Mississippi

Texas football: 5 things for Longhorn fans to know about the Mississippi State Bulldogs

Published

8 months ago

September 23, 2024

Texas football: 5 things for Longhorn fans to know about the Mississippi State Bulldogs

Nearly 109 years ago, the Texas football team played Rice in its first Southwest Conference game. And 28 years ago, Texas met Missouri for its first Big 12 battle.

On Saturday, No. 2 Texas (4-0) will play its first conference contest in the Southeastern Conference. That debut will come against Mississippi State in an SEC Network-televised game that will kick off at 3:15 p.m. at Royal-Memorial Stadium.

Here are five things to know about Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1):

No. 2 Texas beats up ULM but still feels it is an ‘unfinished product’

1. Mississippi State will break in a new quarterback

Mississippi State has announced that starting quarterback Blake Shapen’s season is over after he suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday’s 45-28 loss to Florida. Shapen, who spent four years at Baylor before transferring to Mississippi State last offseason, had thrown for nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns against just one interception in 2024.

True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr., a former four-star recruit out of Baltimore, relieved Shapen on Saturday. Junior Jake Weir and redshirt freshman Chris Parson are the other two quarterbacks on the roster. Weir has yet to appear in a game while Parson has attempted 28 passes in his career.

2. Newcomers leading the Mississippi State offense

There were 89 slots available on the SEC’s preseason honors team, but Mississippi State filled none of them. So who’s the Bulldogs’ top talent? Through four games, Johnnie Daniels leads the team with 158 rushing yards. With 22 receptions, 287 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, Kevin Coleman Jr. has emerged as the top receiving target.

Daniels and Coleman are both new to the Bulldogs. Coleman was a starter at Louisville last season and played at Jackson State in 2022. Daniels transferred in from Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

GOLDEN: Why Texas football is SEC ready after epic nonconference showing

3. Some Mississippi State coaches have a rivalry with Texas

Texas and Mississippi State haven’t played each other since the 1999 Cotton Bowl, but a few Bulldogs coaches know a thing or two about the Longhorns.

New MSU head coach Jeff Lebby worked the last two years as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator, and he was an assistant at Baylor from 2012 to 2016. Jon Cooper, who coaches the Bulldogs’ tight ends, was the Big 12 offensive lineman of the year while playing at Oklahoma in 2008. And defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler was Texas’ co-defensive coordinator in 2020.

4. Mississippi State hasn’t won big in the SEC

Unlike Texas, Mississippi State is hardly an SEC newcomer. The school was among the 13 charter members that founded the league in 1932. Still, despite being in the conference for more than 90 years, Mississippi State has won only one SEC championship — back in 1941. That team went 4-0-1 in conference play.

After a 1-7 SEC record last year, Mississippi State was picked to finish 15th among 16 teams in the conference’s preseason poll.

5. Why is Mississippi State nicknamed the Bulldogs?

Over the years, Mississippi State has answered to other nicknames, such as the Aggies and Maroons. According to the university, the Bulldog nickname was officially adopted in 1961, but that moniker had been interchangeable with the school’s other nicknames since 1905.

There are two Bulldogs in the SEC. And just like Georgia, Mississippi State has a live mascot. Mississippi State’s bulldog goes by “Dak” although its formal name is Bully XXII. And yes, Dak is named after Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback and former Mississippi State star.

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Mississippi

Who does Mississippi State baseball play in the NCAA tournament? Bulldogs’ opponent set

Published

5 hours ago

June 1, 2025

Press Room

Who does Mississippi State baseball play in the NCAA tournament? Bulldogs’ opponent set

TALLAHASSE, Fla. — Mississippi State baseball must win to keep its season alive.

The No. 3 seed Bulldogs (35-22) were crushed 10-3 by No. 1 Florida State (40-14) in the NCAA tournament’s Tallahassee Regional on May 31. It sets up a rematch from the NCAA tournament opener with MSU against No. 2 Northeastern on June 1 (11 a.m. CT).

The winner of Mississippi State versus Northeastern will play Florida State in the regional final on June 1 (6 p.m.).

The Huskies (49-10) held off Bethune-Cookman 4-3 earlier in the day to advance. MSU flattened Northeastern 11-2 on May 30 to begin the regional.

Interim coach Justin Parker said after the Florida State loss that the plan is to start Evan Siary at pitcher against Northeastern.

The Bulldogs, who fired coach Chris Lemonis on April 28, are in their second straight NCAA tournament. They are 10-3 under interim coach Justin Parker.

MSU would be in its first super regional since 2021 if it wins the Tallahassee Regional.

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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Mississippi

What channel is FSU baseball vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV schedule for NCAA regional

Published

22 hours ago

May 31, 2025

Press Room

What channel is FSU baseball vs Mississippi State on today? Time, TV schedule for NCAA regional

Florida State baseball returns to Dick Howser Stadium for day two of the Tallahassee Regional.

After defeating Bethune-Cookman, 6-2, FSU will take on Mississippi State on Saturday at 6 p.m., following the elimination game between BCU and Northeastern.

While dealing with a severe weather delay for two hours, FSU produced three home runs to take down the Wildcats.

As the Seminoles took care of business against the Wildcats, facing the Bulldogs will be a challenging task if they want to advance to the regional finals on Sunday.

Mississippi State had a pair of home runs of its own, led by Noah Sullivan and Joe Powell. Powell finished with four RBI and two hits. The Bulldogs had 13 total hits to take down the Huskies. Bryce Chance had four of those hits.

FSU is 7-7 against Miss. State all-time. Its last meeting was on June 2, 2018, when the Bulldogs defeated the Seminoles, 3-2, on a walk-off victory at Dick Howser during regional.

Here’s how you can watch the regional final.

FSU baseball vs. Mississippi State in NCAA tournament

What channel is FSU vs Mississippi State on today in Tallahassee Regional ?

FSU vs Mississippi State start time in Tallahassee Regional

Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 6 p.m. EST

FSU and Mississippi State will play at Dick Howser Stadium.

Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

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Mississippi

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

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Press Room

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

Protests against President Trump’s administration are planned for Flag Day, June 14, in Mississippi and across the U.S.
The protests, called “No Kings Day” or “Day of Defiance,” coincide with the Army’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 79th birthday, which are also on June 14.
The 50501 Movement, among other organizations, is coordinating protests in multiple Mississippi cities, including Jackson, Gulfport, Tupelo, Starkville and Hernando.
Previous protests have focused on issues such as Trump’s policies on deportations and tariffs, as well as concerns about Elon Musk’s involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency.

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.

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