Mississippi
No Kings Day protests against President Donald Trump planned in Mississippi. See where, when

White House plans parade for Trump’s bday, Army’s 250th anniversary
The White House is planning a massive military parade to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
A new round of protests against President Donald Trump and his administration in his second term are planned in Mississippi. This time, the demonstrations will be on Flag Day. June 14 is also the president’s birthday.
The new events are called No Kings Day or the Day of Defiance, and they’ll take place across the U.S. They’re the latest in a series of growing grassroots protests across the country. Events are being scheduled in more Mississippi towns than earlier in the year.
So far in 2025, the 50501 Movement has organized protests at the Mississippi State Capitol Building on Feb. 5; Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17; on March 4; on April 5; on April 19; on May Day, May 1; and over Memorial Day weekend, May 24.
Here’s what we know so far about the parade scheduled in Washington and the protests scheduled in Mississippi, around the country.
Why is the Army having a giant parade on Trump’s birthday?
Flag Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 79th birthday all fall on the same day.
The Army reportedly is planning a large military parade. About 7,000 troops, 50 aircraft and more than 150 vehicles — including tanks — are set to roll by the president on a grandstand in Washington, D.C. There will also be aircraft flyovers and fireworks.
The Golden Knights plan to parachute in and present a flag to the president at the end of the procession, then Trump will preside over a ceremony enlisting and re-enlisting some soldiers.
The event is scheduled to take about four hours.
Where will the June 14 protests be in Mississippi? What time do they start?
The group coordinating the events are working to have one protest in every state that day. The 50501 Movement is one of many partnering organizations.
“On June 14—Flag Day—Donald Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else,” the site reads.
Jackson: noon to 2 p.m. at the south side of the Mississippi State Capitol, 400 High St. 50501 Mississippi is organizing the event. (The same group is hosting a Veterans Defending Democracy rally in the same location at noon June 6.)
Gulfport: 9-11 a.m. at the Gulfport Federal Courthouse. The MS Gulf Coast Mutual Aid Collective is organizing the event. “We’ll hear testimonies from fellow Mississippians about what ‘liberty and Justice for all’ means for them, and we’ll continue to build a movement of the people, by the people and for the people. Bring your signs, banners and noise makers and wear white in defiance of the fascists’ whitewashing of history,” event organizers wrote.
Tupelo: 10:30 a.m. to noon in front of U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly’s office, 431 W. Main St. Indivisible Northeast Mississippi is the event organizer.
Starkville: noon to 3 p.m. at The Hub.
Hernando: 3-4 p.m. at the DeSoto County Courthouse, 2535 Hwy. 51 S.
See photos of most recent protest in Jackson, MS
Why are people protesting in Mississippi on No Kings Day?
People who have shown up at previous events in Mississippi have said they take issue with Trump’s policies, including deportations and the effect tariffs could have on the economy.
While Elon Musk is stepping away from the Department of Government Efficiency, protestors have concerns with the team’s access to sensitive information and how cuts to government contracts, services and staffing were made during his tenure.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.

Mississippi
Overreaction Sunday in full swing for Mississippi State fans after loss to Florida

