Mississippi
Mississippi State’s Hunter Washington ready to put topsy-turvy 2023 behind him
STARKVILLE — Hunter Washington found himself on plenty of highlight tape last season, and not in a good way.
When LSU visited Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 16, Washington was frequently matched up against Malik Nabers, one of the top three wide receivers in all of college football. Tigers quarterback and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels spotted the mismatch and went to work, firing two long touchdown passes to Nabers, who beat Washington in coverage both times. Nabers finished the day with 239 receiving yards in a 41-14 LSU romp.
Washington, now entering his third year at Mississippi State after starting his college career at Florida State, started the Bulldogs’ first four games but gave way to Corey Ellington on the safety depth chart, then missed the last five games of 2023 with an injury.
There is a path for Washington to return to a starting role this fall — Ellington and Isaac Smith are near locks to start at safety, but the third spot is up for grabs, with Washington battling junior college transfer Brylan Lanier.
“I’m just glad to be back,” Washington said Wednesday. “Just doing my job and doing what I’m supposed to do. My job is to play for the team and do what the coaches ask me to do.”
As a true freshman with the Seminoles, Washington appeared in just one game, keeping his redshirt status intact, but was named Florida State’s special teams scout player of the year. He played in nine games in his first year at MSU but had just three tackles, then broke into the starting lineup at the beginning of last season.
Now a redshirt junior, Washington is one of the leaders in a young safeties room under new position coach Matt Barnes.
“Hunter’s going to come down and hit you. He’s a strong guy,” linebacker Stone Blanton said. “He’s vocal. He’s always calling out plays and helping us get aligned. That’s what you want from a safety, a guy coming down behind you. He’s big enough to come hit a running back. He’s a great leader.”
Miner ready to experience non-conference games from the other side
Ethan Miner, the Bulldogs’ projected starter at center, is playing in a so-called high-major conference for the first time after spending four years at Arkansas State and one season at North Texas.
But he has plenty of experience playing in big stadiums against the big boys of the sport. His first collegiate start came in 2020, when the Red Wolves upset Kansas State on the road, and he was Arkansas State’s starting center for trips to Washington and Ohio State in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
“I’m just looking forward to having a home crowd that’s going to be the way it is (in Starkville),” Miner said. “I’ve heard about the cowbells, the fans are crazy. Coming from (the Group of 5), these were the games where I have to lock in, the crowd’s going to play a factor in the game. It’s just nice that this is our home and we have an advantage with it.”
MSU hosts Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 31 in the season opener and later plays Toledo and Massachusetts at home in non-conference play. All three teams will undoubtedly be fired up to play in a Southeastern Conference venue, while teams from the power conferences sometimes sleepwalk through “buy games” or are caught looking ahead.
The Colonels may be an FCS team, but they gave Kentucky a battle in Week 2 last year, leading for almost the entire first half and again early in the second half before losing 28-17.
“When I was at Arkansas State and UNT, these games would come up and this was the game I had to show up,” Miner said. “We’re playing in a lower level conference; scouts are going to see how you play against this competition. The worst thing we can do is underestimate (Eastern Kentucky), say, ‘Oh, they’re an FCS team.’ That’s how you get into situations like Kentucky did last year.”
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Mississippi
Mississippi State Football Depth Chart vs. No. 7 Tennessee
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football didn’t have many changes to its depth chart for this week’s game at No. 7 Tennessee.
That’s not very surprising, but a look at both team’s depth charts reveals a potetional problem for Mississippi State, one that it is familiar with.
The Bulldogs’ defensive line is significantly smaller than the starting offensive line for Tennessee. The smallest Volunteer lineman weighs 310 lbs. Mississippi State has just two defensive line who tip the scales past 300 lbs. and they are Sulaiman Kpaka (300 lbs.) and Kai McClendon (305 lbs.).
That size discrepancy has already caused problems for the Bulldogs this season and, most likely, that trend is going to continue this Saturday night.
QB1 – 0 Michael Van Buren Jr., 6-1, 200 lbs., Fr.
QB2 – 16 Chris Parson, 6-1, 215 lbs., Rs Fr.
RB1 – 21 Davon Booth, 5-10, 205 lbs., Sr.
-or- 20 Johnnie Daniels, 5-10, 200 lbs., Jr.
