South-Carolina
Ole Miss football’s win at South Carolina started with Jaxson Dart, frustrated Rebels around a firepit
COLUMBIA, S.C − The ground was laid for Ole Miss football’s decisive win against South Carolina early last Sunday morning.
Specifically, at 2 a.m. around a firepit.
The No. 12 Rebels beat South Carolina 27-3 on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. The convincing victory came on the heels of a loss to Kentucky that had Ole Miss players tossing and turning. So it was, late after the loss to Kentucky, that some Rebels met up to talk about how they wouldn’t let it happen against the Gamecocks. The players found a firepit with plenty of room.
“We couldn’t sleep,” quarterback Jaxson Dart said. “We just had tough conversations. Us being able to bounce back and have a win like this, and obviously our defense showing out in a big way was huge.”
The Ole Miss defense excelled. The Rebels (4-1, 1-1 SEC) forced two turnovers and stopped the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2 SEC) three times on fourth down. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was held to 162 passing yards. Combined with Ole Miss’ excellent red zone offense (four touchdowns on four trips), it translated into Ole Miss’ most important win of the season.
Unlike some Ole Miss wins this season, there wasn’t one star. No Rebel had 100 yards rushing or receiving. It was a team effort to come up with big plays. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen stood out, especially because defensive end Princely Umanmielen’s didn’t play. Nolen notched two sacks and recovered a Robby Ashford fumble. Rebels’ defensive tackle JJ Pegues scored a touchdown on both his rushing attempts from the goal line.
“I thought this was a really hard week,” coach Lane Kiffin said. “I felt probably the worst feeling after a loss in the most amount of days since we’ve been here … it was like we just handed (the Kentucky game) away in so many ways. So not what we thought we were going to play like. Our guys battled this week.”
Dart said this win was important, and he felt an urgency in practices leading up to it. He knows Ole Miss is talented, but another loss like last week would’ve sent the Rebels’ lofty aspirations up in flames. That’s why Dart and other players met around the fire, and team leaders has one-on-one meetings.
“This was a really good win for our team,” Dart said. “I can’t even explain how much it hurt last week. Being able to go through that, and then stack this win, we get some good momentum.”
Last week, Ole Miss took a punch. On Saturday, Ole Miss’ leaders showed the team can get off the mat.
“I think it showed what our true identity is,” Dart said. “We had every opportunity to divide and turn away inside the locker room and point fingers at this, that and the other. The truth is that we didn’t.”
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
South-Carolina
Trump jumps into 2 GOP governor primaries, backing Evette in South Carolina and Feenstra in Iowa – WTOP News
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed two Republican gubernatorial candidates Friday, wading into contests in South Carolina and…
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed two Republican gubernatorial candidates Friday, wading into contests in South Carolina and Iowa that have pitted allies against each other in a fierce competition for their party leader’s blessing.
In a pair of social media posts, Trump gave his backing to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra, as primary elections in both states approach.
Iowa’s primary is Tuesday, and South Carolina’s is on June 9.
For two terms, Evette has served alongside Gov. Henry McMaster, one of Trump’s earliest backers during his first presidential campaign. Earlier this year, the long-serving governor endorsed his No. 2, telegraphing to some that Trump’s backing could be next.
On Friday, Trump expressed both appreciation for Evette and the state she represents, noting that she stumped for him in 2024. He also said “A BIG added plus” for her campaign is that Henry McMaster Jr. — the sitting governor’s son — may be Evette’s running mate.
In the deep red state of South Carolina, the competition for the president’s support has been the most intense part of the primary race.
In a separate post, Trump described Feenstra as “MAGA all the way” and said he would “fight tirelessly” for the state on issues including the economy, border security and support of law enforcement.
Both Evette and Feenstra have been vocal about wanting Trump’s endorsement, in the hopes that it would carry weight in states that helped propel Trump’s return to office in 2024. Feenstra said earlier this year that he asked for Trump’s support, and much of Evette’s campaign media has featured photos of her next to Trump.
Along with Feenstra, four other Republicans — state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen — are in the primary to replace outgoing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who opted out of a third bid.
Evette is competing for the South Carolina nomination against Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Both states are having their first competitive Republican gubernatorial primaries in years, with Reynolds and McMaster in office for roughly a decade each.
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Hannah Fingerhut contributed reporting from Des Moines, Iowa.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — A loud boom was heard and felt across the Midlands around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Viewers reported hearing and feeling the boom from as far as North Augusta to Darlington County.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a M 0.0 sonic boom occurred 3.7 miles northeast of the St. Andrews area.
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