The 43rd season of the Touchdown Club of Memphis will have speakers that include new Mississippi State head football coach Joe Moorhead, new University of Memphis head basketball coach Penny Hardaway, and former Ole Miss head football coach Hugh Freeze.

2. Touchdown Club Announces Some 2018 Speakers - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

The 43rd season of the Touchdown Club of Memphis will have speakers that include new Mississippi State head football coach Joe Moorhead, new University of Memphis head basketball coach Penny Hardaway, and former Ole Miss head football coach Hugh Freeze.

3. League of Change - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The South has its advantages. First-year Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead, whose previous head coaching job was at Fordham University in the Bronx, knows this to be true. “Everything being wrapped in bacon, that’s pretty good,” said Moorhead, who had a successful two-year run as Penn State’s offensive coordinator before coming to the SEC, where it is not a stretch to say everything is wrapped in the legacy of Nick Saban.

4. No Limits - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

ATLANTA – A year ago at SEC Media Days in Birmingham, then-Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze was dancing around and through all manners of questions about the NCAA investigation into his football program. So, among other things, he encouraged everyone in the Ole Miss family to “embrace the blessing that you have and make the most of this growing season as we go through it together.”

5. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some Who Died in 2017 - Monday, January 1, 2018

They made music that inspired legions of fans. Rock 'n' roll founding fathers Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, rockers Tom Petty and Gregg Allman, grunge icon Chris Cornell, country superstar Glen Campbell and jazz great Al Jarreau were among the notable figures who died in 2017, leaving a void in virtually every genre of music.

6. Latest SEC Football Rankings: 1. Sexton. 2. Saban. - Friday, December 8, 2017

Fourteen schools play football in the SEC. Six of them, or 42.9 percent, now have a different man coaching their football team than they had at the start of the season.

That’s a lot of turnover. It suggests coaching in the SEC is often a battle against personal extinction.

7. Last Word: Change at the Top, Real Estate Action on Bellevue and Produce History - Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Welcome back to the work week and however much this is a grind, you are probably having a better work week than David Fizdale who suddenly got the ax from the Grizz front office Monday afternoon. This was not altogether unexpected following a vocal post-game dissent from Marc Gasol after Big Spain came out of what wound up being a Sunday loss to Brooklyn in the fourth quarter – the latest in a string of losses after a strong start to the season by the Grizz.

8. Mississippi Coach Matt Luke Ready to Seize 'Destination Job' - Tuesday, November 28, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – Matt Luke says Ole Miss is a "destination job" and that he is looking forward to implementing his long-term plan instead of being motivating for just 12 games.

The 41-year-old Luke was introduced Monday as the new coach of Mississippi's football program – again. He was the program's interim coach last season, leading the Rebels to a 6-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference.

9. For Now, Memphis a College Football Oasis - Monday, November 27, 2017

Tony Pollard was taking another kick return from one end zone to another. Quarterback Riley Ferguson and wideout Anthony Miller were hooking up for an 89-yard touchdown on the Memphis Tigers’ first play from scrimmage. And safety Jonathan Cook was playing pick-six.

10. Tigers in Position to Make College Football's First Playoff Rankings - Monday, October 30, 2017

On Tuesday, Oct. 31, the College Football Playoff committee will reveal the first of six weekly rankings. It’s appropriate, of course, because on Halloween there no doubt be one or two imposters disguised as a Top 25 playoff team.

11. Ole Miss, Nutt Say They've Reached Lawsuit Settlement - Wednesday, October 18, 2017

The University of Mississippi and former football coach Houston Nutt say they have reached an agreement to resolve Nutt's lawsuit against the school.

The parties released a joint statement on Monday afternoon. The Rebels' former coach – who led the program from 2008 to '11 – was alleging a breach of his severance agreement because of false statements he said school officials made during an ongoing NCAA investigation into rules violations by the football program.

12. Former Ole Miss Coach Houston Nutt Refiles Lawsuit vs School - Friday, October 13, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – Houston Nutt's lawsuit against Ole Miss, its athletic foundation and the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees has been refiled in Lafayette County Circuit Court.

