The Battalion — September 28, 2023

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2023 STUDENT MEDIA

Student Body President

Ring Day in Aggie Park

IMPEACHED

By John Chapa @JDChappaBatt The first known Aggie Ring etched itself into history in 1889, making the symbolic gold one of Texas A&M’s oldest traditions. In the last two decades, one of A&M’s oldest traditions has commemorated the achievement with one of its newest traditions: Ring Day. For the first time ever, The Association of Former Students will host Ring Day over two days in September at the Clayton J. Williams Alumni Center.

This upcoming weekend, nearly 5,000 Aggies will receive their ring at various A&M campuses, including Galveston, McAllen and Fort Worth. Approximately 4,300 Aggies will receive their ring at A&M’s main campus between 1-5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28 and between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29.

Vice president of The Association of Former Students and A&M former student, Class of 1990, Scot Walker said the number of ring orders necessitated a two-day event.

“This is the first September Ring Day that [will last] for two days,” Walker said. “It’s technically a day and a half. September is the second biggest ring day of the year. April is the biggest ring day. We’ve been doing two days of Ring Day in April since 2015.”

This year’s Ring Day also marks one year of celebrating the special occasion alongside Aggie Park.

Walker said there will be numerous festivities to enjoy throughout the park like last year.

“We’ll have the Ring Day marketplace out in Aggie Park,” Walker said. “Kendra Scott will be there.

We will have Texas Aggie artist Benjamin Knox, Class of 1990, and other vendors to make it more of a festival atmosphere [and] give people the opportunity to buy some refreshments and souvenirs related to the day.

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Former-Student Body President Hudson Kraus and Vice President of Municipal Affairs Ben Crockett walk out of Koldus after the executive session that led to Kraus’ impeachment on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023.

Following weeks of controversy, Student Senate cuts Hudson Kraus’ term short

By Nico Gutteridge @nico_gjc Former-Student Body President Hudson Kraus was impeached and removed by the Student Senate on Sept. 27 by a 35-15 vote following weeks of public controversy.

After Kraus changed the qualifications of the vice president of campus improvement cabinet position to match his brother’s lack of Student Government Association, or SGA, experience at the Aug. 30 senate meeting, senators motioned to impeach him, resulting in the Sept. 27 trial.

After his brother was denied by the senate, Kraus altered the position’s qualifications to be

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entirely entry-level rather than the initial paragraph recommending SGA experience. The altered version states an individual’s resume does not matter as much as their “attitude toward service and their personality.”

At the Aug. 30 meeting, Constituency Affairs Chair Marcus Glass said he discovered the changes just hours before.

“In fact, it turns out there was an edit made to the actual descriptions at 11:30 a.m. today,” Glass said. “So, what does that mean for us? Do we disenfranchise the student body by changing what the qualifications were originally for this position?”

The senate then denied the nomination in a 23-27 vote. Following the meeting, senators demanded a public apology from Kraus, but he never gave one, according to an official within SGA choosing to stay anonymous.

“There [were] a variety of meetings where an apology was demanded,” the official said. “And

finally, people started saying, ‘Enough is enough.

We value integrity. We want to preserve that.’”

The SGA Code requires one-third of its members to sign a petition to initiate impeachment proceedings, but in just days, the motion accumulated 43 signatures, according to the official.

At an Internal Affairs meeting with the top student senators, Kraus privately apologized to the group and distributed a written statement, where he said impeachment was not the proper route to take.

“Furthermore, my feeling is that impeachment is a tool to be utilized when all other options have been exhausted,” the letter reads. “In this case, I made a mistake and I take ownership of the error. However, my actions have not been indicative of a negative pattern of behavior that would warrant such an impeachment action occurring.”

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Nap Johnson takes on Jerry’s World smarter Aggies look to repeat not harder Southwest Classic win

By Emelia Gamez @EmeliaGGamez

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001 It’s that time of year again.

After the infamous “Oink Doink” gave Texas A&M football a stunning victory over Arkansas last season, the Aggies and Razorbacks are set to square off on Sept. 30 at AT&T Stadium at 11 a.m.

The rivalry has lived up to its title as the Southwest Classic, as the game has played host to many memorable endings over the years.

Since the game was moved to a neutral site in Arlington in 2014, there have been six one-score finishes, with three going to overtime. Despite the competitive nature of the series, it has not been in the favor of the Razorbacks. Since A&M has joined the SEC, Arkansas has only beat the Aggies once — in 2021.

Senior Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is still at the helm for the Razorbacks this season, and he presents the same challenges as he has the last two seasons. The Sardis,

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

The Aggies raise the Southwest Classic Trophy after defeating Arkansas 23-21 on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Mississippi native is not only a threat through the air but his legs as well. It’s something the Maroon and White know all too well, as Jefferson rushed for 105 yards in last year’s game.

“Offensively, it starts with KJ Jefferson,” coach Jimbo Fish-

er said. “He reminds me of Cam Newton so much. I mean, he’s six foot five, 250-245 pounds, whatever they say. I know he’s a giant.

I don’t know what they weigh him at, but he’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast. He’s throwing the ball excellent, making great decisions. He’s

hard to get on the ground.”

Jefferson struggled with holding onto the ball this season. Through four games, he threw three interceptions. Jefferson also fumbled five times, but has not turned it over once.

