Mississippi
Looking Back at Mizzou’s Final Home Win of the Season Against Mississippi State
The Missouri Tigers managed to bounce back in Week 12 with a 49-27 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. By no means was it a perfect outing, but to get back in the win column and do so in blowout fashion was beyond important.
After losing an ugly one to Texas A&M the week before and having their season-long goal of making the College Football Playoff squashed, they delivered the perfect response. The offense was clicking, star running back Ahmad Hardy had his best game of the season and Missouri forced three turnovers.
Now, sitting 7-3 on the season, the Tigers can walk confidently into the rest of the season.
Here’s a look into Missouri’s win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs and why it was a perfect one to turn the page after a rough Week 11.
Play of the game: It may not have been a complete game-changer of a play, but Toriano Pride Jr’s interception that bounced off Daylan Carnell, who did most of the dirty work in coverage, was absolutely an energizer for the rest of the game.
Funnily enough, this was Pride’s second wacky return of the game. Pride was all over the place and took advantage of multiple opportunities when they came his way.
In all seriousness, Pride’s touchdown flipped the script of the game. Mississippi State still had slivers of momentum and though Missouri had just scored the possession before, the Bulldogs were still rolling. Pride’s pick-six, in many ways, ended the game.
Stat of the game: How can this title not go to Hardy’s 300-yard performance? This was one of the best rushing performances in the history of the Southeastern Conference and was one of the main reasons the Tigers found the offensive success that they did.
It seems like it’s been a while since Hardy had an explosive, high-impact day like he did against the Bulldogs. In fact, this is only his second performance over 100 yards since the Tigers’ win over UMass. In all honesty, this was likely a welcome outing for the Tigers, the fans and Hardy himself.
Missouri’s offensive line had arguably its best game of the season against Mississippi State. The fact that the Tigers posted 326 rushing yards and that Missouri’s freshman quarterback was only sacked twice should be a perfect indicator of that.
For the most part, Matt Zollers had a good chunk of time to make his decisions. He only made 15 passes, so not much was asked of him in that department, but he made good decisions throwing the ball and the offensive line gave him time to do so.
The offensive line also gave Hardy the time and space to do what he did. That’s not to say that he wasn’t making these plays for himself, because he was, but some of that does stem from the blocks his offensive front was creating.
“I thought the O-line and tight ends obviously prevented penetration, allowed him to get to the second level, but then he did the rest, once the holes started,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said following the win. They were playing quite a bit of man-to-man, which prevents overlap in the defense and I think his speed really surprised them.”
This might not be what Missouri fans want to hear, but a good chunk of the penalty issues against the Tigers, mainly in the first half, were very much valid. There should be absolutely zero debate about the two targeting calls that were dished out, along with the unnecessary roughness call on safety Santana Banner for some extracurriculars and a facemask on Stephen Hall for doing exactly that.
One or two may have been questionable, but in general, Missouri was making a lot of sloppy mistakes. At least in the first half, when seven of the 11 penalties occurred, Drinkwitz’s team may have been playing slightly too emotionally.
“I think senior nights always get a little bit emotional,” Drinkwitz said. “So, we were out of character and out of context there for a little bit. I’ve never seen so many first downs given to a team through penalties.”
In the long run, Missouri’s 11 total penalties that went for 74 yards weren’t the end of the world. That might not be the case against an Oklahoma squad that recently vaulted into the AP Top 25 and happens to be Missouri’s Week 13 opponent.
With all of that being said, Missouri did catch a bad break or two. Zollers’ two intentional grounding penalties were a little shaky, especially the second time around, when he was being hit and targeting his tight end, Brett Norfleet. He was making the throwing motion toward Norfleet, but didn’t get the chance to get it there.
It might be easy to brush past some of the intricacies that Missouri’s defense struggled with against the Bulldogs, given they scored two defensive touchdowns and forced three total turnovers. But, in a similar fashion to other games this year, the Tigers struggled with tackling angles and wrapping up.
Not having Josiah Trotter in the middle of the field surely made a difference there, but a decent chunk of these issues were in the secondary.
Take Brenen Thompson’s 54-yard catch and run in the first quarter. Thompson holds onto exceptional speed and is a tough player to bring down, but that shouldn’t excuse three separate Tiger defenders missing him when they had the chance to.
Seeing some of Missouri’s veterans miss tackles this late in the season is going to sting and could hurt the team later on. Tackling angles have been a subtle issue all season and it looks like issues are still coming up in that area, especially from the Tigers’ defensive backs.
Darris Smith quietly had one of the best days of any Tiger on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with four tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss. In many ways, Smith was the best pass rusher for the Tigers. At the same time, he lined up at different locations beyond the edge.
There were a few snaps where Smith lined up at off-ball linebacker, which is not a first-time occasion. This time around, however, they happened to be more effective.
A perfect example of Smith being all over the place was on the drive that occurred right before Missouri’s unique muffed field goal return. Smith recorded two tackles for loss and was a menace in the run game in terms of filling gaps, disallowing Mississippi State from taking advantage of some momentum thanks to penalties.
