Starkville holds on to defeat Oxford in 2OT

STARKVILLE — Needing a touchdown, the Oxford High School football team was preparing to run its first offensive play of double overtime.

MSU will turn focus toward Charleston Southern

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football team will have only Charleston Southern on its mind the next time it takes the practice field.

Starkville High latest to use SkyCoach

STARKVILLE — When Chris Jones first heard about SkyCoach, he joked it was “almost like cheating.”

But the more Jones, who was head football coach at Kemper County High School at the time, listened to friends at Madison Central High, Pearl High, and others, he realized he wanted to take advantage of any legal means possible.

Gautreau joins MSU baseball coaching staff

STARKVILLE — For three years, Jake Gautreau had a very good job with the Boras Corporation, the most powerful entity in professional baseball player representation. Gautreau was doing the player evaluation and recruitment in Texas and Louisiana, the two areas he knows better than any other. He and his family were living in his wife’s hometown.

MSU, Ole Miss join to host Magnolia Invitational in women’s golf

WEST POINT — Kory Henkes said the idea of a partnership with Ginger Brown-Lemm struck her when the two crossed paths at a tournament a couple of years ago; Brown-Lemm characterized it as her extending the rival program an, “olive branch.”

MSU Notebook: Howland defends Bulldogs’ non-conference schedule

STARKVILLE — Jacksonville State stands alone in one category as part of Mississippi State men’s basketball’s non-conference: reigning conference champion.

Peters finds home at cornerback for MSU

STARKVILLE — Jamal Peters is nothing if not a volunteer. So when a team need at cornerback came about, Peters’ long history at safety didn’t stop him from making himself available.

EMCC coach Wallace pleads guilty, given probation

East Mississippi Community College quarterbacks coach Bo Wallace pleaded guilty and was non-adjudicated on a DUI charge in West Point Municipal Court on Wednesday.

MSU’s Jung wears No. 3 to honor great-grandmother

STARKVILLE — In between seasons at Holmes Community College, Traver Jung went home to Greenville to be with Virginia Jung, his great-grandmother and the woman who raised him. On that day — March 7, 2014 — she was lying on the couch and asked Traver to grab the newspaper for her.

Starkville’s ground game too much for Noxubee County

MACON — Rodrigues Clark’s 194-pound body might be better suited for 3-yard gains than 30-yard bursts.

It doesn’t matter to Clark because he is willing to take the short gains and collect first downs as long as it takes. He knows the big play is coming.

The big plays came twice Friday night.

Cohen: Construction on schedule at Dudy Noble

STARKVILLE — The demolition at Dudy Noble Field/Polk-DeMent Stadium is complete. The next phase will feature the construction of additions to Mississippi State’s historic baseball venue.

New coach Jones gives Brown second chance with Starkville

STARKVILLE — It didn’t take long for Malik Brown to enter Chris Jones’ world.

When Jones became Starkville High School football coach job, it took him only a few hours to hear Brown’s name.

Start of classes send MSU back to ‘grind’

STARKVILLE — The first day of classes at Mississippi State on Wednesday came with schedule implications for the football team.

That being the case, MSU made the most of the final week before classes.

Grantham putting pieces of plan together for MSU’s defense

STARKVILLE — Fast, physical, and aggressive.

Those have been Todd Grantham’s calling cards since he was named defensive coordinator for the Mississippi State football team in January.

MSU boasts plenty of running back depth

STARKVILLE — The known commodities in Mississippi State’s running back corps begin with Aeris Williams. After leading a running back corps containing two seniors in all notable statistical categories as a sophomore, he’s not stopped at entering the season as the unquestioned starter: he’s been publicly establishing high expectations for himself since the spring.

MSU blue-chip guard popped for DUI

Barely a month after the NCAA deemed blue-chip Mississippi State basketball recruit Nick Weatherspoon eligible to compete, the freshman guard has fallen into legal trouble.

Thompson shows Bulldogs plenty of promise

STARKVILLE — Keytaon Thompson remains unfazed.

When the 6-foot-4, 225-pound quarterback enrolled at Mississippi State in early December, he didn’t face a lot of pressure to become the starter. In Nick Fitzgerald, Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs have one of the best quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference, so Thompson, a top-10 dual-threat quarterback from Landry-Walker High School (La.), knew he had time to digest the offense and watch and learn.

Leaner Jones ready to play bigger role in MSU offense

STARKVILLE — Unlike most incoming freshmen to college football programs, Dontea Jones made a move for his senior year of high school.

The transition for Jones, who was born in Starkville, was designed to help the standout at Louisville High School better prepare for the next level. But the plan changed when Jones arrived at Jireh Preparatory Academy in Matthews, North Carolina.

Exposing Freeze: Sports blogger, author talks about finding phone record that brought down Ole Miss football coach

The open records request that brought a rapid, unceremonious end to the Hugh Freeze era in Ole Miss football was the product of an accidental miscommunication.

Calhoun takes bigger role on MSU offensive line

STARKVILLE — Depending on the year, there are times when Mississippi State offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator John Hevesy moving a lineman to a different position can be worn as a badge of honor.