13. Q & A: On Ole Miss, Memphis Football, NBA … - Friday, July 28, 2017

The floor is open for questions – on Hugh Freeze and Ole Miss, the amazing Memphis Redbirds and streaky St. Louis Cardinals, the start of University of Memphis football practice, and a few NBA matters …

14. Last Word: Repeal Votes, ServiceMaster Exit and Cooper-Young Apartments - Thursday, July 27, 2017

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee was among the seven Republican Senators who voted Wednesday against a bill that would have repealed the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act without an immediate replacement. U.S. Senator Bob Corker voted for the repeal. The bill failed.

15. Charity Founded by Former Ole Miss Coach Freeze Mulls Future - Thursday, July 27, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – A charity founded by former Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze is taking a break from fundraising and will reconsider its future after the coach resigned amid what the school called a "pattern of personal misconduct."

16. Ex-Tiger Geron Johnson Knows Pro Basketball is Without Borders - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Former University of Memphis basketball player Geron Johnson knows what it is to have the goal of playing professionally and of reaching the NBA. He has had two NBA Summer League stints (one with Houston, one with the Los Angeles Clippers) and he has played in the NBA Development League.

17. Last Word: ICE Raids, Who's Buying Afton Grove and Malco Powerhouse Plans - Monday, July 24, 2017

A protest Sunday evening at the Prescott Place Apartments after federal ICE agents – Immigration and Customs Enforcement – took people into custody there and at Emerald Ridge and Corner Park apartments Sunday morning. The group of organizations protesting the federal action – Memphis Coalition of Concerned Citizens, Cosecha and SURJ Memphis -- say Memphis Police assisted in the immigration operation. Memphis Police deny they were involved in any way. No estimate from ICE on how many people were detained.

18. FreezeFalling … Ole Miss Coach Exits in Disgrace - Friday, July 21, 2017

A week before Hugh Freeze resigned his position, he stood at the podium at SEC Media Days, Ole Miss pin on his suit lapel, and delivered his last Sermon on the Mount.

19. Freeze Resigns as Ole Miss Coach After Phone Probe - Friday, July 21, 2017

AP – Mississippi football coach Hugh Freeze resigned Thursday, July 20, after university officials found a "pattern of personal misconduct" that started with the school's investigation into a call to an escort service.

20. Last Word: Freeze Warning, Corker on Obamacare Repeal and The Disney Example - Friday, July 21, 2017

What do you call it when you expect a lot of trouble coming from a specific direction – with a detailed roadmap -- and a completely different controversy comes in from a different direction, hits and leaves a crater. Whatever you call it, that is what happened to Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze Thursday evening. Or did it?

21. SEC Hot Seat Index: From Saban to Sumlin - Friday, July 21, 2017

When it comes to Southeastern Conference football coaches, there are three kinds of seats – hot, hotter and hottest.

There is, of course, one exception. You guessed it.

Nick Saban. To quote the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, Saban’s seat is as cool as the other side of your pillow.

22. Last Word: Fifth Wave, Hidden Gem in OB and the Freeze Filibuster - Friday, July 14, 2017

There is one less contender in the crowded field of potential and declared candidates for the Republican nomination for Governor in 2018. State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville was nominated for federal court judge Thursday by President Donald Trump who also nominated Memphis attorney and former federal prosecutor Tommy Parker to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee as well. Both are part of what The White House described as a “fifth wave” of judicial nominees.

23. ‘Cheeseburger Buddies’ Make Nice for TV - Friday, July 14, 2017

Tennessee coach Butch Jones passed his first test of the 2017 football season Monday. He made it through SEC Media Days.

There were no new catch phrases, although Jones did allude to the team’s “D.A.T.” (Details, Accountability, Toughness) motto. But nothing close to “champions of life” or “five-star hearts.”

24. Freeze Finds His Ground Game at SEC Media Days - Friday, July 14, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. – Hugh Freeze reached into his playbook Thursday morning at SEC Media Days and pulled out the Football Filibuster. At the podium in a hotel ballroom filled with journalists, the Ole Miss football coach made an opening statement that went beyond 15 minutes.