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A Texas A&M Today Aug. 29 article by Director of the Clinical Center for Facial Pain and Sleep Medicine Steve Bender, Ph.D., detailed the benefits of shorter naps.

The best length of naps are 20 to 30 minutes, and boost mental functions and memory and improve alertness and reaction time, according to the article. Short naps are more effective than long naps because it does not allow people to go into deep sleep, Bender said.

“If you are sleeping less, like 20 to 30 minutes, it’s not going into deeper sleep,” Bender said. “So you tend to wake up more refreshed because your brain doesn’t slow down as much like it does in deeper sleep patterns.”

Bender said after the initial period, people start going into deeper sleep patterns. When people go into deeper sleep, it becomes harder to wake up, a phenomenon called sleep inertia. People wake up groggy and tired, and it’s hard to get out of bed, NAPS ON PG. A3

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The Battalion | 09.28.23

Hispanic hertitage celebrated, honored at A&M

Community comes together for Hispanic Heritage Month

By Mia Putnam @MiaBatt25

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 across the U.S., and it is in full swing at Texas A&M. There are over 16,000 Hispanic students attending A&M as of Fall 2022, according to statistics released by the university. In 2021, A&M received the Hispanic Serving Institution, or HSI, designation from the U.S. Department of Education and joined 572 other such institutions in the United States.

Many A&M students have begun celebrating their Hispanic heritage, such as biomedical engineering junior Aric Herrera, who said he is celebrating with his organization, the League of United American Citizens Council, or LULAC. “I’m a part of LULAC,” Herrera said. “It is the oldest and largest Latino organization in the United States. We really like to focus on community service, improving education, equity … and advocacy for Hispanic and Latino

communities here in College Station.”

Herrera said for Hispanic Heritage Month, LULAC has a number of events all A&M students are welcome to participate in.

“We are currently looking at developing a Lotería night,” Herrera said. “It is a cultural event we are trying to do on campus for our members and anyone else that is interested.”

Herrera said they are also working on some other events that engage the larger Hispanic community in the Bryan-College Station area, such as a game night for Lotería, a Spanish game similar to Bingo.

“More broadly, we are doing our conexiones STEM mentorship program that we run at Rudder High School,” Herrera said.

“Our biggest focus for that is to sit down and talk with the students about Hispanic identity, talking about how as a Hispanic Latino in STEM what resources they can take advantage of.”

Herrera said interested students can speak with LULAC about the conexiones STEM mentorship program which is on Oct. 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Along with being the LULAC president, Herrera said he also enjoys Hispanic Heritage Month through food.

“For me, food is a big thing for our cul-

ture and one of my favorite things to do with my family,” Herrera said. “I always make sure to bring my family to the newest Mexican restaurant as a Mexican-American. One of our favorite places to go is Tacos La Perlita and to get street tacos there. We have a good time, listen to the music and just vibe. That’s how we celebrate our culture.”

The vice president of LULAC, interdisciplinary engineering junior Rafael Jimenez, said he celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by enjoying the small things of his heritage with his friends and family.

“In expressing my Hispanic identity, I find a lot of value in the small things,” Jimenez said. “Whether it is just cooking some Colombian food … or talking about the Columbian game predictions or what happened yesterday in Colombian news.”

Jimenez said he really enjoys being a part of LULAC due to the community it provides, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month.

“We, [LULAC,] have a really big diversity,” Jimenez said. “Not just in things like major, race or ethnicity, just in the people we are. I enjoy playing soccer, and we have some members who don’t enjoy it as much. But a lot of them have still come out regardless, just to try to learn and play … in terms of celebrat-

ing with LULAC, it’s something we do every day, not just Hispanic Heritage Month.”

Mexican Student Association, or MSA, social chair and marketing senior Alehem Cornejo said he encourages all students at A&M to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

“I would encourage them to go out and try any cultural food or try something new,” Cornejo said. “You don’t know what you can fall in love with. It’s something [about Hispanic Heritage Month] I want everyone to participate in and have.”

MSA has hosted some events already and Cornejo said there is more to come in the future, like a tortilla-making social and a latin night with Hispanic music.

As students at A&M celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Jimenez said it is a time to be proud of the work that A&M has done to celebrate Hispanic culture on campus.

“I want to express [a] thank you to the university system for helping our people like me who didn’t understand where to get started,” Jimenez said. “It’s hard work to get HSI, especially for an institution like A&M which has certain stereotypes that they only welcome one type of student. It is important to express gratitude for how far we have come and how far we are getting.”

Aggies reflect during Suicide Awareness Month Campus hosts events, activities to promote mental health

By Ashley Acuna @AshleyMAcuna Editor’s note: This article discusses suicide.

If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

During Suicide Awareness Month, Aggies united on campus during a range of events focused on connecting students with resources.

University Health Services scheduled a calendar of events for all of September that highlighted suicide prevention resources on Texas A&M’s campus, including hotlines, prevention training, support apps, counseling and more.

On Sept. 19, there was a hope tabling event at the Starbucks by West Campus, where students got the opportunity to talk with counselors about scheduling sessions and making appointments while receiving free coffee. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, there was a first-come, first-serve free yoga class in the Memorial Student Center, or MSC, called “breathe in, stretch out” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Health educator Sterling LaBoo said during Suicide Awareness Month, University Health Services collaborated with the school and the community to host events at A&M. One

of those events includes the helpline tabling event on Sept. 28 in the MSC from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Students get a chance to get some cool swag from [helpline volunteers] ... and also learn about what the helpline is, which it’s a line for students to call if they need to talk to someone, and it is confidential,” LaBoo said.

“Students can share whatever and know that they’ll have a non-judgmental, supportive ear on the other end.”

Senior Director of Counseling & Mental Health Care Michelle Bettin, Psy.D, said mental health is correlated with everything in the mind — our emotional states, behavior and learning ability.

“We need to attend to our mental health because it can impact all these areas of functioning,” Bettin said. “Essentially, we are talking about the quality of life, and poor mental health can contribute to physical symptoms and even chronic health conditions.”

A&M Counseling and Psychology’s website lists the addresses and contact numbers for emergency rooms and crisis hotlines. Additionally, A&M provides a same-day crisis hotline that is open 24 hours on the weekends and 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. during the week.

“If those thoughts are really serious or recurrent or distressing, that is an indication that you should get more immediate and professional help,” Bettin said. “If it is a life or death emergency, so the person is not safe right

now, that is when you call 911.”

Bettin said students need education if they are trying to help a friend with suicidal thoughts. Students can learn how to help their friends who have suicidal thoughts by attending gatekeeper classes, which are in-person, online and anonymous, that connect them to resources.

“There’s something called ‘QPR,’ which is [to] question, persuade, refer, and there’s another gate for training through Kognito,” Bettin said. “Those gatekeeper training will become part of the support system here on campus for other students.”

There are small or large warning signs that indicate if someone wants to end their life, Bettin said.

“Giving away prized possessions, a feeling of extreme hopelessness [and] feeling like a burden can be subtle warning signs,” Bettin said. “The sudden life changes can be a serious breakup … health diagnoses or a parent’s divorce, any of those big life changes can be a trigger for folks.”

In the need to inform someone of something seen or heard, there is a “Tell Somebody Report Form” that can be filled out for non-immediate responses.

“Students can submit a report that goes to case managers who are there to connect people,” Bettin said. “It is always better to do something than to do nothing.”

Understanding a person’s identity is how

counseling can help, Bettin said, and it cleans up the feelings that disrupt one’s life.

“Counseling can help you understand and manage those thoughts … and connections that will increase your safety and [overall] well-being,” Bettin said.

Construction science senior Luke Thomason said he had a friend who committed suicide due to a cancer diagnosis.

“Whenever you see a picture of the person that is no longer here, it is a weird feeling of ‘this person is gone,’” Thomason said. “You can’t recreate this moment, hang out or have late-night chats with them.”

Thomason said he thought it was an ordinary night messaging his friend when she started asking questions about his satisfaction with life. Though when he asked her the same question, he would receive no response.

“I tried to keep talking, but she stopped responding and I still look at the message sometimes to look at the time stamps,” Thomason said. “The last message that was sent was 1:47 a.m., and the day afterward, I came to find out within 30 minutes she wasn’t alive anymore.”

Thomason said even though he could not do anything about the situation he was unaware of, it is important to know how to talk with someone who has suicidal thoughts.

“Life is certainly a gift and not an accident,” Thomason said. “We are also very fortunate and gifted when we are alive and when we were born.”

T R E N DY, D E S I G N E R & V I N TA G E

EARN CASH FOR CLOTHES Welcome Aggies!!

2022 2410 Texas Ave S, College Station, TX

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The Battalion | 09.28.23

Aftermath of DEI removal

Students react to the implementation of Senate Bill 17 at A&M, organizations

By Emelia Gamez @EmeliaGGamez Texas A&M recently shut down its diversity, equity and inclusion programs in accordance with SB 17. Some minority students say that taking university resources away from these programs undermines their communities and makes them feel unwelcome.

Starting January 1, 2024, SB 17 will go into effect. The bill states that public Texas universities can no longer “promote” special treatment, policies and procedure or conduct training, programs or activities “to individuals on the basis of race, color or ethnicity.” Nor can it “influence” hiring and employment and have a diversity office.

As a result, A&M started complying with SB 17, Interim President Mark A. Welsh III said. It removed the Office of Diversity and all its employees and dissolved DEI programs.

The recent issues contrast with the core values of Leadership, Respect and Selfless Service, sociology doctoral student Garrett Riley, president of the Black Graduate Student Association, or BGSA, said. He said A&M values leadership, yet they did not come out and say diversity is important for a strong university.

They did not try to resist the SB17 mandate, Riley said.

“The value of Selfless Service will contend that if an individual needs help, you help them with whatever that help is that they need,” Riley said. “If that help is a diversity, equity and inclusion office, then that would be something that you maintain.”

Having a space like BGSA is important because it creates a community, Riley said.

Black students make up 3.2% of the university as of Fall 2022, according to statistics released by the university. Fostering a community for Black graduates is important, Riley said.

“People don’t often stick around for long periods of time, and so in the period of time that you are around, you want to feel validated by people who have a shared experience [with] you,” Riley said. “That’s where the community comes from.”

A&M was recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Education. Communications senior and vice president of the Mexican Student Association Marcela Gonzales said this was a “breakthrough,” but “counterintuitive” with the DEI ban.

Universities with this recognition receive grants to continue to support Hispanic students, A&M included, according to the U.S.

KRAUS FROM PG. A1 The trial was initially scheduled for Sept.

