Mississippi Sports Report launches 2026 season with high school football, JUCO, volleyball and SEC talk

The Mississippi Sports Report has launched its 2026 season, bringing fans a new weekly podcast focused on North Mississippi sports and the biggest stories from across the state.

Hosted by Owen Peyton Taylor and Grady Gardner, the Mississippi Sports Report covers Mississippi high school football, volleyball, JUCO athletics, college football and other major sports stories throughout the year.

Episode 1 is available now on YouTube and will also be available on Spotify and other major podcast platforms.

Watch Mississippi Sports Report Episode 1 on YouTube

Mississippi high school football headlines Episode 1

The first episode begins with a look back at opening weekend of the 2026 Mississippi high school football season.

Taylor and Gardner discuss some of the biggest results from Week 1, including Tupelo’s impressive opening victory over Brandon, Louisville’s win over West Point, Starkville’s close battle with Oak Grove, DeSoto Central’s one-point victory over South Panola and Booneville’s offensive performance against North Pontotoc.

The hosts also highlight several of the biggest individual performances from across North Mississippi and the state.

Among those discussed is Ripley standout Kyran McDonald, who accounted for five touchdowns in the Tigers’ 34-23 victory over Mooreville.

The episode also touches on standout performances from players at New Albany, Itawamba AHS, Booneville, Vardaman and other programs around Mississippi.

Looking ahead to Week 2 in North Mississippi

Episode 1 also previews a loaded slate of North Mississippi high school football games coming up in Week 2.

Some of the featured matchups include:

• Houston at Pontotoc
• Grenada at Ripley
• West Point at Starkville
• South Panola at Oxford
• Itawamba AHS at Corinth
• Baldwyn at Booneville
• Shannon at Louisville

Taylor and Gardner break down what caught their attention in Week 1, which teams have something to prove this week and which matchups could tell us considerably more about the early 2026 football landscape.

With high school football playing such a major role in communities across North Mississippi, weekly football recaps and previews will remain a central part of the Mississippi Sports Report.

North Mississippi volleyball gets the spotlight

The podcast goes beyond football.

Episode 1 also dives into the rapidly developing Mississippi high school volleyball season, with particular attention on North Mississippi.

Programs such as East Union, Walnut, New Albany and Booneville have been among the teams making noise early in the season, while several North Mississippi athletes are already appearing near the top of statewide statistical leaderboards.

The show discusses some of the area’s biggest volleyball storylines and the growing strength of the sport across North Mississippi.

That broader coverage is an important part of the Mississippi Sports Report’s mission: highlighting athletes, teams and sports from across the state instead of limiting the conversation to football alone.

Mississippi JUCO football takes center stage

Mississippi’s junior college football scene also gets plenty of attention in Episode 1.

Taylor and Gardner recap a wild opening week of MACCC football, which featured several close finishes and dramatic games across the state.

The episode also discusses one of the biggest JUCO stories of the year involving longtime East Mississippi Community College coach Buddy Stephens and the end of his tenure at EMCC.

Mississippi has one of the richest junior college football traditions in the country, and the Mississippi Sports Report plans to keep the MACCC conversation in the weekly rotation throughout the season.

Ole Miss, SEC football and Week 1 predictions

The second half of the show turns toward college football.

Taylor and Gardner discuss the start of the 2026 college football season, including the national landscape, the College Football Playoff, the SEC and several of the biggest games on the opening-week schedule.

The Mississippi angle is also front and center as Ole Miss begins the Pete Golding era.

The hosts make predictions on several major Week 1 college football games, including:

• Ole Miss vs. Louisville
• Clemson vs. LSU
• SMU vs. Florida State
• Baylor vs. Auburn
• UCLA vs. California
• Colorado vs. Georgia Tech
• UNLV vs. Hawaii

Those weekly picks will give listeners another reason to follow along — especially when it comes time to see which host has to answer for the worst prediction.

Freak of the Week makes its debut

Episode 1 also introduces a new recurring feature: Freak of the Week.

Each host selects an athlete who produced one of the most impressive performances of the previous week.

The award isn’t limited to one sport or classification. Athletes from football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball and other sports across Mississippi can earn recognition.

The goal is simple: highlight exceptional performances that deserve more attention.

What is the Mississippi Sports Report?

The Mississippi Sports Report is a sports podcast focused on the teams, athletes, games and stories that matter to Mississippi sports fans.

While North Mississippi will receive a heavy emphasis, the show will cover noteworthy stories from every part of the state.

Listeners can expect discussion involving:

• Mississippi high school football
• Mississippi high school volleyball
• High school basketball, baseball and softball
• MACCC and Mississippi JUCO sports
• Ole Miss
• Mississippi State
• Southern Miss
• SEC football
• College football
• Major statewide sports stories

Whether it’s a massive SEC matchup or an incredible performance from an athlete at a small Mississippi high school, the goal is to make it part of the conversation.

Watch Mississippi Sports Report Episode 1

Owen Peyton Taylor and Grady Gardner are behind the microphones for Episode 1, kicking off what will be a season-long look at sports throughout North Mississippi and the state.

▶️ Watch Mississippi Sports Report Episode 1 on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL8enD5DheE

The Mississippi Sports Report will also be available on Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts.