Mississippi
How a Mississippi State football win or loss vs Florida could impact rest of Bulldogs’ season
STARKVILLE — Expectations were low for coach Jeff Lebby’s first season with Mississippi State football, and after a 1-2 start they feel even lower.
It’s fair to wonder how Mississippi State will do in the SEC after last week’s brutal 41-17 home loss to Toledo. The Bulldogs’ SEC schedule begins this week with Florida coming to Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN).
The Gators (1-2, 0-1 SEC) are in the midst of their own disarray, but a Mississippi State win could still ease some of fans’ concerns from the start of the season.
“We’re not going to dwell on the past,” Lebby said. “Our guys understand that we have good football players inside these walls. Having some self-belief and some confidence when things aren’t going right is something that needs to start showing up.”
What a win vs Florida could mean for Mississippi State
It hasn’t been just one glaring weakness for Mississippi State.
Mississippi State hasn’t scored a first-half touchdown in two straight games and there’s also been little resemblance of an effective running game. Defensively, MSU hasn’t been winning up front with new coordinator Coleman Hutzler. Arizona State rushed for 346 yards, and Mississippi State has only one sack in the last two games.
Florida has been bad too though, as coach Billy Napier’s job security appears to be in great danger. He’s just 2-10 away from home since becoming the coach in 2022.
The timing for Mississippi State to play the Gators immediately after Toledo could be a beneficial runway before the true SEC gauntlet begins. After Florida, Mississippi State plays five of the top eight teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll. It has road games at No. 2 Texas, No. 1 Georgia, No. 7 Tennessee and No. 5 Ole Miss. No. 8 Missouri comes to Starkville the week before the Egg Bowl.
That means there’s few realistic opportunities for wins after the Florida game. They all come in a three-game home stretch from Oct. 19 to Nov. 2: Texas A&M, Arkansas and UMass.
What a loss to Florida could mean for Mississippi State
Mississippi State has announced three players have left the team since the start of the season. All of them were expected to be contributors this season.
Running back Jeffery Pittman left in Week 1, defensive lineman Eric Taylor left early last week and offensive lineman Leon Bell was announced as a departure after he didn’t play Saturday. Bell started at right tackle in Week 2 against Arizona State.
No reasons were given for their departures.
MORE: What upset Jeff Lebby the most after watching Mississippi State football’s loss to Toledo
Would a loss deepen the departures from the Mississippi State’s roster?
“It’s hard,” Lebby said of the players’ exits. “You don’t want that. You want guys to have every opportunity imaginable to be able to be a part of something that’s so much bigger than ourselves, bigger than myself, bigger than anybody that sits in this team room every single day.
“I think early on inside a program, people understanding that you’re not going to give on certain things is incredibly important. Our guys that love Mississippi State, that want to play for each other and have great connection and want to be great teammates. We’re going to find ways to reward those guys nonstop inside the program.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Mississippi
Thompson defeats Turnage to highlight U.S. House primaries in Mississippi – SuperTalk Mississippi
Political newcomer and Capitol Hill attorney Evan Turnage proved no match for longtime U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who defeated him and one other challenger to earn the Democratic nomination for Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday.
Some politicos thought Turnage – who went to Yale and later worked for some of Thompson’s Democratic colleagues, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) – wouldn’t necessarily win but could make waves as one of the more viable candidates to challenge Thompson in recent years. However, that wasn’t the case as Thompson garnered approximately 85% of the vote when the race was called.
Thompson, 78, is seeking an 18th term. The civil rights leader who chaired the Jan. 6 Committee was first elected in 1993 and serves as a ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee. He will face either Ron Eller or Kevin Wilson on the Republican side, a race yet to be called as of late Tuesday night, and independent Bennie Foster in November’s general.
All of Mississippi’s U.S. House seats are up for grabs this year.
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican Rep. Trent Kelly ran unopposed, while civil rights attorney and University of Mississippi School of Law professor Cliff Johnson beat former state lawmaker Kelvin Buck in the Democratic primary. Libertarian challenger Johnny Baucom awaits Kelly and Johnson in the general.
In the 3rd Congressional District, both Republican Rep. Michael Guest and Democrat Michael Chiaradio ran unopposed. They will meet Libertarian Erik Kiehle in the general.
In the 4th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Mike Ezell had over 80% of the vote when his race was called against former Mississippi Department of Marine Resources officer and political staffer Sawyer Walters. State Rep. Jeffrey Hulum easily won the Democratic nomination over Paul Blackman and D. Ryan Grover. Ezell and Hulum will face independent Carl Boyanton in the general.
Arguably the most watched races of the night occurred in the state’s lone U.S. Senate seat in this year’s cycle. Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith had no problem with Ocean Springs doctor Sarah Adlakha, seeing her name bolded around 30 minutes after the polls closed. It wasn’t long after that when Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom was announced the winner of the Democratic primary over Priscilla Till and Albert Littell. Independent Ty Pinkins will meet Hyde-Smith and Colom in the general on Nov. 3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mississippi
Mississippi First Congressional District Primary 2026: Live Election Results, Buck vs. Johnson
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Staff
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House
2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books
3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday
4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House
5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press
6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday
7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House
8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company
9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House
10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead
Children and young adults
1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown
2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press
3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing
4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins
5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster
Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619
— Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).
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