | |
 | Mississippi State University technicians recently collaborated with EM Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Analytical Laboratory contractor Bechtel National, Inc. to test high-efficiency particulate air filtration systems. "This testing is an important part of our progress toward starting tank waste treating operations," said Howard Sawyer, BNI startup manager for the LAB. "We want to ensure that safety and quality are built into the WTP so that we are protecting the public, workers, and the environment during operations." The BNI testing team conducted the test, and the MSU team collected and analyzed the data and will provide a final report in coming weeks. "Our strong partnership with MSU has been critical to our success," said Tommy Davis, BNI facility test lead. "This was an intricate and detailed process, from the prep work and procedure development through the actual testing, and we have been in lockstep with MSU the entire time." |
| Therapeutic Horse Riding Program Helps Kids Grow One Strut At A Time | |
 | Horseback riding. For many it's a relaxing hobby, but for some area children it offers a chance to grow physically and emotionally. The Mississippi State University Extension Equine-Assisted Therapy program offers children with special needs a chance to participate in therapeutic horse riding sessions. One of the kids participating the program is 9-year-old Nora Molina. She's been a part of the program for the past five years. Each Monday she comes to the Elizabeth A. Howard Therapeutic Riding Center in West Point, straps on her helmet, and saddles up to begin riding her horse. "Nora loves it," said Matt Molina, Nora's father. "My wife and I, we just kind of look at each other in amazement as she's going around each time. She'll be waving at us or coming over to the side of the arena wanting us to her pet horse." It's also therapy for the second grader. "Horses are just very naturally innately healing animals," said Cassie Brunson, Extension Associate and Therapeutic Riding Coordinator. "We can take a kid that's extremely anxious and nervous, put them on a horse, and they're a totally different person." |
| Excellence in Education: Rural Medical & Science Scholars program at Mississippi State | |
 | Bridgette (Brie) Cerda-Marin of Enterprise was among 21 students enrolled in the Rural Medical & Science Scholars program at Mississippi State University. The four-week summer program encourages high school students to pursue health or science careers in rural areas of the state. MSU Extension directs the program with financial assistance from MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, State Office of Rural Health/Mississippi State Department of Health, Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance, Anderson Hospital, CREATE/Toyota Wellspring Foundation and the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. |
| Poor House Road project stays on schedule despite added costs | |
 | Workers were dismayed Tuesday morning to find damage caused by vehicles driving on a section of Poor House Road currently under construction. The section in question is between Old Highway 25 and South Montgomery Street. The pavement has been completely stripped rather than paved over in order to create a longer-lasting road, completely closing it off except to residents living in the affected area. Barricades block the construction area, but ruts and tire tracks in the supposed-to-be smooth clay gravel found Tuesday morning suggest the warnings were ignored and the sensitive surface driven over. In a Facebook post, the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office stressed how important it is that the construction be finished before Oct. 19, the date Mississippi State University plays Louisiana State University in Starkville. Poor House Road is a major exit path for MSU fans visiting for football games, and the sheriff's office's post warned delays in construction would affect traffic throughout Starkville following the game and cause "major headaches" for everyone in the city. |
| Jay Hughes emphasizes personal background, education policy | |
 | Jay Hughes is running for lieutenant governor with an emphasis on his working-class upbringing and with a brash, feisty style unafraid of sharp talk and a quick quip. A Democrat state representative in Oxford completing his first term in the legislature, Hughes met with the Daily Journal editorial board Tuesday and showcased a campaign pitch focused on education policy and working class economic interests. In Tuesday's interview, Hughes also displayed a blunt, plainspoken and sometimes profane manner. For example, he decried the legislature as corrupt and "100 percent controlled by campaign donations, lobbyists and the desire to get re-elected." He's running a longshot campaign rather than staying in the Legislature as a gadfly because "I want to make a difference, not a statement." His opponent in the general election is the Republican Delbert Hosemann, the incumbent secretary of state. |