25. Last Word: Overton Gateway Talks, Norris of the Governor's Race and Coach O - Thursday, July 13, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners have quite the disagreement going in several ways as they try to put another budget season in the books and let the ink dry. As we’ve reported, the commission approved a $1.2 billion county government budget Monday and there is no taking that back – at least as a budget. That now becomes an important detail because in committee sessions Wednesday in advance of next week’s meeting of the full commission, there were five votes to change the proposed county property tax rate from $4.10 to $4.13.

26. Former Ole Miss Coach Nutt Files Civil Lawsuit vs. School - Thursday, July 13, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) – Former Mississippi coach Houston Nutt has filed a civil lawsuit against the university and its athletics foundation, alleging a breach of his contract because of false statements he says school officials made during an ongoing NCAA investigation.

27. Enough Expectations to Go Around as SEC Football Season Approaches - Thursday, July 13, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. – The countdown to the start of the next college football season is now measured in weeks, not months. But at an event such as SEC Media Days, the future is always framed by the past.

28. Sports Notebook: Grizz Moves Bring Tyreke Evans Back to Memphis - Monday, July 10, 2017

The Memphis Grizzlies continued changing their roster for the upcoming season by agreeing to a one-year contract with free agent guard Tyreke Evans.

Evans, according to ESPN, will make $3.3 million on the one-year deal. Evans, 27, played one year for the University of Memphis and then was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Sacramento Kings.

29. Ole Miss Disputes NCAA Lack of Institutional Control Charge - Thursday, June 8, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – The University of Mississippi disputes the NCAA's charges of lack of institutional control and failure to monitor by head coach Hugh Freeze, along with allegations of a $10,000 cash payment to a recruit.

30. SEC Coaches Unanimously Object to NCAA Recruiting Reforms - Friday, June 2, 2017

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) – Southeastern Conference coaches unanimously agree on one topic at the league's spring meetings this week: They disapprove of NCAA recruiting reforms passed in May.

"I think it's reckless, really," Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze said.

31. SEC Ready to Tee Up Media Days; UT’s AD Raises the Bar - Monday, March 6, 2017

It’s almost time to kick off the 2017 college football season. And by that we mean that SEC Media Days should again be flagged for encroachment on summer.

The conference has not yet jumped in front of the Fourth of July, but SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama, continues to move ever closer to summer’s signature date.

32. Last Word: 'Sun Records,' Ole Miss's Lack of Control and Haslam in 2018 - Friday, February 24, 2017

I am not going to be one of those people who at this late date in the history of television dramas based on real people points out every departure from reality. The first episode of the CMT television series “Sun Records” Thursday was a scene-setter and introduction of sorts to an ensemble cast with plenty of opportunities to name that place in Memphis. That usually means a pretty complex story line to come and there are more than enough memorable characters in the story of Sun.

33. The Press Box: Against NCAA, Ole Miss and Hugh Freeze Overmatched - Friday, February 24, 2017

Hugh Freeze lifted the Ole Miss football program into the Top 10, New Year’s Day bowl games and defeated mighty Alabama two years in a row. He did it with a 2013 recruiting class that included three future first-round NFL draft picks and a high-flying offense that showed opponents no mercy.

34. Football Recruiting: Memphis, Mississippi State Move Forward - Friday, February 3, 2017

The top of the college football recruiting period looks like it usually does. Alabama pulled in the consensus No. 1 recruiting class for 2017 for the fifth time in six years and coach Nick Saban said the kind of ridiculous things that a guy presiding over a football factory says.

35. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some of Those Who Died in 2016 - Monday, January 2, 2017

Death claimed transcendent political figures in 2016, including Cuba's revolutionary leader and Thailand's longtime king, but also took away royals of a different sort: kings of pop music, from Prince and David Bowie to George Michael.

36. SEC Grades: ‘A’ for Alabama; UT, Ole Miss Should Be Grounded - Friday, December 2, 2016

Even as the Ole Miss football program was reeling from an NCAA investigation that gained momentum on the night of the NFL Draft when a former player said he received money from a staff member, optimism about the season ahead was still high.