13, but Kraus submitted an appeal to A&M’s Judicial Court alleging misconduct in the impeachment proceedings. The court then issued a Writ of Injunction, stopping the proceedings and issuing a gag order, preventing senators and those involved from speaking about the impeachment.

The court simultaneously issued a Writ of Certiorari, instructing the Student Senate and Kraus to submit evidence to the court in preparation for a trial to review the alleged misconduct.

However, he withdrew the appeal days later, according to a Sept. 19 statement.

“We are at a crossroads, and it is not about being right anymore, but about preserving unity among the Aggie family,” the statement reads. “I wish to restore the bonds of peace that would lead [SGA] back to selflessly serving Aggies, and I trust that others are interested in doing the same.”

Following the withdrawal, the judicial trial was canceled and the senate trial was scheduled for Sept. 27, the next general senate meeting.

Department of Education. According to SB 17, the act does not apply to student recruitment or admissions. Grant money can still be used for low-income, first-generation college students or underserved student populations.

“It feels counterintuitive because the reason why we are getting these monetary benefits is to continue to be a Hispanic Serving Institution and to continue to have more diversity,” Gonzales said.

By shutting down the Office of Diversity, it puts more pressure on the students to “be that voice,” Gonzales said.

“I think it adds more pressure on individuals to kind of carry that load,” Gonzalez said.

“I feel like we have to fight more to have a place here.”

Gonzalez said there is added pressure to speak up as a minority student.

“If our schools are not speaking out for us it kind of falls onto the students, especially,

Riley said.

“There is an assumption in that supporting individuals that need support provides them an additional advantage that they otherwise can exercise over individuals that don’t necessarily need that support,” Riley said.

Gonzales said a misconception people have is that minority students want DEI programs to make it “easier” for themselves. She said many people in MSA had their own struggles in education being immigrants, first generation and going to schools that lacked resources. They don’t have the time or resources to participate in SAT prep or Kumon because “they’re just trying to find a way to survive,” Gonzales said.

“Out of the people I surround myself with in MSA, we value merit and achievement the most, and we push to work as hard as we can,” Gonzalez said.

DEI is about equality, and it doesn’t put

What I feel like has occurred for myself and a lot of other minority students has been that they’re just putting their heads down and just trying to get out of Aggieland.

GARRETT RILEY President of the Black Graduate Students Association like, in leadership positions, to speak out and defend their organization,” Gonzalez said.

Marketing senior Ta’Niyah Iglehart, vice president of Corporate Relations for the Multicultural Association of Business Students, or MABS, said as a result of the DEI ban, MABS will not have access to the staff that previously helped them. It was already student-led, but now, Iglehard said the organization loses the added help.

“We’re at a disadvantage just because we have to figure things out for ourselves, just so we can keep the organization afloat,” Iglehart said.

MABS will not have to change its mission statement, and its goal for the organization will remain despite the DEI ban, Iglehart said.

He said they will still be on campus to support and be a safe space for students.

“MABS will always be here, hopefully,” Iglehart said.

Welsh said SB 17 was intended to ensure that no group had an advantage or preferred treatment, according to the Washington Post.

Nothing in DEI says white students can’t use the services it provides, but still, DEI is often synonymous with minority students, The SGA Code mandates impeachment trials occur during an executive session, so no individuals besides senators, the chief justice, the student body president and SGA’s faculty advisor were allowed in the room during the deliberation.

After hours of deliberation, the Student Senate voted 35-15 to impeach Kraus, passing the two-thirds requirement for removal of office.

The trial was led by Chief Justice of the Judicial Court Sawyer Bagely.

“After multiple rounds of counting and ensuring that everything was followed according to the ruleset … the final vote was 35 to 15,” Bagley said. “The impeachment removal of Student Body President Kraus has passed.”

Kraus declined to comment. Multiple senators declined to comment or answer questions, citing a gag order placed on them until the senate’s Internal Affairs group makes an official statement.

According to the SGA Code, Speaker of the Senate Andrew Applewhite is next in the line of succession for student body president, if he accepts the position.

one group above any other, Iglehart said.

People sometimes misconstrue multicultural to mean everyone but a certain race, when it includes all, Inglehart said.

“I never thought of the DEI program making a certain demographic have an advantage over another because every time I go into the DEI office in Mays, it’s literally everyone,” Iglehart said.

Because Riley’s time here is limited, he said he is not focusing too much on the issues surrounding diversity. He said there is only so much one person can do, and the university is “larger than the efforts that you can make to change it.” His main focus now is graduating, Riley said.

“What I feel like has occurred for myself and a lot of other minority students has been that they’re just putting their heads down and just trying to get out of Aggieland,” Riley said.

As a result of the DEI bans, Gonzalez said she can see A&M students’ pride decrease.

“I would hate for [A&M’s] spirit to be turned into something negative and something minorities fear, or [something] minorities don’t feel comfortable taking pride in,” Gonzalez said.

Wanting to get out is a reduction of the Aggie spirit, Riley said. In addition, not having faculty, students or staff stick around who want to make a diverse campus will lead to a more predominantly white institution then it is currently, Riley said.

“If the interest is in maintaining A&M being a predominantly white institution, then this is nothing but them acting in line with those efforts,” Riley said.

When the university attempted to hire Kathleen McElroy, Ph.D., to lead its reformed journalism program in the summer before Fall 2023, it fell apart after her job offer was changed multiple times because of “DEI hysteria.”