| Legislative Democrats host Medicaid expansion hearing | |
| Some Mississippi lawmakers are trying to get a head start on the legislative session, and their focus is on Medicaid expansion. "Part of the reason that we're here today is because there's an election next month and the issue of Medicaid expansion is going to be on the ballot," said Rep. Jarvis Dortch Tuesday. The hearing is the first of two Medicaid expansion hearings being hosted this month by the Mississippi Legislative Democrats. "It's been six years since Medicaid expansion's been an option," added Dortch. "State's that have expanded Medicaid have seen dramatic improvements in healthcare outcomes, whether it's maternal care, better obesity rates, diabetes rates, a whole host of things." But they're asking that the politics be removed from the decision making moving forward. "This shouldn't be about a political football," added Rep. John Hines. "This should really be about improving quality of life for citizens. And so when you look at the conversations that are taking place, people have wanted to support this all along but they were afraid they were going to be ostracized." |
| Justices debate overtaking Congress on LGBTQ protections | |
 | The Supreme Court grappled Tuesday with whether and how far to get in front of Congress in determining whether a 55-year-old civil rights law covers discrimination on sexual orientation and gender identity. Justice Stephen Breyer called the role of Congress "the elephant in the room" during arguments on three cases about how to apply Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in a country that has changed drastically since its initial passage. The cases hinge on if the court decides whether discrimination "on the basis of sex" includes whether the person is attracted to the same gender or identifies as the opposite of what they were assigned at birth. Members of the court's conservative wing questioned whether it was their place to read sexual orientation and gender identity into Title VII. At one point, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch described the petitioners' preferred outcome as "essentially a legislative decision," and noted the court needs to keep in mind its "judicial role and modesty" when approaching statutory interpretation. |
| Turkey launches military offensive in Syria after Trump pulls back US troops | |
 | Turkish forces have launched a military offensive into Kurdish-controlled parts of Syria, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country's president, said Wednesday. "The Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Syrian National Army, just launched #OperationPeaceSpring against PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists in northern Syria," Erodgan announced on Twitter. "Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area." The move comes in defiance of international criticism and just days after President Donald Trump announced U.S. troops supporting Kurdish forces in the area would be pulled back from the border zone. Trump has threatened to punish Turkey economically if it does "anything outside of what we think is humane." However, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have condemned Trump's actions, arguing that it not only poses a threat to a key U.S. ally but endangers the campaign against the Islamic State. |
| Russia's Disinformation War Is Just Getting Started | |
 | The disinformation wars are only just getting started, warns a new report on Russian social media interference released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Published Tuesday, the report offers the most comprehensive look at the efforts of the now-infamous Russian propaganda factory known as the Internet Research Agency to divide Americans, undermine public faith in the democratic process, and aggressively support then-candidate Donald Trump before and after the 2016 election. In addition to affirming much of what had been reported about Russian online interference over the past three years---including in Robert Mueller's sweeping indictment of the IRA in February 2018---the report offers a comprehensive look at the extent of past foreign influence operations and recommendations on how best to prepare for those yet to come. It's the second volume to come out of the Senate Intel Committee, though this one is "much more detailed in its analysis, meticulously cited, and concerned with influence and impact," says Columbia University researcher Jonathan Albright. |
| UM Faculty Senate puts pressure on IHL, leaves door open for no confidence vote | |
