Mississippi
Ranking the six easiest games on Mississippi State football’s 2024 schedule
Mississippi State football faces a daunting schedule in 2024. Going into the year they have six games in which earning a win would mean pulling off a big upset. But there are winnable games on the schedule to give them a chance at earning bowl-eligibility. Here are the six easiest games on the schedule…
State gets to ease into the 2024 season with their FCS opponent. Eastern Kentucky has played a few competitive games with FBS teams in recent years, including providing a momentary scare against Kentucky last season. But it’s still a FCS team coming off a losing season. State should roll.
UMass might as well be a FCS team, and honestly there’s a chance EKU is actually better. But the shades of 2016 and 2017 when State found themselves in struggles with the Minutemen has them as merely second-easiest. But this is a truly bad team that’s a long ways away from competitiveness.
Jason Candle has done a great job at Toledo. The Rockets are a perennial MAC contender and can challenge power conference teams. But they just lost nearly everyone from last season’s 11-win team, and a clear step back is likely in store. They’ll still be solid, but assuming State doesn’t overlook them, they should be fine.
Kenny Dillingham inherited a mess at his alma mater, but even in last year’s 3-9 campaign, he at least made them competitive. The Sun Devils are going to rely on several transfers to improve this season, and they could take a step forward. This game might be tricky on the road, but overall, State’s still got quite a bit more talent.
I’d wager that last year’s 7-3 final score in this game won’t be replicated. Sam Pittman is relying (probably unwillingly) on a familiar face in Fayetteville to save his job. Bobby Petrino should get the Hogs scoring more, but that’s not saying much. State has owned Arkansas since they originally fired Petrino. We’ll see if his return changes the direction of the series, but the Bulldogs should have the edge at home.
Billy Napier is the coach everyone assumes will be fired by the end of 2024 given the combination of poor early results and an almost unbelievable gauntlet of a schedule. But it’s possible the Gators are actually ok this year. There’s some nice pieces on offense, but their defense will have to make big improvements if Napier’s going to survive. Both teams need this game badly for a positive season.
Mississippi
Police investigating video of Nolan Wells’ alleged argument on Horn Island before Mississippi teen went missing
MIAMI – Police are said to be investigating a video that allegedly shows a heated argument before Mississippi teen Nolan Xavier Wells went missing and was later found dead – as his grandfather said: “There’s nothing right about this.”
The 18-year-old star football player vanished during a Fourth of July boat trip with friends Saturday and a body which authorities said matched his description was found Monday morning.
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday “talking to a girl” at the north end of Horn Island, a popular barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Cajun Navy Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said.
Law enforcement have been looking into a viral clip circulated online which appears to show several people having an “intense” argument near the shoreline, TMZ reported.
It sparked speculation that the tense moment could be connected to Wells’ disappearance.
However, authorities have not confirmed that the footage is authentic or whether the people seen in it have any connection to the college student.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said that Wells’ friends had left the island and gone back without him, ABC News reported.
“From what we understand, he chose to stay there,” Ledbetter added.
Ledbetter said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon that officers want to speak with anyone who “observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island that day.”
Meanwhile, the family of the teen – who played as a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College – said they were seeking answers.
“Too many unanswered questions — how can a Island that was searched yesterday produce my grandsons body this morning,” his grandfather Christopher Wells Sr. wrote on Facebook on Monday.
“There’s nothing right about this, Nolan Xavier Wells deserved the same things that people he knew and associated with will enjoy in life.”
Wells Sr. later said Wells’ mom Christine and dad Elmore had “prayed for a positive outcome but they also had to prepare themselves for the worst”, adding that “it’s time for answers.”
Photos of the 6-foot-1, 180-pound teen showed him shirtless while sporting blue swim trunks, sunglasses and grinning alongside friends on a boat before he went missing.
The United Cajun Navy non-profit disaster relief organization launched aerial reconnaissance during the search to scour the waters between Horn Island and Ship Island, stretching south to the Chandelier Islands.
The United States Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department also reportedly assisted in the frantic search.
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Staff
Global manufacturing giant Jabil plans to open a massive new production facility in Marshall County, representing a $119 million corporate investment that will create approximately 2,200 jobs North Mississippi, officials announced Tuesday, July 7.
The St. Petersburg, Florida-based company is purchasing and renovating an existing 1.5 million-square-foot facility to support customers in the booming data center infrastructure market.
The expansion comes just nine months after Jabil first entered the Marshall County landscape. In September 2025, the company’s healthcare division announced a separate $70 million investment over three years to establish X-ray sterilization capabilities in the area.
“Investments like this are why Mississippi has one of the hottest job markets in America,” Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement, noting the quick turnaround between Jabil’s local projects. “Jabil would not be making this investment unless the company was confident that Mississippi and her people can deliver results.”
The Mississippi Development Authority is assisting the project through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, known as the MFLEX program. Additional support is being provided by Marshall County officials, AccelerateMS and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Large scale facility is key
State economic leaders emphasized that the scale of the facility positions Mississippi to capitalize on the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.
“A 1.5-million-square-foot operation producing data center infrastructure isn’t a marginal project,” said Bill Cork, MDA executive director. “It’s proof we are in the game for advanced manufacturing tied to global demand.”
Jabil operates in more than 25 countries with a workforce of 140,000 employees, providing engineering, supply chain and manufacturing solutions across the robotics, automotive, healthcare and energy sectors.
Matt Crowley, Jabil’s executive vice president of global business units for intelligent infrastructure, said domestic capacity is becoming increasingly vital for the industry.
“Companies across the data center ecosystem are looking to build fast, and they’re increasingly looking to build in the United States,” Crowley said.
A timeline for the completion of the renovations and the start of hiring has not yet been disclosed.
Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.
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 July 6, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from July 6 drawing
05-08-15-26-29
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 6 drawing
Midday: 0-0-6, FB: 1
Evening: 5-5-2, FB: 2
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 6 drawing
Midday: 2-0-2-5, FB: 1
Evening: 3-3-6-3, FB: 2
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 6 drawing
Midday: 11
Evening: 07
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.
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