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18 Going on 21: Jubilee Jam! Almost Legal!
Mississippi's largest annual music festival has returned for its 18th birthday after its near-fatal deluge of rain and indebtedness in 2003. Jubilee! Jam, with its move to mid-June, has been …
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National
Six Facts Lost in the IRS Scandal
In the furious fallout from the revelation that the IRS flaggedapplications from conservative nonprofits for extra review because of their political activity, some points about the big picture and big …
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National
The Senate Report on CIA Interrogations You May Never See
A Senate committee is close to putting the final stamp on a massive report on the CIA's detention, interrogation and rendition of terror suspects.
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Best of Jackson
Fun With Best of Jackson
Summer is a time to hang out with friends under the sun. Recent Best of Jackson winners can help you celebrate the summer season (and beyond). Try these.
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43 Events Today; 50 Events Saturday; Holiday Events Mania
If you're looking for exciting things to do this weekend, holiday or not, the new JFP events calendar is packed full of daily events, and categories of stuff to do …
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[Herman's Picks] Vol. 8, No. 17
After the holiday hustle and bustle, many of us find ourselves buckling down and paying off a little holiday debt. For your pleasure, many low or no-cost musical options can …
Entry
USM Takes New Orleans Bowl, Gets Winning Record
By bryanflynnIt wasn’t pretty at times, and it seemed insanely long, but the University of Southern Mississippi has back-to-back winning football seasons. The Golden Eagles went winless in 2012, hitting rock bottom after winning 12 games the year before.
USM lost 23 consecutive games before finally getting a 62-27 win over the University of Alabama at Birmingham to end the 2013 season. There was more progress in the 2014 season with three wins.
Finally, a breakthrough happened for USM in the 2015 season. The Golden Eagles had nine wins and went to a bowl game, but lost the final two games of the season.
In the offseason, Southern Miss lost head coach Todd Monken to the NFL. Monken left Hattiesburg to become the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. USM hired former assistant coach and then-head coach of Alcorn State University Jay Hopson.
There were high hopes entering this season, even with a new head coach, because of all the talent returning from the previous season.
Early on, it looked like USM would live up to those expectations with a 4-1 start to the season, including a win over the University of Kentucky out of the SEC. The University of Troy was the lone loss for the Golden Eagles in the first five games.
Southern Miss lost five of the next six games, suffering shocking defeats to the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of North Texas. All three of those teams finished with losing records after UTSA lost the New Mexico Bowl to the University of New Mexico.
The Golden Eagles needed to defeat Louisiana Tech University just to reach a bowl game, scoring a 39-24 win over the Bulldogs to play in the New Orleans Bowl.
In the bowl game, Southern Miss wide receiver Allenzae Staggers put on a show, making 11 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown to set a New Mexico Bowl record and school record for most receiving yards in a bowl game. USM quarterback Nick Mullens went 25 for 40 in passing, with 346 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and one lost fumble. Running back Ito Smith rushed for 138 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns and one catch for six yards and a touchdown.
The trio of stars helped the Golden Eagles to a 28-21 win over the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but USM’s defense did its part with six sacks, three quarterback hurries, nine tackles for a loss and one interception. However, ULL scored two touchdowns off of Mullens’ turnovers as a result of short fields.
Most of the night, Ragin’ Cajuns quarterback Anthony Jennings was under siege from the Golden Eagle defense. USM found ways to bottle up ULL’s star running back, Elijah McGuire, for parts of the game, even as he rushed for 99 yards on just 17 carries.
The New …
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Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: ‘Essential’ Truths: Gov. Reeves Is Failing Many Mississippians
There is no such thing as a 'nonessential' Mississippian." When I saw Gov. Tate Reeves' tweet that on April 23, I stared at my screen. As a native Mississippian, I …
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Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Journalism Can Beat the Hell Out of You, But It Must Go On
"When you get into this crazy business for the express purpose of having positive impact, you make it happen no matter what and find people who share the same drive …
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Civil Rights
EDITOR'S NOTE: Trump Crashes Mississippi’s Coming-out Party
Inviting Trump is a lurid distraction from what the civil-rights museum finally admits about Mississippi, even using state dollars to tell these truths. Maybe that's why Bryant invited him.
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Hurricane
Tropical Storm Isaac: News, Links, Info
News and information tracking Isaac as it reaches the Gulf of Mexico.
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Sports
Monday's March Madness Starting Five
Mississippi State wins its way into the NCAA Tournament. ... JSU and UM will be spending the postseason at home. ... Millsaps' streak snapped. ... Like we said before, JPS …
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Sports
Thursday's Starting Five ... Plus The Gargantubracket
MSU faces UW in NCAA. UM forced to scrape bottom for its 12th game. Tougaloo wins! Barack-etology.
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Friday's Starting Five
MSU and Ole Miss men meet Saturday. Provine goes for a threepeat. JSU continues its hot streak.
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10 Local Stories of the Week
From saggy pants and red sneakers to young lesbians winning a battle with the state, it was a week of young Mississippians grasping for their rights as Americans.
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[Herman's Picks] Vol. 8, No. 37
With summer starting and school ending, many of you might be looking for ways to relax.
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City & County
From Hyde-Smith to Police Shootings, Mississippi's Top News Stories of 2018
During an eventful 2018 in the United States, and Mississippi, the Jackson Free Press news team presented hard-hitting, enterprising and contextual journalism not available from any other news outlet in …
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National
How Cellphone Companies Have Resisted Rules for Disasters
In a natural disaster or other emergency, one of the first things you're likely to reach for is your cellphone.
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Art
Best of Jackson 2017: Community & Culture
In the world of Top-40 radio, Y101 is one of the stations that stands out, and not just because it earned two Best of Jackson titles, Best Radio Personality and …