 | An amendment proposing that the Faculty Senate deliver a vote of no confidence in both the Institutions of Higher Learning and Glenn Boyce was resoundingly voted down at Tuesday night's Faculty Senate meeting. That doesn't mean it's out of the question. The amendment, proposed by assistant professor of history Zachary Guthrie, was defeated by a 42-1 vote; he was the only senator in support of it. However, during discussion of Guthrie's amendment, multiple senators said that his amendment would be more appropriate as a resolution of its own. Guthrie believes a stand-alone resolution calling for a vote of no confidence in the IHL would have support among both the faculty, and the faculty senate. Before the floor opened for discussion on Noonan's resolution, both Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks and Provost Noel Wilkin gave presentations to the body. Sparks told the senate that Saturday, Oct. 12 would be his last day as interim chancellor, signaling that Boyce will take over on the 13th. |
| Southern Miss kicking off 2019 Homecoming | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi is getting ready to celebrate its 2019 homecoming this week. The first homecoming event will be the Dixie Darling Alumnae Social event, which begins Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn. On Friday, the annual Alumni Homecoming Golf Tournament will take place at the Hattiesburg Country Club at 8:30 a.m. The Southern Miss Student Government Association will host its annual "Fountain Sit" at Shoemaker Square at 11:30 a.m. SGA will also present the homecoming court at 5 p.m. at Town Square Park. The 24th annual Homecoming 5K race is set for Saturday at 8:30 a.m. For more information on registering for the race, click here. The Homecoming Parade will start at 10 a.m., followed by the Dixie Darling tailgate. The parade will head east down Hardy Street from Midtown to the main entrance to campus. |
| Organizations clean streets ahead of Jackson State homecoming | |
 | Jackson State's homecoming is just days away and local organizations are teaming up to clean the streets ahead of the big weekend. Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. organizers with JSU as well as citizens, bankers, community workers along with city and county workers are cleaning the stretch of road from Interstate 20 to University Boulevard. President of Board with Keep Jackson Beautiful Vernon Hartley says, "We have a beautiful community. We have a wonderful HBCU in Jackson State right here. We want to present a nice vision for our visitors to see." About 15 volunteers were out Tuesday morning removing weeds and clearing the areas. |
| Coahoma Community College student removed after 'bullying' incident | |
 | An incident at Coahoma Community College has resulted in the removal of at least one student and has incited furor on social media. On Oct. 2, around midnight, a student reported an "incident of bullying and intimidation" by another student in an on-campus residence hall, according to a news release issued by the school last week. The college's department of safety gathered initial details and began investigating after the report, the release stated. The college subsequently involved the Coahoma Sheriff's Office, which is now the lead agency in the investigation. The suspect was detained, released and "removed" from the college, the release stated. It's unclear if the individual is still enrolled at the school. After the college posted the news release on social media the following day, hundreds took to Facebook to criticize school officials' actions. Comments on social media allege the incident was more criminal than "bullying" and that multiple individuals were wrongfully suspended or expelled. |
| Ingalls extends Shipbuilding Academy with new location in Gulfport | |
 | Ingalls Shipbuilding is expanding its workforce development to Gulfport, adding a program for high school students in Harrison County that can help them earn college credits while learning job training. Huntington Ingalls cut the ribbon Tuesday morning on its newest Shipbuilder Academy outpost, which is located in the old Gaston Point Elementary School. Students from Biloxi, Gulfport, and Pass Christian schools will participate in the career tech program. A total of 27 students are already enrolled in Ingalls' new program. Students in this program can graduate high school with college credits already under their belt from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College along with nationally recognized credentials and a job offer from Ingalls. Ingalls plans to expand the academy to include Long Beach, West Harrison, Harrison Central and D'Iberville high schools. |
| U. of Alabama creates diversity committee | |
 | University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell has created an advisory committee to work on strategies to advance efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive campus after frustration over the university's handling of the resignation of its black dean of students. "We have made progress on this campus in many ways, but we still have much we can and must do," Bell said in a statement released Tuesday. "I look forward to the work of this committee and to the impact it will make on the future of this great university." The announcement of the committee comes roughly a month after news that Dean of Students Jamie R. Riley had resigned his position by mutual agreement and neither party would have any further comments. Bell's announcement did not specifically refer to Riley's resignation but acknowledged concerns raised in the wake of his departure. Bell announced the presidential advisory committee of administrators, faculty, staff and students on Tuesday. The date of the first committee meeting has yet to be scheduled, UA spokesman Chris Bryant said. The committee will begin meeting this month and provide regular updates. |