37. Fuente Succeeding at Va. Tech, Norvell Keeping it Rolling at Memphis - Monday, November 28, 2016

With a thrilling 48-44 victory over then-No. 20 Houston the day after Thanksgiving, Mike Norvell became the only first-year University of Memphis coach to win eight games.

Interestingly, his eighth victory came as Tom Herman coached his last game at Houston. Herman is the new coach at Texas, succeeding Charlie Strong. The coaching ladder in the American Athletic Conference can definitely reach into the Power Five.

38. SEC Dominance Firmly Planted in the West - Friday, October 28, 2016

Based on the eye test as well as what has transpired on the field, I think it’s pretty safe to say Alabama is the best team in the SEC.

Who’s No. 2? I’ll take Texas A&M, which actually led the Crimson Tide 14-13 early in the second half last weekend before ultimately falling 33-14.

39. Real Life Can Wait: Former Tiger Alan Cross Walks On in the NFL - Friday, October 14, 2016

The Cross family’s living room in Millington is something of a mini-museum. A living testament, really, to what can happen when someone lives out the clichés – keep trying, never quit, believe in yourself – and decides the best way to deal with doubters is to figuratively head-butt them.

40. Tigers Fall to No. 16 Ole Miss 48-28 - Saturday, October 1, 2016

Although No. 16 Ole Miss was able to pull away late and put up a convincing 48-28 score in its victory over the University of Memphis Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Rebels coach Hugh Freeze issued what amounted to a warning for the rest of the American Athletic Conference.

41. Can Tigers Duplicate Their 2015 Upset of Ole Miss? - Friday, September 30, 2016

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze, predictably, is saying that he won’t use revenge as a main motivator.

42. Memphis Running Game Must Improve, Ole Miss Seeks 3rd Win Over Bama - Wednesday, September 14, 2016

On the plus side, the University of Memphis was not upset and the 35-17 victory over Southeast Missouri State was never in doubt. There was never that moment when one feared this would become what happened to Mississippi State (losing to South Alabama the opening weekend) or almost happened to Tennessee (pushed to overtime by Appalachian State).

43. Once QB Country, SEC Now Has Only A Few Proven Players at the Position - Friday, August 26, 2016

At SEC Media Days this summer in Hoover, Ala., the 14 head coaches brought along more starting offensive linemen (5) than starting quarterbacks (3). Such is the state of the most high profile position in the Southeastern Conference at the beginning of the 2016 college football season.

44. Rule Change Has Coaches Debating How Often to Retweet - Friday, August 12, 2016

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A new NCAA rule change is catching some recruits by surprise while causing coaches to debate how much time they should spend on social media.

Under the change that took effect last week, athletic department staff members are allowed to retweet or show their approval of social media posts made by recruits. The policy change has been nicknamed "Click, Don't Type" because coaches still aren't allowed to add any sort of comment to a recruit's post.

45. Safe to Scorching: SEC Coaches Feel the Burn - Friday, August 12, 2016

There are two kinds of football coaches in the Southeastern Conference: those that have gotten fired and those that haven’t gotten fired – yet.

This is a conference in a constant state of flux for football. The average tenure at their current schools of the 14 SEC coaches is 3.57 years. That’s right: Just making it through a full four-year recruiting cycle is tough.

46. No Rest for No. 12 Rebels: Season Starts Tough, Stays Tough - Friday, August 12, 2016

By the time Ole Miss meets the University of Memphis in Week 5 of the college football season in Oxford, the Rebels should have a good handle on whether they are in the midst of a very special season or already trying to hit the reset button.

47. Freeze: If Ole Miss Did Wrong the Football Program Should Be Held Accountable - Tuesday, July 19, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – Ole Miss was getting top-tier recruits. Opponents and their fans were raising eyebrows or flat out making accusations against coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebels for cheating.

48. Last Word: Baton Rouge Again, Identifying The Memphis Movement & Early Voting - Monday, July 18, 2016

It is becoming more and more difficult to keep the danger to police officers from extremists and the danger of police training and policies that are used to justify questionable police shootings in the same frame.