An internal review later revealed the extent of university involvement, such as messages from A&M Board of Regents members saying the creation of the College of Arts and Sciences was to “control the liberal nature that those professors brought to campus.”

As a result, Gonzalez said she is questioning if she has received a neutral education. She also said she wonders if there have been similar prior faculty choices.

“It makes me question the authenticity of my education and the neutrality of it because we all like to believe that the education that we’re receiving is neutral,” Gonzalez said.

“But this specific situation makes me question.”

When Iglehart first heard the news of McElory’s botched hiring, she said she was confused on why A&M was “going backwards.”

She then said that getting rid of DEI also takes us back as a society.

“I feel like taking away DEI or making us reduce how we use it takes away the purpose of all the things that people have fought for in the past,” Iglehart said.

SB 17 will not apply to student organizations, according to the bill. Organizations like BGSA, MSA and MABS will continue to serve as a place for students just like they have for Riley, Gonzalez and Iglehart, they said.

Gonzalez said she found pride in her culture again and said other members of MSA have found their place and voice as a result.

When students feel connected here, and they have a space for them, it contributes to their academic and overall success, Gonzalez said.

“MSA provides that feeling that their family used to provide for them,” Gonzalez said.

MABS means everything to Iglehart, she said. She said her first semester, it was difficult to meet people who she could easily connect with, and she found her people in MABS. She wants it to be a welcoming organization for anyone because it has been for her, Iglehart said.

“Not a lot of the students here who are minorities feel welcomed [at A&M] right off the bat,” Iglehart said.

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Former-Student Body President Hudson Kraus during the executive session that led to Kraus’ impeachment on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023.

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The Battalion | 09.28.23

RINGS FROM PG. A1 We have an official Ring Day t-shirt. It’s also very safety-oriented. We put a lot of effort into making sure that everybody’s Ring Day is going to have a happy ending.”

Biology senior Monse Westrup grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and became the first person in her family to attend a university in the U.S. Westrup said her grandfather, a former veterinarian, spoke highly of A&M her whole life, influencing her to complete her education in College Station. Everything that has led up to this moment makes it all mean more, she said.

“No one ever says it’s just a ring,” Westrup said. “It 100% is so much more than that. It’s a reflection of all my achievements and my college journey, whether that be both academics and personal development. I am the first in my family to attend a university in the U.S. Getting to college alone was a big accomplishment. Now, completing 90 hours while working two jobs and being highly involved in school is insane to me. It’s going to be a very sentimental day, for sure. Being an immigrant … paying my own rent, groceries and using my tax return to pay for my Aggie Ring is a very sentimental thing to me because I knew I wanted it that bad.”

Westrup said she looks forward to sharing her Aggie Ring story one day.

“I’m so excited to tell my own Aggie Ring story,” Westrup said. “You always hear former students tell stories about how it got them a job or how they were in a country all the way across the other side of the world and they found an Aggie and clicked with the fact that they love A&M. I’m really excited to be able to do that. If someone ever asks me, ‘Has anything cool ever happened with your Aggie Ring?’ I want to be able to tell this cool story that seems so impossible.”

Westrup said two close friends and three family members will join her when she picks up her ring. Throughout Ring Day’s history, ring recipients have brought anywhere

NAPS FROM PG. A1 Bender said. Longer naps are more harmful than helpful, Bender said.

“Try not to do the marathon nap — the two to three hour nap — because most people are going to wake up grumpy,” Bender said. “It’s going to be hard to get up. They’re just not going to feel as energetic.”

Biology freshman Abi Ray said her naps range from an hour to an hour and a half... Afterwards, she said she feels more tired than she did before. The long naps take time from her day, especially when she does not wake up to her alarms and keeps sleeping, Ray said.

“It’s hard to fall asleep after the nap for the night and then also it takes so much time, and I don’t wake up,” Ray said. “I keep hitting snooze.”

If students are in an environment where they need to wake up and be

from six to 20 guests to commemorate the proud achievement, Walker said. There is no written rule about celebrating in the Alumni Center and for recipients to keep their family’s comfort in mind. The forecast is in the mid90s both days, and every guest will have to walk at least a half-mile before entering the building.

“One of the things we want to reinforce with everyone is that there is no script for how Ring Day and ring delivery go once you receive the ring,” Walker said. “[Once] you get inside the building, we’re going to check your ID, your receipt and hand you [your] box. You don’t have to do anything right here in the building. You can take that box, slip it in your pocket or your purse, go home, bring all your friends and family there and have your own private ceremony there.”

A&M has one of the largest student bodies, and the university still fulfills the greatest proportion of ring orders compared to any other school in the nation, Walker said.

“Roughly 94% of undergraduates who qualify to earn their Aggie Ring order one,” Walker said. “That is exponentially higher than any other university in the country.

The ring itself and Ring Day both have become part of the milestones of an Aggies’ time at [A&M].”

Other universities are adopting the trend of hosting their own university ring day. Institutions such as Stephen F. Austin and the University of Texas are imitating what A&M did first. Although other universities look to live up to what A&M started, these ring days do not compare to the scope and tradition of A&M, Walker said.

“Unless you went to a military academy, A&M pretty much invented the concept of a ring day,” Walker said.

“Ours is certainly the largest. Nobody anywhere in this country has as large of an Aggie Ring program or Aggie Ring Day as Texas A&M does. That’s in large part because of the uncommon loyalty of Texas Aggies and the burning desire to earn that Aggie Ring.”