| Tickets sold out, protest planned for Donald Trump Jr. event at U. of Florida | |
 | Laila Fakhoury, 21, stood in a group with six other University of Florida students at the Plaza of the Americas on Tuesday at noon, and held up a microphone to air her grievances regarding an upcoming speaking event featuring Donald Trump Jr. Fakhoury, a UF senior, is one of the organizers of #ChompTrump, a protest group that plans to meet outside the University Auditorium on Thursday evening when Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, President Donald Trump's campaign adviser, are scheduled to speak on campus. "This university and ACCENT need to uphold their mission and vision of creating an environment of education and empowerment for students, because right now, their actions are far from their intentions," she said. The ACCENT Speakers Bureau, a component of the student government, invited Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle to present and participate in a question and answers session. The speakers will be paid a total of $50,000 using student fees. |
| U. of Tennessee's College of Nursing gets $7.5M donation to expand and renovate building | |
 | The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville has received the largest donation in the school's history: $7.5 million. The gift comes from UT alumna and nurse Sara Croley and her husband, Ross, who hope the donation will educate more nurses to serve Tennessee. Croley said the donation will be "an investment in our hometown" and in the state. "Having worked as a nurse for many years, I have cared for people during some of their most difficult moments," Croley said in a release. "Nurses play such an important role in people's lives. Ross and I are investing in the future of nursing in Tennessee. We hope this gift opens a door of opportunity for many more amazing nurses to enter the workforce." A majority of the donation, $5.5 million, will go toward funding a building renovation and expansion for the college. The renovated building will be named the Croley Nursing Building, pending approval by the Board of Trustees. The remaining $2 million will establish the Sara Rosenbalm Croley Endowed Dean's Chair. |
| Drug and alcohol violations are down on U. of South Carolina's campus, report says | |
 | Vehicle thefts and drug and alcohol violations were down on the University of South Carolina's campus in 2018 from previous years, a new report has found. The number of USC students disciplined for drug violations in 2018 decreased by 29 percent compared to 2017, while the number of those punished for alcohol violations decreased by 20 percent, according to the school's annual Clery Act report. The decrease in disciplinary referrals also tracks with a decrease in on-campus arrests for drugs and alcohol. The number of students arrested for violating drug laws decreased from 166 to 147 between 2017 and 2018, while the number of those arrested for liquor law violations decreased from 30 to 18 percent, according to the report. USC spokesman Jeff Stensland attributes these decreases to a series of changes in state law. S.C.'s "limited immunity" or "good Samaritan" law -- which provides conditional, legal protection for someone who calls 911 because of a friend overdosing or drinking excessively -- has led to fewer students being arrested for drug or alcohol possession, Stensland said. |
| U. of Missouri announces national search for new vice chancellor of diversity | |
 | Faculty and administrators from a range of departments and colleges, including many faculty of color, as well as representatives of student organizations will assist in a nationwide search for the University of Missouri's next vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity. Chancellor Alexander Cartwright unveiled the panel Tuesday in an email to faculty. Assigned to find a replacement for Kevin McDonald, the first vice chancellor for inclusion, the group is co-chaired by Pat Okker, dean of the College of Arts and Science, and Michael Middleton, a professor emeritus who served as interim UM System President following the 2015 campus protests over racial equity. In the email, Cartwright said he hopes many more members of the campus community will be involved in the selection process. The new vice chancellor will oversee the Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, which includes offices and centers that promote social justice, equity and inclusion for marginalized students. |
| Texas A&M part of research group awarded desalination hub | |
