Mississippi
Mississippi schools limit outside practice time amid high heat
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippians will soon enjoy high school football under the Friday night lights. With high temperatures in the forecast, top athletic officials want to make sure athletes are not at risk for any heat-related injuries.
The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is what the Mississippi High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) uses to determine if it’s safe enough for football teams to practice outdoors. It’s formed by averaging the heat index, humidity and air temperature.
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Although football is a contact-driven sport, top athletic officials want to cut back on contact during the high temperatures.
“We limit full contact work, and that’s been done over the years. We have taken every step possible. We feel like they’re educating our coaches, our schools and our athletes through our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and about what we put out in this office to ensure to parents that we are doing this as safe as possible,” explained Rickey Neaves, executive director of the MHSAA.
Football season for MHSAA kicks off on August 30, 2024.
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Mississippi
Just How Improbable Was the Texas Longhorns’ Comeback Win vs. Mississippi State?
For the second consecutive week, Texas Longhorns fans were forced to hold their breath and hope for the best as they watched their team brace for overtime.
However, this week’s matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs seemed particularly stressful. This extra anxiety could’ve been caused by the fact that Texas fans recognized how much it would take for their team to emerge victorious.
Their win was an unlikely one, and previous SEC matchups help demonstrate just how rarely comebacks like this take place.
With a little over twelve minutes left in the fourth quarter, the scoreboard read 38-21, and the Longhorns trailed the Bulldogs by 17 points.
Two unanswered touchdowns and a field goal later, the game was tied, and Texas had created its second consecutive overtime situation.
Quarterback Arch Manning suffered an overtime injury, but backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell and a lights-out last-stitch effort by the Texas defense helped them secure a 45-38 win, defying the odds.
According to ESPN research, the last time an SEC team came back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won the game was back in 2013. The South Carolina Gamecocks were the ones to pull off the comeback against the Missouri Tigers, ultimately finishing 27-24 in two overtimes.
That means it has been 12 years since an upset of this level took place.
Several contributors helped make the win possible, including wide receiver Ryan Nibblet. Niblett returned a kick for 79 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping lead Texas to this historic victory.
The other fourth-quarter touchdown took shape as a pass from Manning to wide receiver Emmett Mosley V, and kicker Mason Shipley was responsible for the field goal that helped close the 17-point gap.
Sure, it might not be a good sign for the Longhorns that it took overtime to get the job done in Starkville, but they escaped their four-week road stint with a winning record.
If history continues repeating itself, a comeback of this magnitude might not take place for an SEC team this decade.
“I told the team I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a football team,” Texas Head coach Steve Sarkisian said.
Having it under their belts could help them establish momentum headed into their home matchup against Vanderbilt next week, and given how hot the Commodores have been recently, the Longhorns could use all the momentum they can find.
Mississippi
Will Mississippi State upset Texas, Arch Manning, end SEC losing streak? Our prediction
STARKVILLE — Texas was the No. 1 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, but this appears to be a much more winnable game now for Mississippi State football.
The Bulldogs (4-3, 0-3 SEC) are taking on the No. 18 Longhorns (5-2, 2-1) at Davis Wade Stadium on Oct. 25 (3:15 p.m., SEC Network).
Texas has struggled offensively in Arch Manning’s first season as the full-time starting quarterback. The Longhorns have losses to Ohio State and Florida, and needed overtime to beat Kentucky.
MSU with second-year coach Jeff Lebby has already doubled its wins from last season and upset then-No. 10 Arizona State, but it’s lost three consecutive games.
Here is our score prediction for the Week 9 game.
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Mississippi State vs Texas prediction
Expect another low-scoring game. While the Longhorns ran up the score on UTEP and San Jose State, they haven’t topped 27 points in any of their other five games. Texas is averaging 16.8 points in its four games against power conference opponents.
Mississippi State has been better in its four games against power conference teams, but not by much at 22 points per game.
MSU’s offensive line could be the difference in this matchup. The Bulldogs got starting right tackle Albert Reese IV back from injury against Florida in Week 8, and the unit blocked much better. Texas’ defense has been its strength, allowing just 11.3 points per game.
A win for Mississippi State would end its 15-game SEC losing streak.
Mississippi State vs Texas scouting report
Why Mississippi State has an advantage: The Mississippi State defense has been much better this season and has been competitive in all three SEC games. The pass defense has been a big reason why. MSU is allowing 187.3 passing yards per game, 30th nationally. The Bulldogs’ 10 interceptions are tied for sixth nationally and lead the SEC.
The Bulldogs were in range for a potential game-winning field goal against Florida before quarterback Blake Shapen threw an interception. Leading rusher Fluff Bothwell didn’t play in that game, and his status is uncertain against Texas, but Davon Booth recorded 119 total yards and two touchdowns in his absence.
Why Texas has an advantage: Texas’ defense has been dominant all season. The Longhorns have 21 sacks, tied for fourth in the SEC and 11 more than Mississippi State’s total. Colin Simmons is a star edge rusher with seven sacks. Offenses are averaging only 2.6 yards per carry against the Longhorns, and they’ve surrendered just three passing touchdowns all season.
However, Texas’ leading tackler, safety Michael Taaffe, is out against Mississippi State.
Mississippi State vs Texas injury report
SEC availability report as of Oct. 22:
Mississippi State
- DL Will Whitson: Out
- OL Blake Steen: Out
- OL Brennan Smith: Out
- LB Zakari Tillman: Out for the first half (targeting suspension)
- RB Fluff Bothwell: Questionable
Texas
- WR Aaron Butler: Out
- DB Michael Taaffe: Out
- OL Cole Hutson: Out
- RB CJ Baxter: Probable
- DB Xavier Filsaime: Probable
- LB Jonathan Cunningham: Probable
Mississippi State vs Texas score prediction
Texas 23, Mississippi State 21
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
Body Found in Mississippi River Identified as St. Cloud Man
ST. CLOUD (WJON News) — A man whose body was found in the Mississippi River Saturday afternoon has been identified as 30-year-old Abdishakur Abdifatah Ahmed of St. Cloud.
The Sherburne County Sheriff’s office says two kayakers spotted Ahmed’s body in the river near the Beaver Islands.
Rescue personnel from the St. Cloud Police and Fire Departments were able to remove his body and send it to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says there were no signs of trauma and doesn’t suspect foul play. The official cause and manner of death are pending laboratory tests.
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