Smith has been a steady contributor for the Tigers this season and saw increased time against the Bulldogs with Langden Kitchen out and Nate Johnson being ejected from the game early due to a targeting penalty. A game like that one will only earn him more opportunities as the season progresses.
It’s not an over-exaggeration to say that Norfleet is Missouri’s most valued blocker when it comes to opening up holes in the running game. On the front side of multiple Missouri zone runs, whether it was Hardy or Jamal Roberts, Norfleet was a primary helper in opening those gaps.
Hardy still managed to rush for over 100 yards in Week 11 against the Aggies, but this was different. The outside zone was clicking all night and, with the help of his offensive line, tight ends and receivers, the holes were there. Norfleet’s size and willingness to be all over the field to make these blocks were so apparent and clearly made a difference.
Even when Norfleet isn’t making his mark as a receiver, he’s still one of the most important players on the team. When he was out in the ladder stages of Missouri’s loss to Vanderbilt and the entirety of Week 11 against Texas A&M, his blocking presence was missed.
Norfleet’s showing in that department against Mississippi State only proved that further. The Tigers need Norfleet as healthy as possible moving forward.
Connor Weselman punted the football only three times against the Bulldogs, with an average of 39 yards per punt. Two of those went for 47 and 48 yards, but one went for only 22. The Tigers obviously don’t want Weselman on the field all that much, meaning the offense wouldn’t be doing their job, but finding some consistency in whatever number of times he does punt needs to come around.
His 22-yard punt in the third quarter was simply bad. It spun back 16 yards and placed Mississippi State a few yards away from midfield. Against a team with a more explosive offense and better pass protection, that could’ve, and probably would, lead to points.
Weselman’s other two were solid, but not being able to string three good ones together is an issue. Two weeks ago, against the Texas A&M Aggies, the same issues rose. This might not be the biggest of Missouri’s concerns at the moment, but Weselman’s punts have negatively affected Missouri and could continue to do so in the future.
Mississippi
GPS data tracks boat Mississippi teen Nolan Wells was on before he went missing
GPS data from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, obtained by CBS News, tracks the movements of the boat that carried Nolan Wells to Horn Island on July 4. Wells was found dead after going missing following an outing on the island.
The vessel left a dock at approximately 9:56 a.m. that morning and arrived at Horn Island at 11:14 a.m. CBS News has previously reported that Wells was not on the boat when it departed the island.
According to the GPS data, the boat left Horn Island at 4:31 p.m. and returned to its original departure dock. It then traveled into Fort Bayou around 5:52 p.m. before returning to the dock at 6:06 p.m.
Later that evening, the boat went to the Fort Bayou boat launch at 7:19 p.m., according to the MSDMR report. From there, it traveled over land — presumably towed by a vehicle — to the Biloxi, Mississippi, residence of the boat’s owners.
The MSDMR report indicates that the boat’s owner, his mother and one other individual who was reportedly with Wells on the day of the incident have cooperated with the investigation.
The department’s report ends on July 5, following notification that the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office would take over as the lead investigative agency.
Wells, 18, was last seen on July 4 on Horn Island, where he had taken a boat trip with friends to celebrate the holiday, officials said. Wells traveled to the island with his friends but did not return to the mainland with them that afternoon, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said.
He was last seen on the island at 3 p.m., according to attorney Ben Crump’s office. His mother reported him missing later that night and a search began.
His body was discovered July 6 off the coast of the island, which is about 10 miles south of the Mississippi mainland, following a search that involved the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service.
Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told CBS News. An autopsy took place on July 7, Lynd said, but the results were not immediately made public. Wells’ body was flown to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy, according to Crump.
Wells’ parents have said they don’t believe their son would’ve stayed behind on the island by choice when his friends left by boat.
“No, he wouldn’t. Nolan always stays with the group,” Elmore Wonsley, Nolan’s father, told “CBS Mornings” last week. “If you be with me, you come back with me. So that I don’t understand, and with me being a parent, if I was in that situation, I would have told them, ‘You’re going to get back on this boat with me because I don’t want to answer to your parents if something happens to you.’”
When directly asked if he believed Nolan was left behind on the island, his father responded, “Yes. I don’t believe he decided to stay on the island by himself. It just doesn’t — that’s not his character.”
Wells went to Ocean Springs High School and was a rising sophomore on Southwest Mississippi Community College’s football team. Crump said Wells was a good swimmer.
Mississippi
How permanent daylight saving time would impact Mississippi
Permanent daylight saving time in New Jersey
House approves permanent DST: NJ gets later sunsets year-round but darker winter mornings; sunrise could be ~8:25 a.m.
Are Americans finally done changing the clocks twice a year? Congress moved a step closer to ending the ritual after the U.S. House passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.
It hasn’t been approved by the Senate yet, but it did pass the House with broad support (308-117). If it passes the Senate, it could be signed by President Donald Trump or become law without his signature, unless he vetoes it.