49. Too Big To Ignore: The SEC and Its Ever-Growing Football Media Days - Saturday, July 16, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – The SEC football preseason always has been loud. More than 30 years ago, the noise came via the Skywriters Tour and the rattle and roar of a DC-3 propeller plane carrying rumpled, hardworking – and often hard-drinking – sports writers to the 10 Southeastern Conference campuses for essentially unfettered access to the league’s coaches and players.

50. Freeze: If Ole Miss Did Wrong the Football Program Should be Accountable - Thursday, July 14, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – Ole Miss was getting top-tier recruits. Opponents and their fans were raising eyebrows or flat out making accusations against coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebels for cheating.

51. Summitt’s Story Recalls Love of the Game - Friday, July 1, 2016

Somehow it seems fitting that as the NBA prepares to throw around Monopoly money in what promises to be the most insane summer of free agency to date, we are also looking back at how Pat Summitt got started coaching women’s basketball at the University of Tennessee.

52. ‘Prevent’ Defenses: Freeze, Briles Look to Protect Themselves - Friday, June 3, 2016

It’s safe to say in pretty much every college football program in America that players are made to pay some penalty for the basic infraction of being late to a practice or a team meeting.

Sometimes they are suspended for a quarter. Other times for a half or an entire game against some non-competitive directional school. Sometimes, the players even have a semi-legitimate excuse for being late.

53. Ole Miss Coach Was 'Shocked' By Tunsil Comments at NFL Draft - Friday, May 6, 2016

Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze was surprised by former Rebels offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil's statement at the NFL draft that he accepted money from a coach while at the school.

54. Mississippi's Freeze Earns Raise, 1-year Contract Extension - Friday, January 8, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze has received a one-year contract extension and raise that will push his salary to $5 million per year by 2018.

55. College Football Notebook: Bielema High on the Hog - Wednesday, November 18, 2015

After a 1-3 start, Arkansas has won five of its last six games and last weekend handled then-No. 9 Louisiana State with relative ease in Baton Rouge, winning 31-14.

The victory moved the Razorbacks to 6-4 overall, 4-2 in the Southeastern Conference, and coach Bret Bielema had some things to say about that. Of course he did.

56. Ole Miss Removes State Flag that Features Confederate Emblem - Wednesday, October 28, 2015

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — The University of Mississippi's interim chancellor watched on a rainy morning as three Ole Miss police officers lowered the Mississippi state flag — which shows the Confederate battle emblem in the upper left-hand corner — for the last time.

57. Serving Notice: Memphis Football a National Story Now - Saturday, October 17, 2015

They were down 14-0 not six minutes into the game. And they had given up a 68-yard touchdown on a trick play when star Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell threw a pass.

In the stands, this cued some horrifying Memphis football flashbacks built up over decades of suffering.

58. With Both Teams Ranked, Ole Miss-Memphis Matchup is High-Stakes Game - Thursday, October 15, 2015

Not only did University of Memphis athletics director Tom Bowen lead the charge to hand out doughnuts to Tigers students waiting in line for Ole Miss game tickets, he offered them the opportunity to buy extra tickets so as to expand the student section at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

59. College Football Notebook: Memphis Tigers Crack Top 25 - Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Yes, it would have been great fun to have both Ole Miss and the University of Memphis undefeated for their Oct. 17 game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, especially since the 11 a.m. game will be carried on ABC.

60. College Football Notebook: Vols Fans Thirsty For a Victory, Memphis Remains Unranked - Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Arkansas and Tennessee meet at Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium Saturday, Oct. 3, in what could be dubbed the Unmet Expectations Bowl.

Remember how the Vols were the trendy pick to challenge for the title in the SEC East?

61. Ole Miss Rebels Prove Their Worth, Rewarded With Rankings Boost - Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Underdogs sometimes receive great pre-game speeches. But in the Ole Miss locker room Saturday, Sept. 18, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, there was no sense that the Rebels were about to try and make a miracle, or that it would take one to beat then-No. 2-ranked Alabama.

62. Ole Miss, Alabama Face Rematch - Thursday, September 17, 2015

A year ago, Ole Miss put up 13 fourth-quarter points to rally and defeat Alabama 23-17 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. The victory wasn’t secure until 37 seconds were left in the game and Senquez Golson intercepted a Blake Sims pass in the end zone with an acrobatic catch that required an official’s review to be ruled valid.