The NFL has overreaction Monday where its fans make outlandish, emotional statements about a big change their team needs to make or how the rest of the season will go.
College football has that too, just on Sundays and there’s no shortage of overreactions being made by Mississippi State fans right now.
The Bulldogs’ 23-21 loss to Florida should have been a win and not just because of what happened at the end of the game. There were plenty of opportunities to win and that makes this loss a lot more painful and, in turn, has made some fans on social media and on message boards emotional.
Here’s three of them. How this will work is we’ll make the argument in favor of a statement and then make a judgement on if its an overreaction or not.
Let’s begin with probably the most controversial reaction.
Shapen was 24-of-36 for 324 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and was sacked four times. He threw the game-ending interception to a defensive tackle who dropped into zone coverage.
There was also the three overthrown passes to wide receivers in the end zone in the first half. He did have two long pass completions to Anthony Evans III (48 yards) and Brenen Thompson (47) against Florida.
You cannot continue to sit Kamario Taylor behind a guy who cannot consistently run, pass, or move around in the pocket. We are actively losing games due to this insanity
What does Shapen do that is GOOD? Now, what does he do that is bad?….
Play #1. It is time. — HailStateMuse (@HailStateMuse) October 18, 2025
But for the most part, the Bulldogs’ offense didn’t do much. Their first touchdown came on the opening drive and then didn’t score again until the fourth quarter.
This decision isn’t limited to just one game, either. Shapen and the Bulldogs offense didn’t play well against Texas A&M and Shapen missed an open receiver in overtime against Tennessee to keep that game going.
At this point what do you have to lose? Put Kamario Taylor in and let him loose. This team needs a spark, and they’re not going to get it from Shapen who’s falling down with nobody around him. He’s scared to take a hit.
— Dylan Flippo (@dylanmflippo) October 18, 2025
With better quarterback play, Mississippi State would be 6-1 right now.
Verdict: Overreaction.
Mississippi State’s offensive struggles aren’t just because of the quarterback play.
The offensive line has struggled in pass protection and is inconsistent in run blocking. There are fewer penalties being called against the Bulldogs, but illegal formations, false starts and holding calls still plague them.
And while putting the blame for losing to the Gators on Shapen is easy, there are other mistakes that cost the Bulldogs the game.
Kyle Ferrie “missed” a 41-yard field goal (its debatable because the ball passed right over the right upright).
Seydou Traore gets called for holding that negates a 30-yard Davon Booth run in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs do score a touchdown on the drive to make the score 23-21, but that touchdown could have come quicker and given Mississippi State more time on the final drive.
Also, there’s no guarantee Kamario Taylor or Luke Kromenhoek play any better. We haven’t seen enough of either to know if they’d play better.
And do you really want to put Taylor, the true freshman quarterback, behind that offensive line for more than just a handful of plays?
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Mississippi State has already seen what can happen when you put a true freshman quarterback in a starting role behind a shaky offensive line.
In the last two games, the Bulldogs’ defense did enough to put the team in a position to win.
They held Texas A&M to 14 points through three quarters. Against Florida, they got two interceptions and sacked DJ Lagway to force a punt with 1:41 left in the game.
Florida’s star freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson was targeted seven times but made just two catches, held Lagway to just a 58 completion percentage and had three TFLs.
Let’s not forget the goal line stand against Arizona State, holding the Sun Devils to a field goal so the offense can win the game on a 58-yard Brenen Thompson touchdown catch.
Verdict: Not an overreaction.
The defense isn’t elite and it’s toeing the line of being a great defense. For now, really good is great for Mississippi State.
Who would’ve believed me a year ago if I said “in a year Coleman Hutzler” is going to look like the best coach for Mississippi State?
It’s astonishing how much improved this defense is after one year. The Bulldogs were 126th nationally in total defense a year ago.
This year, after seven games, the defense ranks 45th in total defense.
That’s just one stat, but the defense has made similar improvements in most other categories, too.
And, really, just use your eyes and you can see how much better the Bulldogs are.
Jeff Lebby is still winless in the SEC after 11 games and won’t be favored in any more games the rest of the season. So, 0-16 in SEC play in two seasons is possible.
Fire Jeff Lebby now. Hire a real coach. I’m so sick of having to see him standing on the sideline, mouth agape, right after having to watch his absolutely terroristic offensive play calling. It’s been the same dumb mistakes and decisions for almost 2 years. It’s time. pic.twitter.com/IhSXV1VlA6
— Randal The Vandal (@HurricaneRandal) October 19, 2025
Lebby also came to Starkville as an offensive guru and engineered some of the best offenses of the last five years, but that hasn’t shown up at Mississippi State.
James Franklin is available
— Everything MS State (@msudawg04) October 18, 2025
Yes, the big plays are fun, but the offense has been far from great.
Forfeit the rest of the season. Fire Lebby, strip Shapen of his scholarship
— Stephen (@CFCStephenC) October 19, 2025
And the decision to throw a pass in the fourth quarter against Florida instead of kicking a field goal was a colossal mistake.
I’m not supporting Mississippi State football as long as Jeff Lebby is the coach. I’m done.
— Paul Dixon (@pdixon4446) October 19, 2025
Verdict: Massive overreaction.
This is the biggest overreaction I’ve seen this season.
Three weeks ago everyone was in love with Mississippi State and believed Lebby was doing a great job.
But now everyone is mad and thinks Lebby should be fired?
Seriously, folks, chill. That was a tough loss and it’s OK to be upset, but maybe step away from social media and the message boards?
Lebby’s not going anywhere, nor should he. He inherited a dumpster fire of a situation, suffered through 2024’s two-win season and has shown big improvements in 2025.
Look at the running backs (when healthy), the wide receivers and the entire defense. Lebby is building a program that everyone thought was on the rise three weeks ago.
And it still is.
Mississippi
Blake Shapen stats as QB has Mississippi State in position for upset before interception