 | The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded the National Alliance for Water Innovation -- of which Texas A&M University is a part -- a $100 million, five-year Energy-Water Desalination Hub as part of the DOE's efforts to address water security issues in the U.S. The National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) is a research consortium with more than 35 members, including three national research laboratories, 19 university partners and 10 founding industry partners, according to a Texas A&M press release. Baylor University, Rice University and the University of Texas are also part of the NAWI consortium. The desalination hub will focus on "early-stage research and development for energy-efficient and cost-competitive desalination technologies," according to the release. Desalination is the process of removing salt from seawater. The NAWI team will work on developing technologies that treat seawater, brackish water and produced waters, for use in municipal, industrial, agricultural and other supply needs. |
| Schools, colleges, including U. of Missouri, won't allow medical marijuana | |
 | Missouri may legally tolerate medical marijuana but the University of Missouri, which bans smoking on its campuses, won't allow it, and neither will Columbia College or Columbia Public Schools. Spokespeople for all three institutions cited federal law, which continues to prohibit marijuana use, possession and cultivation, for their policies. There is no plan to change any policies or make any accommodations for student patients who use medical marijuana, they said. MU spokesman Christian Basi said the legalization of medical marijuana hasn't resulted in a change in any university policies. "MU will not allow anyone to smoke, use, grow or distribute medical marijuana on campus," Basi said. "As a smoke-free campus, we prohibit any type of smoking on campus, and we also must continue to adhere to federal law which prohibits the use, distribution or cultivation of marijuana." The MU and Columbia College bans apply to use on campus, not to individual students who live off-campus. |
| Big new spending on Pell Grants catches on with moderate presidential hopefuls | |
 | At a Democratic town hall event earlier this year, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar explained her opposition to free college by saying she wanted to "make sure kids that are in need" are able to go to college. That's why she backs policies like expanding the Pell Grant, she said. Months later, South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg made a similar argument for expanding Pell Grants -- the primary form of need-based federal aid -- over policies like free college for all. Former vice president Joe Biden's higher ed platform released this week offered the most concrete campaign proposal yet for boosting the Pell Grant. The Biden proposal called for doubling the maximum value of the grant, which would put the amount of the award north of $13,000. More moderate Democratic presidential hopefuls, leery of ideas like free college, argue that focusing on Pell Grants would be the most pragmatic and fairest approach to addressing college affordability. The kind of expansion Biden is talking about would also be perhaps the biggest new investment in student aid in decades. |
| Europe's Old Universities Spin Out New Tech Companies | |
 | The world's oldest universities are learning to promote their newest technologies using American-style entrepreneurialism. Across Europe, academic institutions are intensifying efforts to get promising ideas out of their labs and into commercial use, following the successful examples of Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other U.S. leaders in the field. Breaking with ivory-tower traditions, European schools are encouraging their academics to license technological breakthroughs or start businesses. The storied institutions are establishing tech-transfer offices and investment funds to speed commercialization. "We've set up more companies in the past five years than in the previous 795," said Chas Bountra, University of Oxford's pro-vice chancellor for innovation, at a recent conference on artificial intelligence that touted Oxford's AI-related startups. U.S. research institutions began spinning out tech companies three decades ago, after Congress allowed them to share in profits from federally funded research projects. Notable names include Genentech, early search-engine Lycos and robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics. |
| FBI Warns U.S. Universities About Chinese Theft of Intellectual Property | |
| The FBI has been working to stop the theft of technology and trade secrets by Chinese researchers who are working at U.S. institutions of higher education. FBI outreach efforts to universities include lecturing at seminars, briefing campus administrators and providing information on intellectual property theft, reports the Washington Post. The campaign comes after the discovery of several cases of intellectual property theft, breaches in scientific integrity, cyberattacks, the participation of academic researchers in foreign talent recruitment programs and other forms of foreign interference relating to research performed at U.S. universities. Earlier this year, the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) gathered a sample of some of the best practices being implemented by universities to combat emerging security threats. It encouraged all universities to review the examples and consider implementing them on their campuses. |