63. College Football Notebook: SEC Fumbles in Week 2 Action - Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The chant “S-E-C, S-E-C!” still lives. In, you know, a mocking way.

Last weekend No. 18 Arkansas was upset 16-12 by Toledo, No. 6 Auburn needed overtime to dispense with FCS program Jacksonville State, and No. 23 Tennessee blew a 17-0 lead over then-No. 19 Oklahoma and fell 31-24 in double overtime.

64. College Football Notebook: Rebels to Trade Turf for Grass in 2016 - Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The Ole Miss Rebels obviously didn’t have any trouble running up and down the artificial surface at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium last Saturday in a 76-3 blasting of Tennessee-Martin.

But as athletics director Ross Bjork had announced just a few days before the season opener, the Rebels will return to playing on natural grass in 2016.

65. Is Chad Kelly Ole Miss’ Long-Term QB Solution? - Friday, September 4, 2015

OXFORD, Miss. – Like a lot of places around the SEC this summer – Alabama, Georgia, LSU – the preseason conversation here has been all about quarterbacks. Which explains why five days before Ole Miss was to open the season on Saturday, Sept. 5 vs. Tennessee-Martin, junior center Robert Conyers was asked to weigh in on the topic.

66. Events - Monday, August 24, 2015

Memphis Coalition for Insure Tennessee, in partnership with the Tennessee Justice Center and Tennessee Health Care Campaign, will host a “Counting the Cost for Tennessee Communities” meeting Monday, Aug. 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave. The coalition will provide background information on Insure Tennessee and collect information on how the legislation’s failure affects individuals. Visit tnjustice.org.

67. Events - Friday, August 21, 2015

Saint Thomas Health, a nonprofit Middle Tennessee health care system, will host a clinical recruitment fair Friday, Aug. 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Memphis Marriott East, 5795 Poplar Ave. Visit sths.com.

68. Events - Thursday, August 20, 2015

Page Robbins Adult Day Center will host a “Wine & Unwind” event with attorney J. Anthony Bradley on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 4 p.m. at Page Robbins, 1961 S. Houston Levee Road. Bradley will discuss VA Aid and Attendance benefits for veterans and their spouses. RSVP to info@pagerobbins.org or 901-854-1200.

69. Memphis Touchdown Club Scores With 2015 Speaker Lineup - Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Often, the lineup of speakers for the Touchdown Club of Memphis includes one or more coaches on the hot seat. But this season, University of Memphis coach Justin Fuente, Tennessee coach Butch Jones, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen all are coming off strong seasons.

70. Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze Favors Changing Mississippi State Flag - Thursday, July 16, 2015

HOOVER, Ala. – Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said during his appearance at SEC Football Media Days on Thursday, July 16, he is favor of removing the Confederate battle emblem from Mississippi’s state flag, but was less emphatic when asked about the team nickname “Rebels.”

71. Bass Pro Announces Opening Week Lineup - Friday, April 17, 2015

Bass Pro Shops has unveiled the celebrity lineup and schedule for its opening festivities, kicking off with a free Evening for Conservation event Wednesday, April 29, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Here is the press release from Bass Pro:

72. Tigers Moving Quickly on Fuente Contract - Wednesday, December 3, 2014

The slogan before the University of Memphis football season started was “Wait Til This Year.”

Now, after third-year coach Justin Fuente has led the Tigers to a 9-3 record and at least a share of the American Athletic Conference title, the school’s administration is taking a similar attitude toward Fuente’s contract. They’re not waiting.

73. Ole Miss Stays Focused With Heartache Nearby - Friday, November 7, 2014

OXFORD, Miss. – There wasn’t a good place to watch that fateful play near game’s end. Whether on the sideline, in the stands, or following on TV, the result was going to be the same and for all members of Rebel Nation it was going to hurt like hell.

74. SEC Finds Dominance at Top of Associated Press Poll - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Another week, another first in the Associated Press college football poll. For the first time, one conference – yes, the SEC – has placed four teams in the top five. Mississippi State remained No. 1 after its bye week. Florida State of the ACC stayed No. 2 after defeating Notre Dame. Ole Miss held at No. 3 after beating Tennessee, Alabama moved up three spots to No. 4 after blasting Texas A&M 59-0, and Auburn moved up a spot to fifth after its bye week.

