Mississippi
Mississippi State 2025 Football Schedule: Early Predictions for a Stronger Season
The 2025 SEC college football schedule was released, of course a whole slew of SEC fans are grouchy about something, everyone’s team got hosed, it’s all wrong, and …
Mississippi State will be in for a much, much better 2025 season. And why?
1) It can’t be any worse. No, Mississippi State will not be 2-10 again, it won’t be any uglier than that, because …
2) While 22 players are already in the transfer portal, just wait. The players are coming in, the offense will be steadier, and yeah, the lines will be better – again, not to be basic about this, but they can’t and won’t be worse. And ….
3) The schedule.
Before 2023 season began it seemed like a relatively sure bet that the Bulldogs would beat Toledo – 41-17 Rockets.
No one had a clue who this Cam Skattebo guy was, and Arizona State was coming off a rough season – in hindsight, losing on the road 30-23 to the eventual College Football Playoff 4 seed wasn’t that bad.
And I know no one wants to hear it now, and 2-10 will never be okay, but other than the faceplant against Toledo, losing to Florida, at Texas, at Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, at Tenenssee, Missouri, and at Ole Miss isn’t that awful.
Okay, yeah it is, but all ten losses were to bowl teams, three of them were to teams in in the top five of the College Football Playoff bracket, and one was to the 9 seed, and Ole Miss was knocking on the door.
So what’s the 2025 schedule and why should things be a bit better?
2025 Mississippi State Football Schedule
Aug. 30 at Southern Miss
Sept. 6 Arizona State
Sept. 13 Alcorn State
Sept. 20 Northern Illinois
Sept. 27 Tennessee
Oct. 4 at Texas A&M
Oct. 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 18 at Florida
Oct. 25 Texas
Nov. 1 at Arkansas
Nov. 8 Georgia
Nov. 15 at Missouri
Nov. 22 OPEN DATE
Nov. 29 Ole Miss
It’s December, we’re more than eight moths away from the trip to Hattiesburg, so let’s have a little fun and dream big.
– Sure, why not? Mississippi State will start 4-0. Jackson Arnold – we’re projecting positive here, people, and no, I have no more insight on this than you do – will look great in the opener against Southern Miss.
Arizona State won’t have the same magic in 2025 and won’t be able to handle the MSU passing game in an early season shocker, and Alcorn State and Northern Illinois will be wins. Boom. Big turnaround, the Bulldogs are a big story, and then …
– Yeah, the SEC season is a bear. I’ll tame this down a wee bit with a slew of losses to start the SEC campaign, but just when it seems like all hope is loss, Mississippi State will pull off something special with a mega-takeaway game at Arkansas.
– No, the momentum won’t continue against Georgia or Missouri, but … Mississippi State wins a blast of a back-and-forth fight to get bowl eligible, the program is on a positive upswing, and …
Okay, fine. It will take one massive lift to go from that 2-10 disaster to six wins, but there’s plenty of time, plenty of parts in the portal to come in and leave across the SEC world, and yeah, Mississippi State should somehow be able to get close to six wins in the second season under Jeff Lebby.
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Mississippi
Auburn signees highlight Day 2 of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game
Auburn signees highlight Day 2 of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game
MOBILE, Ala. — The 2024 edition of the annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game week continues on Wednesday as blue-chip talent from both states took the field before arriving on college campuses nationwide.
Rivals will be live on-site with daily updates from practices throughout the week — with the annual contest set to kick off at noon CT on Saturday, December 14 from Hancock Whitney Stadium on South Alabama’s campus.
Top performers from Day 2 of All-Star practice were headlined by several Auburn signees like Anquon Fegans. and Jared Smith.
Here’s more from Rivals National Recruiting Analysts John Garcia, Jr. and Sam Spiegelman:
FOUR-STAR SAF ANQUON FEGANS – AUBURN SIGNEE
Anquon Fegans saw action at multiple positions in the secondary during Day 2 of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game practices. The Auburn signee out of Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson is at his best working in the slot and also over the top. Fegans is sticky in coverage with plus quickness and instincts patrolling the back end of the defense. Fegans showed extremely well in coverage in various reps throughout Wednesday’s action, earning at least one interception and breaking up other passes along the way.
FOUR-STAR DE JARED SMITH – AUBURN SIGNEE
Jared Smith has continued to be a force off the edge of the Alabama All-Star defensive line. Smith is a physical EDGE defender with outstanding length and a massive wingspan, which presents ample issues for opposing offenses. At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, Smith is a dangerous pass-catcher with the reach to impact plays even if he can’t reach the quarterback. Smith provides consistent pressure off the edge and has a knack for completely derailing offensive plans, which continued into Day 2 of practices.
FOUR-STAR OT CARDE SMITH – COLORADO SIGNEE
Carde Smith continues to check off boxes as a pass-protector. The uber-athletic offensive tackle from Mobile (Ala.) Williamson inked with Colorado this month, where he’ll have a chance to compete for playing time early. Smith saw action at both tackle spots and shined working on the right side. Smith is fluid dropping back in pass sets and plays with excellent leverage. He’s bendy with great feet. He certainly has the tools and the frame to develop into a very solid tackle in pass pro and run blocker.
FOUR-STAR DE ZION GRADY – OHIO STATE SIGNEE
Zion Grady enjoyed his best day of practice on South Alabama’s campus during Day 2 of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game practices. The top-100 DE who inked with Ohio State was twitchy working off the edge and consistently conjured up splash plays in one-on-ones as well as in the live portion of workouts. Grady plays a major chip on his shoulder and comes downhill in a hurry. The four-star DE has power rush moves that became more and more devastating and effective as workouts went on.