| Study Shows Parents' Concern for Mental Health | |
| A new study shows that parents are increasingly concerned over their students' mental health. The survey, conducted by the Mary Christie Foundation, showed that 76 percent of parents polled believed mental health on college campuses was a very or somewhat serious issue. Parents of students with mental health conditions emphasized access to resources as a priority. Of the parents who responded, 36 percent thought that mental health issues were a major threat to student safety while on campus. "Parents play an important role in a large portion of today's college students, yet there has been little examination of their views or understanding of college student mental health," said John Howe, chairman and president of the Mary Christie Foundation, in a press release. "We hope this new information is helpful for the practitioners and policy makers who are addressing these issues on their campuses." Survey results indicate that parents are concerned about the issue of mental health to the point where available resources play a component in college selection, but they have misconceptions around "disclosure, accountability and campus resources." |
| Nobel Prize in chemistry honors three scientists for their work on lithium-ion batteries | |
 | Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for their work developing lithium-ion batteries, which have reshaped energy storage and transformed cars, mobile phones and many other devices -- and reduced the world's reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. The prize went to John B. Goodenough, 97, a German-born engineering professor at the University of Texas; M. Stanley Whittingham, 77, a British-American chemistry professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton; and Japan's Akira Yoshino, 71, of Asahi Kasei Corporation and Meijo University. Goodenough is the oldest person to ever win a Nobel Prize. The three each had a set of unique breakthroughs that cumulatively laid the foundation for the development of a commercial rechargeable battery. Two Nobel literature laureates are to be announced Thursday -- one for 2018 and one for 2019 -- because last year's award was suspended after a sex abuse scandal rocked the Swedish Academy. |
| Constitution challenge makes tight governor's race tighter | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: In a recent column, I wrote about the major time in Mississippi history that an obscure Mississippi constitutional relic from the days of "Jim Crow" laws came to electoral fruition in deciding a statewide election. It was 20 years ago in 1999 when Democrat Ronnie Musgrove -- then the incumbent lieutenant governor -- won a tight general election gubernatorial race against Republican nominee Mike Parker, Reform Party nominee Jerry Ladner, and independent Helen Perkins. Musgrove was elected governor -- running for an open seat since then-incumbent Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice couldn't succeed himself a second time -- with a plurality of 49.6 percent of the vote to Parker's 48.5 percent of the vote in a race that was ultimately decided by the Mississippi House of Representatives. Ladner got 1.1 percent of the vote while Perkins took 0.8 percent. Musgrove won the popular vote by some 8,344 votes. But Musgrove and Parker each carried 61 of the state's 122 House districts. When the vote went to the House to settle it, Musgrove won by a margin of 86 to 36 in the House floor vote. Out of 86 Democratic votes in the House that day, 84 voted for Musgrove. Of the 33 Republicans in the House that day, 31 voted for Parker. All three independents voted for Parker. Two Democrats voted for Parker, while two Republicans voted for Musgrove. If Musgrove won the popular vote, why did it matter that Parker tied him 61-61 in the state's 122 House districts? |
SPORTS
| Rockey tops Rocky Top: How Mississippi State last knocked off Tennessee in Knoxville | |
| Don Smith has a plain sailing philosophy on college football. "It's all about the fans," said Smith, a quarterback at Mississippi State from 1983-86. "As you grow older, you learn to appreciate things. I tell the guys who are playing now, the fans are the most different thing about college sports." On Sept. 13, 1986, Smith's elucidation worked heavily against him as the Mississippi State Bulldogs entered Neyland Stadium to face No. 8 Tennessee in front of nearly 90,000. "I had never seen so much orange in my life," Smith told the Clarion Ledger. "It was an intimidating feeling." Smith's statement that he had never seen so much orange in his life holds a lot of weight considering he had just played in the Carrier Dome a week prior. Peter Slover, Mississippi State's head cheerleader at the time, remembers the ambiance being "electric" inside the dome. The environment at Tennessee was just simply on another level. |
| Joe Moorhead, Bulldogs refocused as Tennessee looms | |
 | The weekly cliche out of the Mississippi State football program following losses this season has been not allowing a single defeat beat you twice. After suffering an 56-23 demolition at the hands of then-No. 7 Auburn two weeks ago, that has again become a consistent phrasing within the MSU locker room this week. "It can go one or two ways: You can either dwell on it and allow the same game to try and beat you twice, or you can correct it, put it to bed and move on," Moorhead said of the Auburn game. "We chose the latter." With Moorhead's mantra in tow, MSU left The Plains with not only a sour taste but a chance to regroup. After practicing Tuesday and Wednesday, players were given Thursday and Friday off to kick back and relax during their bye week. |
| Mississippi State golfer Ford Clegg cards career low at Notre Dame | |
| Mississippi State sophomore golfer Ford Clegg shot a career-low 5-under 66 in the Bulldogs' final round Tuesday at the Fighting Irish Classic hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Clegg finished in a tie for seventh place on the leaderboard and helped MSU to a ninth-place finish with a team score of 2-over 286. "Ford did a great job of giving us a huge round today when we truly needed it," head coach Dusty Smith said in a release from MSU Athletics. "We are not where we need to be yet, but today we became more of a team. We need to take these next few weeks to continue to get better. All you can do is get back up and keep at it." The team will next compete in the TVA Community Credit Union Invitational from Oct. 21-22 in Killen, Alabama. |
| SEC announces six-day hold on LSU's Oct. 19 game at Mississippi State; TBD on Sunday | |
 | The call on next Saturday's LSU-Mississippi State game: holding. The Southeastern Conference on Monday announced a six-day hold on kickoff time and TV plans for the Oct. 19 game between the Tigers and Bulldogs in Starkville, Mississippi, along with two other games. That means TV plans for LSU-State won't be announced until Sunday. Kickoff will be at 11 a.m. on ESPN, 2:30 p.m. on CBS or 5 p.m. on ESPN. LSU's last two games --- Sept. 21 at Vanderbilt and the Tigers' home game this past Saturday against Utah State --- kicked off at 11 a.m. on the SEC Network. LSU's home game this Saturday against Florida is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN. LSU has not been on CBS yet this season. Kickoff time and network for LSU's Oct. 26 home game with Auburn is expected to be announced Monday. |
| Growing Trend of Midseason Redshirting Has Caused a Divide in College Football | |
| Last week, ahead of its game against Maryland, Rutgers announced a new starting quarterback. Redshirt freshman Johnny Langan would make his first collegiate start. The reason behind the move was anything but ordinary: Artur Sitkowski, the starter in the previous two games, was choosing not to play while considering a redshirt this season. Two weeks ago in Houston, the same happened. Starting quarterback D'Eriq King chose not to continue playing this season in order to preserve a year of eligibility. One of his receivers, Keith Corbin, made the same decision, as both of them used a rule the NCAA passed last year to allow players to redshirt while competing in as many as four games in a single season. King's decision has sent a ripple effect through college football. Players making similar choices are springing up across the county. This has gone from peculiar anomaly to widespread trend in a matter of days. |
| Penn State coach James Franklin blasts letter critical of Jonathan Sutherland's dreadlocks | |
| Penn State running back C.J. Holmes posted a letter from a fan addressed to teammate Jonathan Sutherland on Twitter on Monday that asked Sutherland to cut his dreadlocks and clean up his appearance. "Watching the Idaho game on TV we couldn't help but notice your -- well -- awful hair," reads the letter signed by 1966 alum Dave Petersen who called himself a Penn State alumni. "Surely there must be mirrors in the locker room! Don't you have parents or girlfriend who've told you those shoulder length dreadlocks look disgusting and are certainly not attractive." And on Tuesday, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin delivered a passionate rebuke of the letter and defended Sutherland, a junior safety from Ottawa, Canada. The Johnstown (Pennsylvania) Tribune-Democrat tracked down Petersen, who said he is a 1966 Penn State graduate. Petersen maintained he did not want to make a racial or cultural statement. "I would just like to see the coaches get the guys cleaned up and not looking like Florida State and Miami guys," he said. |
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