The Association has more information for ring recipients about what to know, what to bring and what to do when they arrive at the Alumni Center on its website.

alert shortly after, then long naps will not allow them to do that effectively, said David Earnest, Ph.D., professor at the school of medicine in the department of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics, said.

“You’re going to wake up from [a long nap] just like you did normally during the morning,” Earnest said.

Being disciplined by setting up an alarm and getting up rather than hitting the snooze is important, Bender said. He said if people still feel tired after a nap, then it’s better to have caffeine rather than sleep more.

Repeatedly getting up at the alarm trains yourself and can cause waking up naturally right before the alarm, Bender said.

“Set your alarm and just stick with that,” Bender said.

Bender said circadian cycles tell us to go to bed at night, but at midday, there is a dip in the cycle, causing a loss of energy, and that’s when naps are most important. Bender said if

he could go back to school knowing what he knows now, he would approach sleeping the same. In college, he said he set his schedule to allow for quick naps after lunch.

“Catching a nap at [after lunch, around mid-day,] that’s gonna be the most effective, and it’s not going to interfere then with your nighttime sleep pattern,” Bender said.

“So sometime around 12-2:00 p.m. is probably the ideal time to take a nap.”

For students, Bender said to try to take a nap mid-afternoon, and if they can’t, take quiet rest time instead. When taking a nap he said to shut the phone off, make it quiet and dark.

“I think most students would find [the recommended nap] pretty beneficial more so than trying to nap for two or three hours,” Bender said.

Studies show that when students adopt a routine of short naps that it improves their school performance, and has shown increased productiv-

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ity in the workplace, Bender said.

When studying, studies show that sleeping is more beneficial than all nighters, Bender said.

“Studies tell us that if we try to learn something and then sleep, it kinda stabilizes those memories better for us as opposed to like what we used to do: all nighters and [attempts] to study, study, study and then take the test,” Bender said.

“The synapses don’t work well. So we need to study and then sleep, and then, we perform better.”

A healthy amount of sleep for students is seven to eight hours, and it is important to get this on a nightly basis, Earnest said. For each one hour of sleep deprivation, people have a drop of one IQ point, Earnest said.

“Your performance on exams is going to be potentially affected in cases where there’s sleep deprivation,” Earnest said. “So certainly the amount of sleep is important.”

Students experience “social jet

lag” which means that because of students’ social engagements on the weekends, they go to sleep later and sleep in, Earnest said.

“Your sleep wake cycle [depends on] the time that you go to bed, and the time that you wake up will probably change dramatically from the other days of the week,” Earnest said.

Earnest said the irregularity of the sleep patterns can have health effects. He said studies show it affects metabolism like Type 2 diabetes.

The two most important factors of normal sleep are the amount someone gets and the consistency of the timing, Earnest said.

“It doesn’t make a difference if you’re going to bed regularly at midnight, or, you know, your night is like my son, going to bed at 3 a.m., as long as you’re doing it at the same time on a daily basis,” Earnest said.

NOW IS THE TIME to pre-order your copy of the

2022AGGIELAND A photojournalistic record of the 2021-2022 school year. The 120th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Distribution will be Summer or Fall 2022.

Go Online to tx.ag/BuyTheAggieland or call 979-845-2697 to make your purchase.

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OPINION

A5

The Battalion | 09.28.23

Holy haunted: Survivor’s guide to horror

Selena Cosino/The Battalion

Opinion writer says her Catholic upringing gave her the keys to stay alive

By Maddie McMurrough @MadsMcMurrough In 2023, I have already watched 238 movies. Of those 238, the majority of those movies belong to the horror genre. As most people do when watching a horror movie, I always wonder whether I would be able to survive that particular situation. I can proudly say that for almost all of the scenarios, I would most definitely survive them.

Besides the slasher, home-invasion and psycho-murderer movies, I know if I was dropped into a paranormal horror, my survival rate is 100% no matter what demon, ghost or witch is chasing me.

My secret? Being raised Catholic. You might be asking, how does my childhood religion has anything to do with my ability to survive the night? Simple. It taught me there are some things you just don’t mess with.

Ghosts, demons, Ouija boards, you name it.

So, I wouldn’t be in those scary situations in the first place.

Spoiler alert, I will be discussing two newly released horror scenarios that could’ve been avoided if the characters had at least a mod-

icum of respect for the supernatural. You’ve been warned.

of young adults talking to spirits by summoning them through the embalmed severed hand of a psychic. First of all, no Catholic, or any spiritual person for that matter, would play around with demonic possession. That is not some silly little party game. It’s scary, dawg.

If I walked into a party and someone was performing a seance, I would run to the bathroom, pick up my phone and say, ‘Mom, they’re summoning demons. Can you come pick me up?’ There is absolutely no way you could convince me to converse with a demon, and not even the awesome montage scene to Le Monde could entice me.

All you skeptics may be saying, “This girl is crazy. She believes in ghosts!” Yes, I do. I lived in a haunted refurbished frat house for a year, and some undeniably spooky stuff happened. The story involves a dark figure, a closet door and stolen clothing items. Safe to say, I’m never returning to Nacogdoches again.

I have been raised to believe and respect the dead and their many manifestations and to avoid “The Conjuring” of paranormal beings at all costs. Maybe that’s why I enjoy horror movies the most, I can enjoy the fear from a safe distance. But I constantly witness characters who have the audacity to wonder why this happened to them. Maybe because you messed with something you shouldn’t have!