FOUR-STAR DL MALIK AUTRY – AUBURN SIGNEE
Malik Autry packs so much athleticism and power in a 6-foot-6, 320-pound frame. The four-star Auburn signee pops off the ball and is bouncy working inside of the defensive line. During Day 2 of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game practices, Autry was a handful to contain. His explosive first step and ability to generate a pass rush from the middle of the defensive line set the stage for big splash plays behind the line of scrimmage, which has been his M.O. during this week of practices so far.
FOUR-STAR OT TYLER MILLER – LSU SIGNEE
Tyler Miller is a brick wall manning the left tackle spot for the Mississippi All-Star Team. The massive OL is nimble and is immensely powerful. We love Miller’s frame and athletic profile. During Day 2 of practice, Miller shined in pass protection again and was unshakable in one-on-ones with one misstep during Wednesday’s action. Overall, the four-star OL from from Laurel (Miss.) High School plays with good leverage and has immense power to contain rushers off the edge. The LSU signee is one of the most intriguing prospects at a premium position in this 2025 cycle.
FOUR-STAR OL MAL WALDREP – ALABAMA SIGNEE
Mal Waldrep is working multiple offensive line spots this week but he has settled at left tackle for the primary unit for the all-star team. While it may not be where he projects best at the next level, there is a high-floor feel with his game. Waldrep is game for a scrap at the point of contact and he anchors well thereafter. When defenders try to beat him with speed, he has no issue redirecting with his balance and base. The 300-pounder continues to work as the safest bet among the offensive linemen, most of which are also committed within the Power 4 ranks.
FOUR-STAR LB TYLER LOCKHART – MISSISSIPPI STATE SIGNEE
Our first few in-person evaluations of Tyler Lockhart have been eye-catching. The dynamic hybrid defender from Mississippi fires off the ball at a high clip and plays downhill off the edge. He plays like a man on fire, which gives defensive coordinator added firepower on crucial downs. Lockhart has been excellent rushing from a two-point stance and closing quickly. He’s also been a force defending the run and doing his best damage playing in the box.
FOUR-STAR QB DEUCE KNIGHT – AUBURN SIGNEE
Deuce Knight has been the driving force of the Lucedale (Miss.) George County offense for years. The dynamic quarterback headed to the Plains has continued to shine with his quick delivery and outstanding decision-making. That was on display during Day 2 of Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game practice. Knight ripped throws to multiple levels of the field and impressed with the timing on several passes. The future Tiger always possesses the threat of running the football or extending plays in his back pocket. At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, his mobility is an X-factor that will haunt defensive coordinators in the SEC for years to come. Knight has elevated his game to such great heights over the past few years.
FOUR-STAR SAF ERIC WINTERS – AUBURN SIGNEE
Eric Winters continues to showcase his versatility, even in this setting with so many elite athletes lined up all over the placer. In our viewing, he has worked anywhere from off-ball linebacker to sub defender (nickel) all the way to deep safety and he has found success in each spot. Winters looks to be around 205 pounds and despite being the largest secondary player, he moves about as well as any from a lateral and transition standpoint, allowing him to cover speedy backs and slot types alike. Winters is quite comfortable in space and his closing speed allows for wide-ranging responsibility in zone looks, too.
Mississippi
Christmas lights at Mississippi zoo, MS home tour with 60 trees top USAT holiday lists
Watch: Canton Christmas Festival in its 30th year
Canton has brought a certain magic to Christmastime with dazzling lights and heartwarming memories for more than 30 years.
Love looking at Christmas lights? How about seeing how different people decorate their houses for the holidays? Two national fan favorites are right in your backyard, Mississippi. A beloved zoo and state holiday tradition have made two USA Today 10 Best lists. Check out these options to get all the joy you can out of this holiday season.
Lights of the Wild at the Hattiesburg Zoo made the Top 10 list of Best Zoo Lights in the country as part of USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The event includes special nighttime hours over weekends in December with light displays and holiday fun for the family. Meet the animals, visit Santa for a photo and hear a story from Mrs. Claus. There’s snow every night.
Tickets are $16 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday. Kids younger than 2 get in free, but capacity for each night is limited. Dates include Dec. 13-15 and Dec. 19-23. Get a spot online.
Need more festive fun? The Merrehope in Meridian also made the Best Holiday Home Tour list this year. The Trees of Christmas event is in its 56th year. The Mississippi tradition lets designers show the spirit of the seas with more than 60 trees spread over the estate.
The home is open for tours daily through Dec. 31 but will be closed on Christmas Eve and Day. Prices are $15 for adults, $10 for military and senior citizens and $5 for students. Get more information about special events coming up at the Merrehope online.
Mississippi
Mississippi State QB Van Buren to enter portal
Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced Tuesday.
Van Buren started eight games during his true freshman season and threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven turnovers for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8).
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against now-No. 2 Georgia.
Van Buren was the No. 57 overall recruit in the ESPN 300 for 2024. He decommitted from Oregon in December 2023 to sign with Mississippi State and play for new head coach Jeff Lebby.
Van Buren took over as the Bulldogs’ starter this season after quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Bulldogs’ 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21.
Shapen announced earlier Tuesday that he plans to return to Mississippi State as a sixth-year senior in 2025. The former Baylor transfer has started 27 games over his career.
Lebby is also in the process of recruiting one of his former pupils, Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, to Starkville. The former five-star recruit entered the transfer portal Monday after one season as the Sooners’ starter.
Following a winless run through SEC play, the Bulldogs have had 22 scholarship players enter the transfer portal since the winter transfer window opened Monday.
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