75. Mississippi State Finds Itself in Historic Times - Wednesday, October 15, 2014

In the 78-year history of the Associated Press college football poll, it had never happened. A team that was unranked at season’s start had never ascended to the top spot.

Now, Mississippi State has made that history as the Bulldogs climbed to No. 1, leaping from being tied at No. 3 with Ole Miss to go in front of former No. 1 Florida State. This was the reward after beating then-No. 2 Auburn 38-23 last Saturday.

76. Football Dreams - Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Call the doctor, the sports doctor. Because the collective temperature of Mid-South college football fans is at unsafe levels.

Mississippi State and Ole Miss are undefeated and tied for third in the Associated Press poll. The historically downtrodden University of Memphis football program just blasted preseason American Athletic Conference favorite Cincinnati on the road and hung with both Ole Miss and UCLA.

77. Presenting the Wild, Wild SEC West - Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Historic stuff. Unbelievable stuff. That’s the short description for Ole Miss and Mississippi State sharing the No. 3 ranking in this week’s Associated Press poll and the top spot, with Auburn, in the SEC West standings.

78. Ole Miss, Memphis Move on to Next Hurdles - Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Before they played the game, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze suggested it amounted to the “Super Bowl” for the University of Memphis. But in many respects it was more of a Blooper Bowl for both teams.

79. ‘Super Bowl’ Bound - Wednesday, September 24, 2014

For years, fans have been leaving University of Memphis football games early. Home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium were a kind of cruel test for the diehard fans.

How long could they sit there while their team was getting pummeled yet again?

80. Tigers Hope to ‘Grind’ Win Against MTSU - Friday, September 19, 2014

It’s a big game. Big enough that the University of Memphis got the Grizzlies’ Tony Allen – “The Grindfather” – to do a short video urging fans to come out for the football game this Saturday, Sept. 20, against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

81. South Carolina Back in SEC East Race - Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The South Carolina defense still has improvement to make, but in beating Georgia 38-35 last Saturday the Gamecocks made a fourth-quarter goal-line stand and reasserted their presence in the SEC East Division.

82. High-Flying Vols Can’t Overlook Arkansas State - Saturday, September 6, 2014

KNOXVILLE – You had to be hiding under a rock not to hear the buzz this week about the University of Tennessee’s football team.

One person not reveling in the Vols’ 38-7 season opening victory over Utah State on Sunday night was UT coach Butch Jones.

83. Bigger, Better, Louder - Saturday, August 16, 2014

“When it comes to college football, the South has no equal, because the Southeastern Conference has no equal. Find me a conference with a better commissioner, better players, better head coaches, better staffs, better game-day atmospheres, better-looking coeds – better anything.”

84. Shouldering the Load - Monday, July 21, 2014

Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace enters his senior season with a chance to make history, a chance for his name to have the kind of staying power that would have Rebels fans tossing the name “Bo” around The Grove for generations, the way they do with names like Archie and Eli.

85. SEC Media Days Notebook: July 17 - Friday, July 18, 2014

HOOVER, Ala. – As usual, there was a large contingent of Alabama fans gathered in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Birmingham that cheered upon first sight of coach Nick Saban.

But once Saban reached the podium at SEC Media Days, he wasn’t talking about battling complacency after winning that last national championship – or the last two national championships.

86. Baseball Gives Rebels Realistic Championship Shot - Friday, June 13, 2014

OXFORD, Miss. – With breakthrough success comes the luxury of laughter, and the breathing room that allows Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco to say that reaching the College World Series took longer than he imagined.

87. College Football Notebook: November 22, 2013 - Friday, November 22, 2013

For the East Division-leading Missouri Tigers (9-1, 5-1), the last road test of the SEC season comes this Saturday in Oxford against No. 24 Ole Miss (7-3, 3-3), which is on a four-game winning streak. The No. 8 Tigers need to win out to ensure a trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game. Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is trying to push even the idea of pressure to the fringes.