Trump has previously backed ending twice-a-year time changes.
“I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law. It’s time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’” he wrote in a May Truth Social post.
A few versions of the Sunshine Protection Act were introduced in Congress. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, introduced the one that’s gaining ground last year.
Here’s what to know about daylight saving time and the move to change it.
What is daylight saving time and why do we use it?
Daylight saving time is the practice of setting clocks forward an hour from March until November in an effort to gain more sunlight during the summer months.
According to the Library of Congress, it was first enacted in 1918 as a fuel cost-saving measure during World War I.
Daylight saving time became federal law under the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Under the law, some states can opt to exempt themselves from daylight saving time.
Would Mississippi keep daylight saving time year-round?
In 2021, the Mississippi Legislature passed a law saying the state plans to stick with daylight saving time year-round. But that only takes effect if Congress changes the federal law to let states adopt it all the time. A bill updating the effective date died in committee in the 2026 session.
Nineteen states, including Mississippi, are ready to make daylight saving time permanent if Congress changes the law to make the twice-a-year time shift optional, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
How later sunrises would affect Mississippi
Sunrise and sunset times in summer would look the same.
But the period from November to March would be different. The amount of daylight would be the same, just shifted an hour later than usual.
Mississippi could expect the latest winter sunrises around 7:59 a.m. in mid-January. The earliest sunsets would shift from about 4:46 p.m. in early December to 5:46 p.m., according to timeanddate.com.
Why permanent daylight saving time failed before
Yes. Congress did drop Daylight Saving Time before.
The move failed in 1974 after parents worried about kids going to school before dawn, risking more vehicle crashes.
Some parts of the country, like Michigan or Indiana, don’t see sunrise until after 9 a.m. with the permanent daylight saving time.
When clocks fall back in 2026
Clocks will “fall back” from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, unless Congress changes the law.
Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November each year, under current law. That’s when we get back that missing hour of sleep from the spring time change.
Does Mississippi change clocks twice a year?
Yes. Mississippi, which is in the Central time zone, observes daylight saving time.
What time is it in Mississippi?
Visit timeanddate.com to see the current time in Jackson.
Which states don’t observe daylight saving time?
Most of the U.S. participates in daylight saving time except for Hawaii and most of Arizona. The Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of the state does participate.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
Mississippi
Mississippi teen accused of killing elderly couple had worked for them before shooting: family
A teenager in Mississippi knew the elderly couple he’s accused of killing before sparking a standoff with law enforcement, according to new testimony in court.
Cordarius Hobbs, 17, is charged with killing 74-year-old Billy Blair and his 71-year-old wife Virginia Carol Blair during a home break-in on June 3 in Mendenhall, Mississippi.
Family members of Hobbs testified during the Thursday preliminary hearing that he knew the couple.
Family members testified that Hobbs did work for the Blairs for things like cleaning around the house before the alleged shooting, according to WAPT.
Billy Newsome, Hobbs’ grandfather, said he believes his grandson was called to work on the day of the alleged shooting but believes he’s innocent.
“My grandson used to work for the man, why you gone rob a man that you work for,” Newsome said. “Why you gone stay there that long and you know the police out there, and then you gone wait until everybody gets there to run, it just ain’t adding up, something just ain’t right here.”
On June 3, three contractors installing a generator at the Blairs’ home discovered Carol Blair’s car door open with several guns on the seats around 10 a.m., prompting them to call the Simpson County Sheriff’s Department for a welfare check at 11:30 a.m, according to a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigator.
By noon, the investigator said that officers arrived and were met with shots fired at them, starting a nearly two-hour-long standoff.
Hobbs was captured after trying to run away from officers, the official said, adding that the teen was unarmed when he was caught.
Carol Blair was found in a bedroom curled in the fetal position and had three gunshots to the back of her head. Bill Blair was found lying on his back in the kitchen with three gunshot wounds to his face.
The state investigator said three firearms were found inside the home as well as 280 shell casings, all owned by Bill Blair.
Hobbs’ defense attorney, Zachary Vaugh, argued that there’s a lack of direct forensic evidence connecting the teenager to the shooting.
“There was nothing to say he’s a principal, he’s the one that pulled the trigger on these things,” Vaugh said. “One of the things alone was, one of the victims was shot twice on one side of the head and once on the other. I think that’s pretty compelling that somebody else may have been in there. There’s a lot of things that are possible, just a tremendous amount of things.”
“When you have an officer say there’s no one that can identify him at the time of the shooting, I just don’t see how that adds up,” he said.
Hobbs is charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of burglary, in addition to 10 other charges. He was denied bond.
In a statement on Facebook, the couple’s family previously said, “We are crushed in spirit, bruised, and brokenhearted, but we are not alone.”
Jason Busby, who was friends with the couple, remembered them as being extremely selfless when speaking with WLBT.
“The man would’ve given you the shirt off his back, his wife is the same, and they’re just great people. It’s just a tragedy,” Busby said. “Everybody around here is still in shock. They were just good people.”
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