Mississippi
Mississippi State football lands Grenada 4-star WR Zayion Cotton in 2026 recruiting class
This story was updated to add new information.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football has a new top prospect in its 2026 recruiting class.
Zayion Cotton, a 247Sports Composite four-star, committed to the Bulldogs on June 22. The wide receiver from Grenada announced the news with a post on X.
“1,000% committed!!! #HailState,” he wrote in the post.
He kicked off a run of four commits for the day. Shortly after Cotton’s commitment, three-star Canton wide receiver Jayden Cration pledged to the Bulldogs. So did South Pike edge rusher Micah Nickerson, who’s unranked, and three-star Holmes County Central cornerback Terrell Johnson Jr.
Cotton picked MSU over power conference offers from Ole Miss, Miami, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Auburn, Arkansas and NC State. He overtakes quarterback Brodie McWhorter as the top player in Mississippi State’s recruiting class. The 6-foot-5, 215 pounds receiver recorded 48 receptions for 700 yards and six touchdowns last season as Grenada won the MHSAA Class 6A championship.
Cration, 6-3, 185 pounds, held power conference offers from Ole Miss, LSU, Vanderbilt and West Virginia. Nickerson’s one other power conference offer was from Virginia. Johnson had no other offers from power conference schools.
Two three-stars committed over the weekend before Cotton: tight end Luke Hutchinson and safety Jax Pope.
247 rankings for Zayion Cotton, Jayden Cration, Micah Nickerson and Terrell Johnson Jr.
Cotton is a four-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He’s tabbed at No. 418 nationally, the No. 65 wide receiver and No. 16 in Mississippi.
Cration, a three-star, is ranked No. 563 nationally, the No. 91 wide receiver and No. 19 in Mississippi.
Johnson, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, does not have a national rank but is the No. 146 cornerback and No. 51 player in Mississippi, according to 247Sports.
Nickerson, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, is not ranked.
Mississippi State football recruiting class 2026
Mississippi State now has 20 commitments for its 2026 recruiting class:
- WR Zayion Cotton
- QB Brodie McWhorter
- WR Jayden Cration
- IOL Jakobe Green
- ATH Jaiden Taylor
- WR Camden Capehart
- RB Jaeden Hill
- DL Kaleb Morris
- OT Charles Humphrey
- S Antavius Watts
- TE Adam Land
- CB Camron Brown
- S Kolby Barrett
- S Jax Pope
- TE Luke Hutchinson
- OT Jayden Ross
- LB Maurice Jones Jr.
- IOL Dylan Steen
- DE Micah Nickerson
- CB Terrell Johnson Jr.
Where Mississippi State ranks in 2026 team recruiting rankings
The Bulldogs’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 34 nationally. It’s No. 7 in the SEC.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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 Nov. 8, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
01-10-23-24-34
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
Midday: 9-2-8, FB: 1
Evening: 8-7-2, FB: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
Midday: 0-5-2-8, FB: 1
Evening: 9-4-5-1, FB: 3
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
Midday: 13
Evening: 13
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.
Mississippi
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells at football games? Bulldogs tradition explained
The cowbell is synonymous with Mississippi State athletics.
Walk into Davis Wade Stadium for a football game on a fall Saturday, and you’ll see almost every fan with a cowbell in hand. They ring them all game long, creating a unique (and loud) atmosphere in college football.
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells? Here’s what to know ahead of the Week 11 game against No. 5 Georgia.
Why do Mississippi State fans ring cowbells?
According to Mississippi State, cowbells began appearing gradually at sporting events in the 1930s and 1940s.
The legend says that a jersey cow once wandered on to the field during a football game in the Egg Bowl between Mississippi State and Ole Miss. MSU won the game, and fans saw the cow as good luck. Students began to bring cows to the games, but that tradition was discontinued and replaced with cowbells.
Why are Mississippi State fans allowed to ring cowbells?
The SEC banned artificial noisemakers in 1974, including cowbells. A compromise was struck in 2010 where Mississippi State could bring the cowbells back for a one-year trial as long as they adhered to certain rules, like not ringing while the ball was in play.
Mississippi State fans have been able to ring cowbells ever since.
When are Mississippi State fans allowed to use cowbells?
MSU fans are allowed to ring the cowbells until the center puts a hand on the football in formation.
The university has made an effort to make sure fans follow the rules with the cowbells. There are signs and messages on the videoboard that either say “ring responsibly” or “rest your bell” to let fans know when they must stop ringing the cowbell.
What Georgia’s Kirby Smart said about Mississippi State’s cowbells
Georgia last played in Starkville in 2022 and won 45-19. Before that, Georgia hadn’t played at Mississippi State since 2010. MSU won that game 24-12, its only win against Georgia in the past 15 games dating to 1974.
“Noise is noise,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “It’s hard to play in the SEC on the road. I have not been to an SEC venue that it was not hard to play into on the road. It’s just hard. That’s not going to change with them. They’ve got a really vertical stadium. I think the noise gets trapped in their stadium.
“It’s one of the loudest places I’ve coached, and I’ve coached there a lot. They’ve got a lot of pride in how they play and how their team plays and the support of their team.”
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
OXFORD, Miss. (WJTV) – A Virginia man was arrested for online threats against a pharmacy in Oxford, Mississippi, according to police.
Police said they received a call from the pharmacy’s security team on September 30, 2025, in regards to terroristic threats posted on X from an anonymous user about the business.
After an investigation, Oxford police identified the account user as Wade Lucas Casstevens, 21, of Arlington, Virginia. They said Casstevens posted multiple threats on X over the course of multiple days using an anonymous account.
Casstevens was arrested on November 5, 2025, and charged with making terrorist threats.
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