Bulldogs score late to win TaxSlayer Bowl

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On the field, Aeris Williams was running for 15 yards and a first down. Louisville was burning all of its timeouts in a last-ditch effort to win while a senior defensive back Chucky Williams was being ejected for targeting.

Moorhead assumes watch role for second time in coaching career

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As much as he doesn’t like it, Joe Moorhead has actually done this before.

Notebook: Knox wins coaching debut; McLaurin, defense dominate

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mississippi State interim head football coach Greg Knox met with his starting quarterback for the month, Keytaon Thompson, as soon as MSU turned its attention from the Dan Mullen departure to the TaxSlayer Bowl. Knox knew a freshman backup might not have as much of the playbook as his predecessor, so Knox decided to attack it head on.

MSU Notebook: Bowl games tend to better offensive production

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A trend is starting to show itself in late December bowl games: points, and a lot of them. Mississippi State could be the next team thrown into a shootout.

TaxSlayer Bowl: Hill ready to end standout freshman year on high note

Before Kylin Hill’s first game as a Mississippi State football player on Sept. 2, his mother Karenda Hill was walking around campus with other family members — all of whom were wearing custom T-shirts bearing Kylin’s likeness.

Christmann has emerged as one of SEC’s top kickers

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a fall filled with fanfare and unexpected experiences, the sporting goods store stands out for Jace Christmann’s family.

Placekicking woes had been an issue for the majority of Dan Mullen’s time as coach of the Mississippi State football team. The first two games of the 2017 season continued that trend, as Tucker Day went 2-for-4 in victories against Charleston Southern and

Louisiana Tech.

MSU’s Brown will be reunited with Co-Lin teammate

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tre Brown and Ronald Walker hoped this would happen.

Brown, a Mississippi State defensive lineman, and Walker, a Louisville defensive back, were teammates on the Copiah-Lincoln Community College football team. At 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN), they will meet as opponents in the TaxSlayer Bowl when No. 24 MSU (8-4) takes on Louisville (8-4) at EverBank Field.

Cooke family preparing for their son’s final game

STARKVILLE — The sight of Logan Cooke as a Mississippi State football player was more than enough for his father, Len.

It didn’t matter to Len if Logan played.

English has been steadying force on MSU coaching staff

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Uncertainty surrounded the Mississippi State football team when it came together earlier this month to begin preparations for Louisville and the TaxSlayer Bowl.

Thompson, Peters playing key roles for their MSU teams

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Before they were Mississippi State Bulldogs playing different sports, Keytaon Thompson and Lamar Peters were the one-two punch of the reigning state champion Landry-Walker (La.) High School boys basketball team.

Thompson and Peters helped Landry-Walker High win another championship in a way that showcased both of their skills. That’s why neither player is surprised his former teammate is having success so early.

A new focus propels Myles through tumultuous season

Inspiration struck Gabe Myles while he was sitting in an empty locker room in early July.

The offseason was about to come to an end for the Starkville native. After a struggle of a junior season with just eight catches and no touchdowns, he was about to take on what could be the final season of football he ever plays.

No. 24 MSU will face tough test in Louisville’s Jackson

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There’s no hiding Lamar Jackson.

When the No. 24 Mississippi State football team watches Louisville on film as it prepares for the TaxSlayer Bowl, Louisville’s quarterback and 2016 Heisman Trophy winner stands out. MSU will get its crack at Jackson and the rest of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Cardinals at 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN) at EverBank Field.

New hires tend to watch rather than coach

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The job would have been difficult, but Joe Moorhead didn’t consider that when he made his decision. Instead, it was a matter of respect for Mississippi State’s new football coach.

Starkville’s Edwards developing into one of the state’s best LBs

STARKVILLE — Zach Edwards had seen enough after the spring game.

The game was his first action as a full-time linebacker under new Starkville High School football coach Chris Jones and defensive coordinator Kevie Thompson. Both coaches saw Edwards’ future as a linebacker, as do many college coaches, so they thought it best to go ahead and get him there.

Stapleton hits big shots to lift MSU past USM

JACKSON — The non-conference slate hasn’t gone the way it was expected to for Xavian

Stapleton — and he knows it.

Before Saturday night, Mississippi State’s junior guard had yet to score in double digits and had only played 20 or more minutes in a game twice.

MSU men looking for another scorer to complement Weatherspoon, Holman

STARKVILLE — Quinndary Weatherspoon and Aric Holman are scoring in bunches.

Both players have used that success to push the Mississippi State men’s basketball team to a 10-1 start.

Second-half surge lifts MSU men

STARKVILLE — Once again, the Mississippi State men’s basketball team had a subpar first half offensively.

Once again, MSU turned to its defense to fix it.

No drama as Starkville’s Gardner signs with MSU

STARKVILLE — There was no drama surrounding Cameron Gardner. The Starkville High School wide receiver committed to Mississippi State in the spring before his senior year and never truly wavered, even after Dan Mullen left to become the new head coach at Florida and Joe Moorhead took over for him at MSU.

Moorhead credits retained staff members for help with first signees

STARKVILLE — Joe Moorhead was named Mississippi State football coach with three weeks to solidify a recruiting class that the competition has been working on for years.

Moorhead adds WRs in early signing period

STARKVILLE — In the whirlwind that has been Joe Moorhead’s first three weeks on the job of Mississippi State’s football coach, he and assistant coaches have watched games from the 2017 season.

That film study and observations from MSU’s preparations for the TaxSlayer Bowl gave Moorhead an image of what he needed to do in the first wave of recruiting.