88. College Football Notebook: November 8, 2013 - Friday, November 8, 2013

The television show “60 Minutes” profiled Alabama coach Nick Saban last week. It was a well-done piece and captured Saban’s perfectionism – his dedication to “The Process” – and his intensity.

89. Alabama, Parity Dominating SEC Football This Season - Friday, October 25, 2013

The Southeastern Conference’s dominance is well known – seven consecutive national championships, the last two by Alabama. That dominance also has had depth. Last season, the SEC had six of the top 10 teams in the final Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings.

90. College Football Notebook: October 11, 2013 - Friday, October 11, 2013

With back-to-back losses to No. 1 Alabama and an improved Auburn team, Ole Miss has fallen from the national rankings and is sitting at 3-2, 1-2 in the SEC.

“Obviously, we’re not happy with where we are,” said Rebels coach Hugh Freeze. “But we thank God we’re not where we used to be.”

91. History Not on Side of Ole Miss - Friday, September 27, 2013

They are two Top-25 college football teams with undefeated records. Top-ranked Alabama and No. 21 Ole Miss, each 3-0 and 1-0 in the SEC, have that much in common. But not much else.

While the Rebels are the league’s hot story – they went into Texas and routed the Longhorns and are considered to have “a shot” at the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa – the two-time defending national champions seem to be under attack.

92. Tigers Work to Close Fourth Quarter - Friday, September 20, 2013

So far, the University of Memphis football team has been in the game come the fourth quarter. But, so far, they’ve been unable to take advantage of that situation in a 28-14 loss here to Duke and in a 17-15 defeat last week at Middle Tennessee State.

93. SEC Gaining Reputation as QB Factory - Friday, September 13, 2013

When No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A&M clash in College Station this Saturday, much of the pre-game hype will fall on the starting quarterbacks. Forget, for a moment, the off-the-field stuff with the Aggies’ Johnny Manziel. Just think about on the field, him running around and making plays, him winning the Heisman Trophy last season as a freshman.

94. Spotlight on SEC Entering Week 3 - Thursday, September 12, 2013

Whether the rest of the country wants to admit it or not, the SEC has survived early and notable non-conference losses. In fact, the league is front and center for Week 3 of the college football season.

95. Mean Streets - Saturday, August 31, 2013

Alabama’s Nick Saban can walk anywhere he wants in the Southeastern Conference – college football’s roughest neighborhood – and no one can lay a finger on him.

His teams have won the national championship in three of the last four years. Overall, SEC teams have won the title seven consecutive years and the league is a dream destination for head coaches – until it turns into a grinding, weekly nightmare.

96. Area Teams Set Sights on Dream Seasons - Friday, August 23, 2013

When last we saw the University of Memphis football team, the Tigers were finishing Justin Fuente’s first season on an inspiring three-game winning streak. They checked out of Conference USA with a 4-4 league record. They provided hope as they start play this season in the new American Athletic Conference.

97. SEC Seeks to Prolong Football Dominance - Friday, July 19, 2013

HOOVER, Ala. – There is no effort at denial. Nor should there be or could there be. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive began his annual address at football media days by mentioning his “annual brag bag” and then spilled the entire contents while barely taking a breath:

98. Chaos Reigns as Bowl Championship Series Picture Unfolds - Thursday, November 22, 2012

Chaos. That’s the word, apparently the only word, to describe the current state of the Bowl Championship Series. I know this because last Sunday, after a bloody Saturday in which No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon both lost, I performed the ultimate modern-day “scientific” test: I Googled “BCS” and “chaos” and got 3,620,000 results.

99. Back to the Gridiron - Monday, August 27, 2012

It was the last day before fall practice would begin. First-year University of Memphis football coach Justin Fuente couldn’t wait to get started.

“This is the longest day of the year,” he said.

100. Fuente Looks to Turn Tigers Around - Friday, December 9, 2011

The next phase of University of Memphis football officially began Thursday, Dec. 8. That’s when 35-year-old Justin Fuente, co-offensive coordinator at Texas Christian University, told media and fans gathered at an on-campus press conference, “This is going to be Memphis’ team. … I don’t care what school you went to, you live in the city, I want this to be your team.”