Mississippi
How Mississippi State football failed to capitalize on Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s injury
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The way this Mississippi State football team is constructed, it needs to catch a big break in order to win an SEC game. That’s the harsh truth of this season’s winless-in-conference-play Bulldogs. It’s news that isn’t new, either.
Some games, that break might happen. In others, it never comes.
Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6 SEC) caught a chance in Saturday’s 33-14 loss at No. 6 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1). Nico Iamaleava, the Volunteers’ young star quarterback, didn’t return from the locker room after halftime and was ultimately ruled out of the game with an upper-body injury. Tennessee led 20-7 at the time with Gaston Moore inserted at quarterback — a redshirt senior with zero career starts.
The Bulldogs never took advantage.
“We just have to make the best of our opportunities,” running back Davon Booth said. “I feel like we let this game go easily and it could’ve been the other way around.”
Mississippi State had a chance to capture momentum in second half
With Moore at quarterback, Mississippi State took care of business on the first drive of the half. It forced a three-and-out and punt from the Volunteers. An MSU touchdown would’ve cut the lead to one possession.
“I think that was a big momentum starter for us,” safety Isaac Smith said after setting a career high with 20 tackles.
Mississippi State turned the ball over six plays later when quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. was strip-sacked in Tennessee territory. The Vols kicked a 51-yard field goal after MSU committed consecutive pass interference penalties, then scored a touchdown and another field goal on their next two possessions to put the game out of reach.
Mississippi State needed a better first half, too
The Bulldogs wouldn’t have needed to capture momentum had they done so in the first half. It has been an issue all season. They’ve held only two halftime leads in 10 games.
MSU once again had to fight back into the game. Tennessee led 14-0 early in the second quarter and outgained MSU 285 yards to 144 in the first half.
Take a lead into halftime, then Moore has to stage the comeback.
“I think for us, it’s a missed opportunity because we ended up on the wrong side of it, regardless of what was going on on the other side,” coach Jeff Lebby said. “We had the ability to make some plays and give us the opportunity to go win a football game. Tennessee did an unbelievable job of continuing to find ways to run the football in the second half. That, for us, was where we could not find ways to get momentum and keep momentum on offense.”
Michael Van Buren Jr. didn’t play well
It was inconvenient for Van Buren to have his worst game since becoming the starter.
The true freshman has had strings of moments in his six starts where he has looked uncomfortable. Typically, he has been able to recover. That never happened on Saturday.
“We were off,” Lebby said. “We did not do a good job of pitching and catching. I thought we had the ability with some guys in the first half to create some huge chunk plays where we had some missed opportunities. Being able to connect at times and then, from the decision standpoint, having the ability to make really clean decisions, I got to continue to put him in better spots so we have the chance to go create some explosives.”
Van Buren completed 10-of-26 passes for 92 yards and one interception. It set lows in completions, completion percentage and passing yards in his six career starts.
He had only one drive, the touchdown drive in the second quarter, where he completed consecutive passes.
“There’s this great expectation for him to go play really, really well, not just from me, but from himself,” Lebby said. “He understands that, he’s fighting for that and he’s straining for that. The young man is going to be a great player.”
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 COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) – A 10-year-old girl is seriously injured following a UTV crash on Friday, June 26.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s crash report, a 10-year-old girl from Sikeston was driving a UTV southbound on Levee Road, 11 miles east of East Prairie.
MSHP said the crash occurred around 11 a.m. as the vehicle travelled off the left side of the roadway, returned to the road and then overturned.
The girl was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Cape Girardeau for serious injuries.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.
IRS raises 401(k) contribution limits for 2026
IRS increases 401(k) and catch-up contribution limits for 2026, allowing workers to save up to $32,500 for retirement.
Many Americans worry their retirement savings won’t last — and a new report suggests that fear may be justified in Mississippi.
Surveys have shown that Americans fear running out of money in retirement more than they fear death itself. People are living longer, which means retirement lasts longer, and retirement costs are rising.
A new report from CareScout, the long-term care network, finds that the average American at age 65 faces a retirement shortfall of $109,000. That’s the difference between how much income they can expect, from Social Security, savings and other sources, and how much they should plan to spend on the expenses of daily life.
American retirees are likely to outlive their savings in 41 states, according to the data.
The report draws on state-level estimates of life expectancy at age 65 (16 to 20 years, more or less, depending on the state), average retirement benefits, median net worth and expected retirement expenses.
How likely are you to outlive your retirement savings in Mississippi? Here’s what we know about life expectancy, expenses and how much retiring here costs.
Mississippi retirees face a $160K savings gap
The average Mississippi senior can expect about $682,000 in expenses and $521,000 in income in retirement. Projected shortfall: $160,000.
It’s the 13th-largest shortfall in the U.S.
The state has some of the most affordable food costs and home prices in the country, but overall wages are also much lower than the national average.
What’s a realistic retirement age in Mississippi?
Nasdaq studied realistic retirement numbers for each state. For Mississippi, they determined that a realistic retirement age is 61 and recommend having at least $764,676 saved.
Mississippi residents aren’t taxed on income from:
- Social Security benefits
- IRAs
- 401(k)s
- Pensions
- Military benefits
The state income tax is also being phased out.
How long Mississippians live after age 65
Mississippi ranked next-to-last for life expectancy in a CDC list of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data from 2022 is the newest available.
The Magnolia State had an average life expectancy of 72.6 years.
For men, Mississippi ranked 51st at 69.5 years. Women ranked 50th with an average life expectancy of 75.7.
At age 65, people in Mississippi are expected to live another 16.7 years, on average. It’s about 15.3 years for men and 17.9 years for women.
Retirement may last longer than you think
American life expectancy is about 79 years. By the time you reach retirement, however, you can expect to live longer than the overall life expectancy figure suggests. A woman of 70, for example, can expect to live to 87.
Many older Americans don’t know how long their own retirement is going to last: in other words, how long they are going to live.
Longevity literacy matters in retirement planning. If your retirement budget assumes you will live to 75, and you make it to 95, you will probably run out of money.
How to make your retirement savings last
Don’t want to outlive your savings? Here are some tips from the experts.
Ways to grow your retirement account faster
One surefire way to build retirement savings is to make aggressive contributions to a workplace retirement account.
The most successful retirement savers typically start saving early, contribute at least 10% of their income to a 401(k)-type account, and save continuously until they retire.
And try not to raid your retirement savings for a household expense. Instead, open an emergency savings account.
How timing Social Security affects your monthly check
The longer you wait to claim Social Security, the larger your monthly benefit checks will be.
Based on the longevity figures above, you’re generally better off claiming Social Security later in life, if you can afford to wait. Ideally, wait until age 70, when your monthly benefit maxes out.
In a 2025 story, USA TODAY explained the math behind that rule of thumb.
Mississippi cities certified for retirement living
There are 13 cities and towns in the Mississippi Hometown Retirement Program, also known as Welcome Home Mississippi.
The program encourages more people to retire in the Magnolia State. It uses no state income tax on retirement income, a tax exemption on the first $75,000 of a home’s true value and no state gift or inheritance taxes as selling points.
Certified cities “maintain high standards and boast many of the qualities and amenities retirees often seek when choosing a retirement destination,” according to the Welcome Home website.
Cities in the program include:
Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today and writes the Daily Money newsletter.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 25, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 25 drawing
01-06-09-13-23
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 3-3-8, FB: 5
Evening: 4-0-8, FB: 7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 2-8-3-2, FB: 5
Evening: 5-0-3-2, FB: 7
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 01
Evening: 07
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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