GAINESVILLE, FL — Blake Shapen’s interception sealed Mississippi State football’s 15th consecutive SEC loss.
The quarterback had driven the Bulldogs into field-goal range with a chance to stun Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. They had the ball at the Gators’ 29-yard line with 26 seconds remaining, trailing by two points.
Then, Shapen was intercepted by Florida defensive lineman Michai Boirea, and MSU (4-3, 0-3 SEC) lost 23-21 on Oct. 18.
Here’s how we graded Shapen against Florida (3-4, 2-2).
Blake Shapen stats for Mississippi State vs Florida
- Passing attempts: 24-for-36
- Passing yards: 324
- Passing touchdowns: 0
- Interceptions: 1
- Rushing attempts: 10
- Rushing yards: 1
- Rushing touchdowns: 0
Blake Shapen’s best: QB had Mississippi State in position to win
Shapen wasn’t fantastic in the game. The offense didn’t find a rhythm until the fourth quarter. But Shapen still had Mississippi State in a position to win.
The Bulldogs got the ball at their own 26-yard line with 1:38 remaining, trailing 23-21. On the first play of that drive, Shapen scrambled up the middle for an 18-yard gain. He completed four of his next five pass attempts, including a 10-yard pass to running back Davon Booth on third-and-9.
Blake Shapen’s worst: Mississippi State QB threw game-losing interception
Shapen’s performance won’t be remembered for those plays, however. The interception he threw to seal the game will be the memory that lasts.
Boirea was positioned at the line of scrimmage, but the 349-pound lineman dropped into coverage after the snap. He read Shapen perfectly and intercepted the pass over the middle of the field.
Grade: C
Shapen’s 324 yards were the most he’s thrown for in 11 games at the Mississippi State starter. However, his streak of 21 straight games with a touchdown pass was snapped.
The interception was the costly play. Mississippi State needed him to take care of the football in that situation, and he didn’t.
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
What channel is Florida football vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Week 8 game

Swampcast talks Florida football returning to The Swamp for homecoming matchup with MSU
The Sun’s Kevin Brockway and Andrew Abadie break down Florida football’s game Saturday with MSU at The Swamp with Sam Sklar of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
Florida football will look to continue its success in homecoming games when it hosts Mississippi State at The Swamp.
The Florida Gators (2-4, 1-2 SEC) have gone 30-5 in their last 35 homecoming games and have won all three of its homecoming contests under head coach Billy Napier. That inclues last season, when UF routed Kentucky 48-20 on Oct. 19, 2024 before a sellout crowd in a homecoming night gam.
“This is a big-picture game in that regard,” Napier said. “So you put that orange and blue on −I still think that exists. I know college football has changed quite a bit, but I do think that we got a lot of guys that came here, it means something for them to pursue the degree here, to be a graduate one day, to come back here and call this place home.”
Florida is 35-19-2 all-time against Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC), which has lost 14 straight games against SEC opponents. The Gators have won 16 of their last 17 games against the Bulldogs at home. In the last meeting between the schools, Florida beat Mississippi State 45-28 on Sept. 21, 2024 in Starkville, Miss.
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What channel is Florida football vs. Mississippi State on today?
- TV Channel: SEC Network
- Livestream: ESPN+, FUBO
Florida football vs. Mississippi State will broadcast nationally on the SEC Network in Week 8 of the 2025 college football season. Dave Neal and Fozzy Whitaker will call the game from the booth at The Swamp, with Morgan Uber as the sideline reporter. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+ and FUBO, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.
Florida football vs Mississippi State time today
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
- Start time: 4:15 p.m.
The Florida football vs. Mississippi State game starts at 4:15 p.m. ET from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (cap. 88,548) in Gainesville, Fla.
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Florida football vs Mississippi State predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Oct 16
- Florida 38, Mississippi State 24: Florida will take advantage of Mississippi State’s porous run defense. Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh will rush for 3 TDs and sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway will pass for two more TDs as the Gators will hold off a late MSU charge to earn feel-good homecoming win at The Swamp.
- Spread: Florida -9.5
- Over/under: 50.5
- Moneyline: Florida -350 MSU +280
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
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