I’m not saying non-religious folks and skeptics are invalid and deserve to be chased by ghosts because we’re all allowed to our own philosophical beliefs, and I respect that.

Evil Dead Rise My first example is the newest addition to the Evil Dead saga. In this movie, a family stupidly stumbles into a crypt and snatches a book bound in human flesh called the Necronomicon — which only opens when blood is spilled upon its pages. I’m sorry, what? That wasn’t your first red flag? Of course not, because they proceed to play a summoning spell record that unleashes hell upon their family.

Smart.

During their night dodging possessed family members and trying to get out of their apartment complex, a character spoke a line that had me and my sister rolling our eyes.

The family’s hopeless and petrified neighbor suggested that they pray, and the sister then admitted that they weren’t religious — no duh. Maybe you should’ve just minded your own business and left the spooky crypt alone. Is there no respect for crypts anymore?

If I was walking with my sister and we found an obviously haunted hole in the ground, we would “Get Out” of that area immediately.

Problem solved.

Talk to Me I’ll avoid spoilers for this movie since it is still in theaters, but it revolves around a group

But, word of warning, don’t mess around with “Insidious” things you don’t believe in or other practices you don’t agree with just to make a spectacle.

Respect closed practices. Don’t summon a Voodoo deity for fun or attempt to replicate a black magic revenge spell you saw on Tiktok.

Don’t play Ouija boards and believe the ghost you’re talking to when they say it’s your dead grandpa and they need you to let them out of the spirit world! Maybe just leave the communication with spirits to priests, mediums and paranormal professionals alike.

Keep a low profile, keep your head down and if you hear mysterious voices calling out to you “In the Tall Grass” keep walking! I mean, every girl dreams of the horror king himself, Patrick Wilson, chasing them through a field, but that situation should stay in your dreams.

I doubt your lung capacity is good enough to actually outrun him. Have you seen him?

He’s very fit.

With my advice, you will never find yourself in a real-life horror movie. Whether you’re religious or not, we can all agree some things aren’t meant for the living, so leave it until you’re dead. The other side will still be there, waiting for you ...

Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

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Success in the Swamp

1

Off the back of an away loss to No. 16 Arkansas, Texas A&M volleyball traveled to Gainesville, Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 27, to close out a two-game road trip. Despite the Gators’ offensive prowess, the Aggies were able to drain the swamp, taking down Florida in five sets off of impressive performances from sophomores opposite hitter Logan Lednicky and middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla.

The Aggies came into the matchup looking to bounce back after falling to 1-1 in

hitter Sofia Victoria. Both teams traded points, but Florida ultimately closed out the set 26-24 after a block by graduate middle blocker Anna Dixon.

The Maroon and White went up 3-0 to start the set after two-straight aces by sophomore libero Ava Underwood. Florida battled back, but A&M held onto a 3-point lead after a service ace by junior setter Nisa Buzlutepe made the score 9-6.

Later in the set, a block

by Cos-Okpalla brought the score to 18-15 in A&M’s favor, but the Gators ended up

the second set out 25-23 to tie the match at a set a piece.

The third set started with both teams going back-andforth, but Florida took a 9-6 lead after a kill by senior middle blocker Nnedi Okammor.

Cos-Okpalla earned her 10th kill of the match to bring the score to 14-13 in Florida’s favor. The Gators grew their lead to 17-13 and continued to hold a lead late into the set. The Maroon and White fought back to a 21-19 scoreline, but Florida was able to close out the set 25-21.

outside hitter Brooke Jeffrey gave the Aggies a 8-6 lead.

However, Florida answered back, taking a 11-8 lead and carried its momentum to a 14-10 lead after a kill by Victoria.

Later in the set, a kill by Meuth brought the score within two, but another kill

by Victoria gave Florida a 16-13 lead. A&M scored the next 2 points and went up one after back-to-back kills by sophomore outside hitter Brooke Jeffrey.

With the score 18-17, a failed challenge by Florida gave A&M a 2-point lead,

VOLLEYBALL ON PG. B2

Coaching renaissance Sports editor says head coaches at A&M are creating a culture to win

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001 Acting, retail and journalism aren’t the jobs with the worst turnover rates. It’s college coaching.

It’s true that when you’re at the top, you’re the easiest to find, because as soon as something goes wrong, you’re the one to blame.

With the nature of modern-day college athletics, coaches have the tough task of turning a team — usually on the decline — into a true contender, regardless of the cards you’re dealt.

This means even if you’ve been handed the worst roster in the country, the athletic department that brought you on expects results, and they want them now. There’s so much out of your control as a coach that to succeed, you have to be really good at what you can control.

This is why what’s happening at Texas A&M, from a coaching standpoint, is so special. A&M is undergoing a coaching cultural renaissance, and it’s happening right before our eyes.

Now, one might ask for the proof in the pudding. Where are the national championships, where are the trophies, the accolades, the national recognition? To that I say, wait. Because the thing being changed in A&M’s athletics is the culture, and culture takes time.

Joni Taylor inherited an A&M women’s basketball team that was frankly left on the way out

by Gary Blair.

Almost the entire roster was severe-

ly lacking in experience, and Taylor knew this. This is why the team motto last year was “Becoming.”