RB2 – 22 Xavier Gayten, 6-0, 190 lbs., Fr.
SLWR1 – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr.
SLWR2 – 11 Jaden Walley, 6-0, 190 lbs., Sr.
SLWR 3 – 80 Kade Kolka, 5-11, 190 lbs., Sr.
WR1 – 6 Jordan Mosley, 6-0, 195 lbs., Jr.
WR2 – 5 Braylon Burnside, 6-0, 200 lbs., Fr.
WR1 – 7 Mario Craver 5-10, 170 lbs., Fr.
-or- 1 Kelly Akharaiyi 6-1, 200 lbs., Sr.
WR2 – 9 Ricky Johnson 6-2, 185 lbs., Fr.
TE1 – 18 Seydou Traore, 6-4, 235 lbs., R-Jr.
– or- 84 Justin Ball, 6-6, 250 lbs., Sr.
TE2 – 86 Nick Lauderdale, 6-3, 225 lbs., Sr.
– or – 10 Cameron Ball, 6-6, 250 lbs., So.
LT1 – 66 Makylan Pounders, 6-5, 310 lbs., Jr.
LT2 – 51 Luke Work, 6-6, 305 lbs., Fr.
LG1 – 75 Jacoby Jackson, 6-6, 320 lbs., Jr.
LG2 – 53 Malik Ellis, 6-5, 285 lbs., So.
C1 – 67 Ethan Miner, 6-2, 305 lbs., Sr.
C2 – 72 Canon Boone, 6-4, 315 lbs., Jr.
RG1 – 77 Marlon Martinez, 6-5, 320 lbs., Sr.
RG2 – 52 Grant Jackson, 6-6, 325 lbs., Sr.
RT1 – 76 Albert Reese IV, 6-7, 330 lbs., Jr.
RT2 – 74 Jimothy Lewis Jr., 6-6, 310 lbs., Fr.
DT1 – 23 Trevion Williams, 6-4, 295 lbs., R-Fr.
DT2 – 98 Ashun Shepphard, 6-3, 280 lbs., Jr.
DT1 – 8 Sulaiman Kpaka, 6-3, 300 lbs., Sr.
– or – 90 Kai McClendon, 6-2, 305 lbs., Fr.
DE1 – 9 De’Monte Russell, 6-4, 285 lbs., Sr.
DE2 – 91 Deonte Anderson, 6-3, 270 lbs., Jr.
– or – 46 Joseph Head Jr., 6-4, 240 lbs., R-Fr.
JLB1 – 11 Ty Cooper, 6-4, 245 lbs., Jr.
– or – 44 Branden Jennings, 6-3, 240 lbs., Jr.
MLB1 – 7 Stone Blanton, 6-2, 230 lbs., Jr.
MLB2 – 26 JP Purvis, 6-1, 245 lbs., Sr.
DLB1 – 40 Nic Mitchell, 6-2, 230 lbs., Jr.
– or – 5 John Lewis, 6-3, 240 lbs., Jr.
DLB2 – 16 Zakari Tillman, 6-2, 225 lbs., So.
STAR1 – 2 Isaac Smith, 6-0, 205 lbs., So.
STAR2 – 28 Tanner Johnson 6-0 185 So.
– or – 15 Kobi Albert 5-11 180 R-So.
FS1 – 10 Corey Ellington, 6-3, 200 lbs., Sr.
FS2 – 12 Tyler Woodard, 6-2, 200 lbs., Jr.
SS1 – 21 Hunter Washington, 5-11, 190 lbs., Jr.
SS2 – 27 Chris Keys Jr., 6-0, 190 lbs., Jr.
– or – 17 Jordan Morant, 6-0, 210 lbs., Sr.
CB1– 3 Brylan Lanier 6-1 190 Jr.
CB2 – 1 Kelley Jones, 6-4, 195 lbs., R-Fr.
– or – 6 Traveon Wright, 6-0, 180 lbs., R-Fr.
CB3 – 13 Raydarious Jones, 6-2, 180 lbs., Sr.
– or – 18 Khamauri Rogers, 6-0, 180 lbs., So.
CB1 – 14 Brice Pollock, 6-1, 190 lbs., So.
CB2 – 4 DeAgo Brumfield, 6-0, 190 lbs., Sr.
K1 – 80 Kyle Ferrie, 6-1, 205 lbs., So.
K2 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr.
K3 – 49 Marlon Hauck, 6-3, 195 lbs., So.
P1 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr.
P2 – 83 Zach Haynes, 6-1, 195 lbs., Sr.
P3 – 88 Ethan Pulliam, 6-1, 190 lbs., R-Fr.
KO1 – 49 Marlon Hauck, 6-3, 195 lbs., So.
KO2 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr.
PR1 – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr.
KR1 – 21 Davon Booth, 5-10, 205 lbs., Sr.
– or – 20 Johnnie Daniels, 5-10, 200 lbs., Jr.
– or – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr.
Mississippi State Football’s Final Stand: Can the Bulldogs Secure One More Win?
How to Watch: Mississippi State at No. 7 Tennessee
SEC Football Week 10 Review: Mississippi State Finally Ends Losing Streak
What Went Right? Mississippi States Tops UMass
Mississippi
Tennessee football tickets vs Mississippi State: Best prices for remaining available seats
Tennessee football tickets are in high demand, both home and away. But you can still get them for the right price.
At Neyland Stadium, UT season tickets are sold out for the 2024 season, and there’s a waiting list of almost 15,000. Single-game tickets through UT’s official ticket office went on sale this summer, but they were snatched up fast.
There are still a few Tennessee football tickets available through Ticketmaster, UT’s official vendor. But the secondary ticket market offers plenty of other options.
This week, Tennessee plays Mississippi State in their first meeting since 2019. And prices, as expected, are in high demand.
See Tennessee football ticket prices for every game this season
Tennessee tickets vs Mississippi State
No. 7 Tennessee plays Mississippi State at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
Ticket prices start at $122 on Vivid Seats, $145 on StubHub and $148 on SeatGeek for upper-level seats, plus fees, which vary by vendor. And they start at $150 on Ticketmaster and $164 on TickPick, including fees.
Lower bowl tickets start at $155 on Vivid Seats, $171 on StubHub and $178 on SeatGeek, plus fees. And they start at $181 on Ticketmaster and $206 on TickPick, including fees.
To see a full list of ticket prices, visit Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster and TickPick.
Tennessee football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: Chattanooga (W, 69-3)
- Sept. 7: vs. NC State (W, 51-10)
- Sept. 14: vs. Kent State (W, 71-0)
- Sept. 21: at Oklahoma (W, 25-15)
- Oct. 5: at Arkansas (L, 19-14)
- Oct. 12: Florida (W, 23-17 OT)
- Oct. 19: No. 11 Alabama (W, 24-17)
- Nov. 2: Kentucky (W, 28-18)
- Nov. 9: Mississippi State
- Nov. 16: at No. 2 Georgia
- Nov. 23: UTEP
- Nov. 30: at Vanderbilt
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Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
Mississippi
Mississippi Coding Academy students prepare for upcoming graduation
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – A classroom filled with future coders in Biloxi can be found at Mississippi Coding Academy, a place where instructors have one goal in mind — advancing the cyber world.
“Our focus is to give students an opportunity to learn coding and advanced technologies in the way of VR, AR, Artificial Intelligence, web design, and other coding skills,” said Jim St. Clair.
St. Clair is one of the instructors at the academy on the Gulf Coast.
“We have basic guidelines based on High School equivalent to a GED but are negotiable on any of those circumstances, but again, it really gives a chance to those populations that may not be able to enroll in those schools or be faced with high tuition so they could come here in class and learn,” said St. Clair.
During the course, Jim says students are getting a taste of what’s it like dealing with things like cybersecurity— something that workforces like Keesler and other businesses are looking to explore.
He also says while many students will get offers from different states, his goal is to prepare them to stay in Mississippi to help further the cybersecurity field in the future.
“Mississippi State University has a government-funded cybersecurity program that does a lot of research,” said St. Clair. “Keesler Air Force Base is the home to preliminary cybersecurity training for airmen and especially airmen who specialize in cybersecurity and defend the Air Force networks. We are growing our practice area and education program in cyber security.”
“If all our class gets a job offer that takes them to Silicon Valley, New York City, or Seattle then that’s wonderful. But we would love to build this as a workforce that we’re developing and getting opportunities for in Mississippi.”
The graduation will be held this Friday at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport.
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