From left, Alex Eirich, Karson Rolland, Gabe Iwanicki, and Jack Niehaus play “Dice”

(The Center Square) - U.S. farmers face record-high fuel expenses this year as the fall harvest kicks into gear while pressure grows on the Trump Administration to impose a temporary ban on diesel exports that could bring down prices.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry advised President Donald Trump on social media site X Thursday to order a 90-day ban on U.S diesel exports while Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said Tuesday he is 'open to exploring' federal actions “that would take pressure off prices.”

During his weekly radio show Friday, Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley called on the Trump administration to enact a full ban on U.S. diesel exports. Grassley compared the situation to bans on soybean and wheat export sales in the 1970s, warning that "the price of food could go up if you were exporting too much" fuel. "I think the president ought to put an embargo on diesel to drive the price down," the Iowa senator said.

By historical standards, the price of crude oil remains elevated but stable, and domestic natural gas is cheap, but diesel fuel—the lifeblood of commercial freight, rail, and farming equipment—is in short supply across most of the United States.

According to the Independent Grocers Alliance, fuel and transportation account for 15% to 30% of the total cost of food in U.S. grocery stores. With average U.S. diesel prices soaring to almost $6.50 per gallon this week, farmers are paying about twice as much as last year to fuel tractors, combines, and grain trucks. Moving crops from the fields to processors and supermarkets on freight trains and 18-wheelers costs twice as much, too. In Iowa on Friday, the average price of diesel rose above $6.10 per gallon.

At the same time, this energy crisis has so far been less impactful on most American drivers when they put gas in their tanks. The national average price for a gallon of regular grade gasoline on Friday was at $4.46, up a little less than 50% since the war began in February.

"In the 1970s, the crisis was right in your face," said Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the University of Houston, who worked at the Department of Energy in 1980 as an intern when then-President Jimmy Carter proposed that the import-dependent United States mandate conservation efforts, impose price controls on crude oil and gasoline, and invest in a federal program focused on the development of shale drilling technologies.

"Today, the crisis here is hidden inside the overhead operational costs of freight trains, semi-trucks, and combine harvesters,” Hirs told the Center Square. “Consumers don't experience the pain when they fill up their sedans; they see it weeks later when the receipt prints out at the grocery checkout line."

Eric Smith, Associate Director at the Tulane Energy Institute, said the tightness in the U.S. diesel market is not caused by domestic policy. "We didn't cause the diesel shortage," Smith said, noting that Ukrainian drone strikes that have destroyed or disabled about 30% of Russian refining capacity. To fill the void, U.S. Gulf Coast refineries are running at an unprecedented 98% of capacity, about 8% above normal, he said.

The Tulane professor said a partial solution to the diesel shortage can be found in Louisiana, where two technically advanced refineries were shut down during the pandemic—the Shell Convent refinery and the Phillips 66 Alliance in Belle Chasse–are capable of processing a combined 495,000 barrels per day of crude oil.

"If people thought the shortage was going to be around for some period of time, those refineries could be restarted," Smith said. "You could get a good restart within about six months.”

Smith remarked that history shows government interventions seldom accomplish the intended objectives. In the late 1970s, Smith said, a Congress that was panicked over skyrocketing energy prices placed a blanket ban on exporting “anything that looked like a hydrocarbon,” paralyzing the domestic market. In late 1980s, the Ronald Reagan administration lifted the ban on exports of refined products like gasoline and diesel fuel as long as they were produced from imported crude oil, making the market more efficient, Smith said.

President Reagan’s thinking was that there were American refineries that could be running, employing people, and reducing prices, Smith said. “Reagan said we'll allow these people to optimize their refineries, but they have to show us they imported the crude to support their exports. That took place and it worked like a charm," Smith said.

Hirs believes Washington could revive the same policies that were unsuccessful in the 1970s. The energy economist said most of the 172-million-barrel withdrawal from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the last few months was shipped overseas as refined products, primarily gasoline and diesel. At the same time, Hirs noted, oil exploration and drilling activity has stagnated in recent months because U.S. oil companies are not convinced that high prices are here to stay.

Hirs said reimposing the same kinds of market restrictions and price manipulations as in the 1970s are a betrayal of free market principles. "You have to ask, how in the world do Thune and Landry and Trump wind up on the side of Elizabeth Warren? Landry is taking aim at the biggest employers in his own state,” Hirs said.

(The Center Square) – New home construction data from the month of August generally continues existing trends in the housing market, according to market analysts.

Construction began on approximately 1.275 million homes and apartments in August, down 2.6% from July and 1.2% from August 2025. Building permits were issued for approximately 1.394 million units, down 2.7% from July but up 3.5% from a year earlier.

Orphe Divounguy, chief economist of Quantitative Research Group and former economist at Zillow, wasn’t surprised by August’s numbers, which he said reflected a broader “controlled slowdown” in homebuilding.

“The report is on trend with the cooling I've been flagging,” Divounguy told The Center Square. “Total starts were essentially flat. So, not a construction cliff — building is normalizing, not cracking.”

An analysis from Joel Berner, a senior economist at Realtor.com, offered a similar picture of the August numbers, suggesting neither a housing boom nor cause for serious concern.

“New residential construction activity showed signs of current trepidation among builders,” he wrote in a statement shared with The Center Square, noting challenges such as rising costs of construction materials and labor, as well as slow sales. But the report also contained some reasons to be optimistic for the future, according to Berner.

While housing starts were “a bit weak,” permitting data suggested construction activity may improve in the coming months.

“Permits had a strong July before giving back a bit of ground in August but remain slightly ahead of last year’s pace,” Berner said. “This muted permitting output is the bright spot of August’s new construction report, hinting at some hope that conditions for builders will improve in the near future.”

Overall, August’s numbers fit into the larger trend of a housing market constrained by affordability pressures.

“It’s all about mortgage rates and a sluggish labor market,” Divounguy said.

Mortgage rates generally fell over the course of 2025 until they bottomed near 6% in February — but then they started climbing again. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has since risen to 6.95%, according to Freddie Mac, while daily estimates have topped 7.2%.

“Higher mortgage rates worsen affordability and keep potential home buyers on the sidelines,” Divounguy said.

There were also fewer people looking to purchase a home this August than there were a year ago. As demand has weakened and the number of homes for sale has grown, homes are taking longer to sell and builders have increasingly relied on incentives, including mortgage rate buydowns and other concessions, according to Divounguy.

But conditions also vary significantly depending on the type of home and where it is located, accounting for what Divounguy described as a “two-speed” housing market.

“The luxury segment [continues] to outperform while the non-luxury market remains under stress,” Divounguy said.

The housing markets in Cleveland, Hartford, Kansas City, Richmond and San Francisco are tighter than markets in the South. There’s currently more to choose from in Sun Belt cities like Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Miami and Nashville.

For those looking to buy this fall, Berner and Divounguy advise taking advantage of current opportunities while they last.

“Buyers have the opportunity to take advantage of builders cutting prices and offering incentives now, but if the number of new homes coming onto the market slows significantly, they may not have this opportunity for long,” Berner wrote.

For sellers, Divounguy advises pricing homes based on current market conditions and competition rather than last year’s comparable sales, particularly in the Sun Belt.

(The Center Square) - Democrats are looking to flip Nebraska’s second congressional district in November as candidates in the race offer similar and competing proposals to address the affordability crisis.

Republican Brinker Harding, a commercial real estate professional, and Democrat small business owner Denise Powell are vying for the Nebraska district after Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon announced he would not run for reelection.

The district, which contains the city limits of Omaha and surrounding areas, is one of many Democrats hope to flip in the midterm elections to retake control of the U.S. House. Bacon narrowly won reelection to represent the district in 2024 with 50.9% of the vote while residents of the district went on to favor Kamala Harris for president.

Harding and Powell have both made affordability concerns a prime issue in their campaigns. However, the two candidates propose different solutions for addressing rising costs.

Harding proposed passing year-round E15, a gasoline blend containing ethanol, in an effort to lower rising gas prices due to the U.S. military conflict in Iran. The Republican candidate said he also supports lowering prescription drug prices and ensuring illegal immigrants do not receive federal welfare benefits.

“Big Pharma shouldn’t get a blank check,” Harding wrote on social media. “I’m pushing for Most Favored Nation pricing so Nebraskans pay what everyone else pays – not more.”

Powell has focused her campaign on ending the Trump administration’s tariff policies, investing in education programs like Head Start and capping healthcare costs. Harding previously said Trump’s beef tariff policies raised grocery prices across the country but called for greater domestic cattle production to combat it.

“The real solution involves growing the U.S. cattle herd to meet demand,” Harding wrote on social media. “In Congress, I’ll always fight for Nebraska families to lower costs and put forth lasting solutions to grow an economy that works for everyone.”

Powell said she would use her seat in Congress to stop the U.S. military conflict in Iran and expand clean energy reliance throughout the country.

“High diesel prices hit farmers and agricultural communities hard because their generators, irrigation pumps, and machinery all run on it,” Powell wrote on social media. “Farmers are struggling. Families are struggling. We deserve better.”

Powell also said she would work to codify a constitutional right to abortion if elected to Congress in November. She also supported advancing the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would expand insurance coverage for fertility treatments in healthcare plans.

“I’ve been defending reproductive rights in Nebraska for the past decade, from rallying physicians and patients to push back on a proposed total abortion ban, to collecting thousands of signatures on a ballot measure to protect access to care for Nebraska women,” Powell’s website reads.

Harding has staunchly pushed for requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers to wear body cameras during operations, as scrutiny against immigration enforcement has increased over the past year.

“In Congress, I will support common-sense measures requiring ICE agents to wear body cameras and uniforms, just as we do in Omaha,” Harding wrote on social media. “On the Omaha City Council, I’ve voted to hire more officers and increase their pay, while also implementing body cameras and expanding training.”

Both candidates called for bans on congressional stock trading and halting members of Congress from getting paid during government shutdowns.

“When Congress can’t pass a federal budget, military families, TSA agents, and other federal workers can’t make ends meet,” Harding said. “If you don't do your job, you don’t get paid. That should go for Congress too. No salary, no back pay, no exceptions.”

Powell holds a lead in fundraising over Harding with more than $2.6 million in contributions and $997,000 in cash on hand. Harding follows with a little more than $2 million in contributions but over $1 million in cash on hand.

Powell received $5,000 from the American Postal Workers Union Committee on Political Action, $2,000 from Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and $5,000 from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners.

Harding has received $5,000 from the SEAL PAC, an organization that contributes to former military members running for Congress, $1,000 from the Protective Life Corporation, a life insurance company, and $2,000 from Rep. Rudy Yakyam, R-Ind.

Military and overseas ballots in Nebraska were sent out by Sept. 18. Early in-person voting in Nebraska runs from Oct. 5 to Nov. 2.

Polls in Nebraska are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central. Nebraska is split between two time zones, meaning polls in the Mountain time zone will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as to maintain consistency with the rest of the state.

For more information, visit the Nebraska Secretary of State website at sos.nebraska.gov. For results on Election Day, visit thecentersquare.com/nebraska.

(The Center Square) – An Illinois parental-rights organization is raising concerns about how student information could be handled through BEACON, a state behavioral health portal that Awake Illinois describes as a follow-up service connected to the state’s upcoming school mental health screening mandate.

Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, said documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, including a technical design document and a “master eligibility algorithm,” raise questions about how student information could be used to determine which state programs are offered to a child.

“We're asserting that the end goal here is for a multi-agency record,” Adcock said in a social media presentation discussing the organization’s concerns.

Adcock said the state has indicated that data will be stored in a private Google Cloud environment controlled by the state and that Google does not have access to the contents.

“So, Google may have a consumer-style window into a kid's chart, yet the matching engine still runs on Google infrastructure the state rented,” she said.

The BEACON portal was developed with Google and multiple Illinois state agencies as part of the state’s effort to create a centralized entry point for children and families seeking behavioral health services. A state report describes BEACON as a single access point that can connect families with behavioral health resources and resource coordinators.

Adcock said parents may not understand how information collected through school-based mental health screenings could intersect with the state’s broader behavioral health systems.

“I think there are some understandable concerns on the part of parents and anybody who could have control over your children's data in this portal,” she said.

“I don't think a lot of families understand the follow-up service and how your children's data gets wrapped into this portal that the state oversees and controls.”

The concerns come as Illinois school districts prepare for a new mental health screening requirement beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Under Public Act 104-0032, districts must offer an annual mental health screening to students in grades 3 through 12, but only in years when the state supplies a qualifying self-report screening tool at no cost to districts.

Awake Illinois has released model guidance urging school boards to adopt an opt-in policy requiring affirmative written parental consent.

Adcock said the organization intentionally did not focus heavily on BEACON in its initial model policy because it wanted to keep the guidance straightforward, but she said the screening and any subsequent services should be treated separately.

“Effectively, the screenings will have a consent or a policy surrounding that, but then the BEACON consent will be separate,” Adcock said. “That is how it is going to have to be instituted in the school districts.”

The organization argues that agreeing to a mental health questionnaire should not automatically constitute permission for a child’s information to be entered into a state behavioral health portal or for the child to receive follow-up services.

“Opting in does not equate to consent for BEACON, the follow-up service provider with the Google Cloud and the state agency portal and state agency records,” Adcock said.

The Illinois State Board of Education issued guidance in August regarding implementation of the mental health screening law. The law directs ISBE to provide model procedures addressing issues including confidentiality, privacy, communication with families, data sharing and storage, and follow-up resources.

Awake Illinois also pointed to an Aug. 26, 2026, letter from the U.S. Department of Education regarding parental rights under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, or PPRA.

Adcock said the federal guidance has significant implications for Illinois schools.

“PPRA implications are huge,” she said.

The organization also questioned the role of Google in the state system.

“Why hire Google if no service is being performed on the data?” Adcock said, referencing questions raised in an Illinois Times report.

Adcock said parents and school board members should have access to information about the agreements and technology behind BEACON.

“We assert that boards and parents should know what's in this contract,” she said.

The organization said its model policy separates three components: the statutory requirement that districts offer screenings, the screening tool itself, and clinical follow-up or connections to behavioral health resources.

Adcock said parental consent to complete a screening should not automatically be interpreted as consent to treatment, a behavioral health portal or other services.

The Illinois law requires districts to offer the screenings; it does not require every student to participate.

The U.S. Department of Education's Aug. 26 letter addressed federal parental-rights and student-privacy requirements, including PPRA provisions governing certain surveys and evaluations involving sensitive information.

Awake Illinois is urging local school boards to adopt policies that require affirmative parental consent and clearly distinguish screening from any subsequent behavioral health services or data systems.

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump is set to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House this week.

Xi’s state visit to Washington, D.C. follows Trump’s visit to China in May, where the president’s visit was met with a backdrop of Chinese pageantry. Trump is expected to return the favor by hosting a state dinner.

While the two world superpowers are locked in a race for dominance in artificial intelligence, among other things, the two leaders maintain mutual respect.

In the past, Trump has praised Xi as a “great leader,” while underscoring the relationship between the two countries.

During the May meeting, Trump highlighted trade as his top priority, accompanied by more than a dozen top U.S. business leaders. Multiple reports indicate influential U.S. business and tech leaders are clamoring for an invitation to the highly anticipated state dinner.

Trade will likely be a top issue leading up to the meeting, with a U.S. trade deficit with China of $202.1 billion in 2025, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. China is the third-largest trade partner with the U.S.

The debate over AI will likely take center stage during the meeting, as the Trump administration seeks to accelerate the technology's adoption, citing concerns that China could dominate the industry.

Despite the positive relationship between the two leaders, the Trump administration has made allegations against China over its involvement in U.S. elections, claiming China interfered with the 2020 election, with the president describing it as the “largest compromise of election data in history,” adding that it led to “China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.”

Trump has also warned against China’s involvement in aiding Iran with weapons and intelligence against American forces in the region. Up until the full U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, China was Iran’s largest exporter of oil.

In addition, many Republicans, including within the Trump administration, have raised alarms over thousands of Chinese citizens exploiting birthright citizenship through birthright tourism.

During the meeting in May, Taiwan was a top issue for China, as the communist country doesn’t recognize Taiwan as an independent country, causing tension, while the U.S. recognizes and supports Taiwan’s independence.

The U.S. continues to sell weapons to Taiwan in defense of China, with the Trump administration having approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan last year.

Before the two leaders are set to meet, Trump is expected to travel to New York to participate in the United Nations’ General Assembly week, with the president set to address the gathering Tuesday.

(The Center Square) — The Trump administration has dropped its appeal of a federal court ruling blocking an attempt to cut funding for the Gateway tunnel and other infrastructure projects in the New York and New Jersey region. 

In a new filing Friday in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, New York, New Jersey, and the federal government agreed to dismiss the appeal of a lower court ruling that barred the Department of Transportation from freezing funding for the $16 billion rail project under the Hudson River.

The move comes less than a month after the Department of Justice indicated that it was moving forward with an appeal. 

"This is a big victory for millions of New Jersey commuters and for the nearly 100,000 jobs the Gateway Tunnel Project will create," New Jersey's Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. "The Trump Administration has tried, over and over again, to illegally stop the funding for the nation’s most urgent infrastructure project. We took them to court and we won for New Jerseyans, five times."

The cuts were announced in October by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, who said funding for the Hudson Tunnel is "under administrative review" to determine if "to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional [diversity, equity and inclusion] principle."

Politicians from both New York and New Jersey blasted the move, saying the funding freeze would have put thousands of good-paying jobs and the economy of both states at risk. 

A lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and acting New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport claimed the DOT's  decision to withhold the funding was not because of noncompliance with laws but because the President Donald Trump is "engaged in political retribution" against the states.

The Gateway Commission also filed a legal challenge in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. That complaint made similar arguments about the funding cuts and asked the court to release "contractually obligated" grant and loan money for the project that was pulled back by the federal government.

In June, U.S. District Court Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the funding freeze "flagrantly" violated federal law and prohibited the DOT from blocking the money. Vargas had previously issued an injunction requiring the funding to be released after the project was briefly shut down, and workers laid off temporarily.

The Gateway project, years in the making, calls for renovating the 1910 tunnel, which carries about 200,000 weekday passengers on Amtrak and NJ Transit beneath the Hudson between New Jersey and Manhattan. 

New York and New Jersey have agreed to split the 30% local share of tunnel construction costs, a move required to apply for federal funding.

The upgrades are aimed at increasing capacity on the Northeast Corridor line between Newark and New York City and easing a bottleneck of rail traffic coming to and from the city.

(The Center Square) - In the battle for control of Congress, a Florida district’s contribution will depend on the preference of candidates' housing policy and tax policies.

The Florida legislature passed a redrawn congressional map in April that is expected to yield as many as four seats in favor of Republicans in Congress. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., is seeking to fight off the likelihood of a Republican claiming her seat.

Castor has touted her record bringing infrastructure investments throughout the district as part of her campaign. She claims to have brought more than $635 million in infrastructure investment through the Tampa Bay district, including more than $76 million to build and preserve affordable housing.

“This funding helps more families, seniors, and workers find safe, quality homes they can afford while lowering housing costs and increasing housing availability,” Castor’s website reads.

Castor also touted her vote for the ROAD to Housing Act, legislation that prevents institutional investors from purchasing single family homes across the country. She especially touted parts of the legislation that funding for disaster relief housing will increase.

The legislation gives the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development the authority to manage the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery program over a period of three years.

“I am particularly pleased that, through this legislation, we will improve Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief, which has delivered billions of dollars in disaster recovery funding to Tampa Bay communities and neighbors impacted by recent hurricanes,” Castor said. “I’m proud of the bipartisan work accomplished through this legislation to address a real, significant challenge in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.”

Beltran, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, was one of six members to vote against a $711 million affordable housing package in the Tampa Bay region, citing concerns over requiring citizens in the suburban areas of his district to pay for urban affordable housing.

Beltran previously said he strongly supports the “Working Families Tax Cuts Act,” legislation that brought about no taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits. He previously called for making cuts through the legislation permanent on his website.

However, Beltran has since removed language in support of the legislation and his associations with President Donald Trump from his website. Instead, touting his record of supporting federal gas tax holidays and delivering tax cuts to Floridians.

“The average Tampa Bay family lost $28,000 to Biden-Castor inflation. In Congress, Mike will cut the wasteful spending that drives prices up and keep your money in your pocket,” Beltran’s website reads.

Beltran did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment about the changes to his campaign website.

Castor has called for a progressive tax policy, expanding alternative energy incentives and childcare. She supported legislation to expand the child tax credit to more low-income families.

“The Child Tax Credit works,” Castor said. “Childhood poverty dropped dramatically when the Democratic-controlled Congress passed an expanded CTC in the American Rescue Plan.”

Castor holds a fundraising edge over Beltran with more than $2.3 million in contributions and $1.7 million in cash on hand. Beltran trails with more than $2.1 million in contributions and $1.9 million in cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Castor received $5,000 from the Environmental Defense Action Fund PAC, $1,000 from Howard Lorber, a real estate agent and $2,000 from Derek Kaufman, founder of the Inclusive Abundance Initiative, an environmental policy organization.

Beltran took out a $2 million loan for his campaign. He also received $1,000 from Spencer Roach, an attorney at Empower Pharmacy, $1,000 from Greg Santulli, a healthcare executive at Rx Valet. 

Military and overseas ballots in Florida must be sent out by Sept. 19. Early in-person voting is available from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

For more information, visit the Florida Department of State, at dos.fl.gov. For information on other candidates throughout Florida and results on Election Day, visit thecentersquare.com/florida.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Green Oaks beat rival Booker T. Washington in the 2026 Soul Bowl, 20-18, Saturday at Leonard C. Barnes Stadium.

The game between the Giants and Lions was tied at six at halftime.

Green Oaks improves to 3-0 while BTW falls to 2-1.

In a game where the past met the present, Mizzou football didn’t exactly show fans why they should be excited about the immediate future.

The Tigers took on Troy in their final nonconference battle of the season Saturday, and while they won 27-17 at Memorial Stadium, the game was exactly that — a battle. Missouri had to overcome a 10-0 deficit, and even after it took the lead, it never really broke away.

Still, a win is a win, and the Tigers bumped their record to 3-0 with Southeastern Conference play opening for them next weekend at Mississippi State.

The matchup between the Tigers and Trojans featured many exciting moments that had nothing to do with the game itself. From honoring Mizzou’s 1960 team as national champions at halftime to celebrating the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium to watching the Tigers play in throwback uniforms, a lot was going on.

The game featured plenty of action as well. If Missouri fans expected a straightforward game, they didn’t get it. But if Missouri fans expected to see some progress in the run game, they did get that. Running back Jamal Roberts stood out on offense, recording 122 yards and a touchdown.

As he dashed toward the end zone in the second quarter, it was hard not to admire the throwback uniform in motion. The black jerseys featured a classic 'M' logo to represent the 1920s and black, gold and white stripes on the sleeves representing the 1970s. The pants, which were a muted shade of gold, also served as a callback to the 1900s.

The helmets displayed the Block M and the columns, a nod to the Francis Quadrangle and university. However, the university took a back seat to the stadium, which celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The renovation project cost $250 million and produced a new north end zone. The Tigers scored at that very end zone just once against the Trojans by way of a field goal. Some say the north end zone is cursed, as many bad things have happened there. From the flea kicker against Nebraska to multiple missed field goals, the Tigers have experienced their share of heartbreak in the north end zone.

Parts of Saturday's game looked as if Mizzou were playing under a curse. That is until the Tigers broke the spell in the second quarter.

Trailing 10-0, Mizzou fans were pretty quiet, likely due to a mixture of frustration and disbelief. The Tigers looked to be the inferior team for a while against the Sun Belt Conference opponent.

All it took for Memorial Stadium to get back into it was Missouri wide receiver DaMarion Fowlkes returning a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. It marked the longest punt return by a Mizzou player since Luther Burden III took it 78 yards in 2022, and it tied the game 10-10. The Tigers never looked back, scoring 14 more points before halftime to establish control.

The game served as a history lesson, looking back on the accomplishments of Mizzou’s 1960 team at halftime. 

The Tigers have started slowly in recent weeks. In Week 2, they looked dismal against Kansas early. When linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. came up with back-to-back turnovers, it sparked life. An eerily similar scene unfolded against Troy.

Cornerback Sione Laulea came up with a huge interception to put Mizzou at Troy’s 18-yard line, and shortly after, quarterback Austin Simmons passed it 12 yards to Donovan Olugbode, who scored a touchdown to give the Tigers a 17-10 lead.

Immediately after, Mizzou edge Langden Kitchen forced a fumble with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. The Tigers found themselves with ideal field position again, and they capitalized. Roberts rushed 13 yards for a touchdown, putting Mizzou ahead 24-10.

The Trojans didn’t go away, keeping the pressure on the Tigers. It seemed as if Simmons could feel that pressure, as his numbers did not look good. Simmons logged just 91 yards and a touchdown. He also lobbed several sketchy passes, putting the ball in danger.

Ultimately, he and the Tigers did enough to stave off a Troy win. On Troy’s second play of the game, the Trojans exploded for a 76-yard touchdown. Quarterback Goose Crowder found TK Keyes in the end zone to give Troy a 7-0 lead.

The Trojans scored again on their second offensive drive, but they did it in a very different fashion. Instead of a chunk play, they pieced together a slow and methodical drive, wearing the Missouri defense down. It took 10:32 for the Trojans to add three points to their lead and go up 10-0 courtesy of a field goal by Ethan Head.

The Tigers struggled to contain Troy’s running back duo of Gavin Griffin and Jaheim Merriweather. Crowder got things done in the air as well, finding multiple different targets for positive gains.

But Mizzou’s defense didn’t do itself any favors. Edge Daeden Hopkins committed a face mask on third-and-24, resulting in an automatic first down, and cornerback Chris Graves Jr. was called for pass interference. On top of it all, Mizzou’s Darris Smith was injured on that drive. He did return to the game later.

Mizzou scored its first points of the game thanks to a 35-yard field goal by Blake Craig. He added another, this one from 36 yards out, to put the Tigers ahead 27-17.

The game between Mizzou and Troy may have looked back at the past, but the Tigers are focused on the here and now. They’ll have to flush the win and turn their focus to next Saturday, when they hit the road to take on Mississippi State at 6:45 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi. There is a lot to improve before then, but right now, they can celebrate not only their past achievements but their current one — being 3-0.

Mizzou volleyball took down Bowling Green with a thrilling, four-set win 25-16, 24-26, 25-20, 25-23 in the Bowling Green/Toledo Invitational at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Freshman Lydia Stahley and Eva Smith had strong offensive outings Saturday, as both posted career highs in kills against Bowling Green. Stahley led the team in kills with 11 and Smith followed right behind with nine.

After a pair of five-set losses in Friday's action which included first-set losses, Missouri started off on the right foot with a dominant first-set win. The Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind kills from Kimani Johnson and Grace O'Reilly. Both finished with seven kills in the match. Missouri didn't give up the lead once in the set from there, taking the opening set 25-16. O'Reilly and Lauren Larkin recorded three of the Tigers five blocks in the set, and Smith added another two.

The second set was a struggle for MU, as it trailed throughout most of it, and was down 15-7 by the media timeout. A pair of Johnson kills and three straight attack errors from the Eagles got the Tigers back into the set, trailing 20-19. After Bowling Green made it 22-20, a Paige Felder kill and a pair of Stahley kills put Mizzou out in front 24-22, just one point from a 2-0 match lead. From there, though, Bowling Green took the next four points to, instead, tie the match at 1-1.

After the Tigers jumped to a quick 3-0 lead in Set 3, Bowling Green knotted things up at 3-3. Mizzou then went on another 3-0 run. From there, the Tigers didn't surrender the lead once and took the third set 25-20. Stahley made things easy for the Tigers with three aces in the set on top of the three kills she provided.

Mizzou, once again, jumped out to 3-0 lead in Set 4, but Bowling Green didn't make it easy as it got out to an 8-7 lead before a Stahley kill tied it up. The two teams stayed within a point of one another up to a 15-15 tie. The Eagles used a quick 4-0 run to go out in front, 18-15, before a pair of Stahley kills helped the Tigers tie things back up at 18.

Trailing 20-19, the Tigers went on a 4-0 run to make it 23-20. Bowling Green tied it 23-23 and looked to knot the match, but Felder killed that rally and made it 24-23, and a Bowling Green attack error ended the match as the Tigers took the fourth set 25-23.

Mizzou hit .240 as a team with 51 kills. It held Bowling Green under  a .200 hit percentage in three of the four sets, allowing a .238 it percentage in Set 2.

Stahley finished her first real action of the season with four service aces, 11 kills on a .409 hit percentage and two digs. Smith led the team in blocks with six and added nine kills and a service ace. The freshmen duo accounted for 28.5 points.

Senior libero Ainoah Cruz posted another strong outing with 22 digs, holding down the back row with a combined 68 digs during the weekend.

Mizzou heads to Lincoln for the rescheduled match against No. 1 Nebraska at 6 p.m. Wednesday.