“Most of our returners did not have a lot of playing time last year, they didn’t have a lot of experience,” Taylor said. “The freshmen that came in and the ones that came with us have not played, and so we’re learning a lot. And we are becoming elite. We are becoming sisters.

We are becoming rebounders and screeners and scorers. And so, we are nowhere near where we want to be, it’s going to be a process that takes years to build.”

A 9-20 season did not make it a memorable Year 1 make for Taylor, but her most impressive season has already happened before Year 2 has even began: the offseason. Taylor not only brought in a top-25 recruiting class, but the No. 4 transfer class in the country. She hasn’t continued Blair’s legacy and culture, she is building her own. It may not be long until we see women’s basketball becoming one of the top teams in the nation.

A&M has a long and storied baseball history, so

when Rob Childress was let go, the right man for the job had to be found.

Jim Schlossnagle seems just that, taking the Aggies the farthest they have ever been in Omaha in Year 1.

“We’re going to win championships,” Schlossnagle said. “Not play for championships, not win a game in Omaha, we want to play for and win a national title.”

Look at newer coaches, like Trisha Ford and Jamie Morrison, who have already breathed new life into one lifeless programs.

Ford took a middling softball program with rich history out of the attic, blew off the dust and has put the gears in motion to success, already landing two top-20 recruits for next year’s cycle after making regionals in her first year.

Morrison, the newest head coach at A&M, is already committed to the university, its culture and most importantly, its students.

There’s never been a head coach that reposts and posts more on X about getting students to come

support their team more than Morrison does.

Buzz Williams has shown nothing but improvement year-to-year in his tenure at A&M, reaching the SEC Tournament Championship game two years in a row and his first NCAA Tournament with the Aggies last season. Just this week, men’s basketball finished their “boot camp,” an annual week-long training camp highlighted by constant cardio, sweat and team bonding.

With football living in the limelight, Aggies fail to recognize the coaching staff that A&M athletics has accrued over the past few years. It may end up being one of the greatest collection of coaches this campus has had in a very long time, and the writing’s on the wall.

While it’s easy to shrug off a collection of coaches that have accounted for zero national championships, each one is building up their respective programs’ cultures, one of the few self-manageable aspects of coaching. Not only that, but they have all shown a commitment to the university and its own culture.

In a few years, Aggieland may go from an athletic department thriving in mediocrity, to one like Tennessee or Alabama, where multiple different sports are competing for the top spot each season. Aggies should take a step back from Kyle Field, look around campus and realize that in a few years, there may be a lot more gold in those barren trophy cases.

1817

4-0

–

2

The Aggies jumped out to play. In their way was for the first time after back- tying the score at 19. Like the Aggies beat No. 4 SEC No. 4 Florida, who came to-back kills by Lednicky. first set, both teams traded a 2-0 lead in the fourth set. the match boasting a Florida then took a late 21- points late, but Florida took Florida evened the score, but 3 Gators in Gainesville into 10-1 record with its lone loss 19 lead, forcing Morrison to a timeout after A&M went a Lednicky kill gave A&M a up 23-22.

3-2 lead. being to No. 1 Wisconsin. call another timeout. for the first time A kill by Cos-Okpalla Both teams traded points The Gators got off to a fast A&M was able to tie the 5-0 start in the first set and score at 22 after an attack er- brought the Aggies to set as A&M maintained a 1-point

By Eli Meschko 4 forced coach Jamie Morri- ror by Florida senior outside point, and Lednicky closed lead, but a kill by sophomore @EliMeschko son to call an early timeout.

Graduate outside hitter Caroline Meuth was able to get the Aggies on the board out of the timeout.

The Aggies rattled off 2 more points thanks to Lednicky and Cos-Okpalla.

The Gators continued to put pressure on the Aggies, as Florida took a 11-5 lead.

Both teams traded points, but kills by Meuth and Cos-Okpalla closed the gap to 13-10 in Florida’s favor.

The Gators took their first timeout after the Aggies brought the score to 14-13, and the Aggies took the lead

Georgia 64

5

Michigan 8 1816 4-0

–

Texas 3 1672 4-0 

1

Ohio State 1 1658

4-0 

2

Florida State 1 1601 4-0

 2

6

USC 1564 4-0

 1

7

Penn State 1597 4-0

–

8

Washington 1 1477 4-0

–

9

Oregon 1364 4-0



10

1

Utah 1164 4-0

 1

11

Notre Dame 1108 3-1

 2

12

Alabama 1087

3-1

 1

13

LSU 982 3-1

 1

14

Oklahoma 918 4-0



15

N. Carolina 832 4-0



16

2

2

Washington St. 771 4-0

 6

17

Duke 751 4-0

 1

18

Miami 568

4-0  3

19

Ole Miss 446 3-1

 4

20

Oregon State 418 3-1

 6

21

Tennessee 416 3-1  1

Missouri

22

198

23

193

24 25

4-0 NR

Florida 3-1 NR

Kansas 129 4-0 NR

Kansas State 109 3-1 NR

The SMP represents the top 25 teams in college football as voted weekly by student journalists across the nation New entrants: Missouri (22), Florida (23), Kansas (24), Kansas State (25) Dropped out: Colorado (19), UCLA (23), Iowa (24), Clemson (25) Receiving votes: UCLA (98), Clemson (67), Maryland (65), Louisville (63), Fresno State (58), Syracuse (47), Wisconsin (46), Colorado (44), Kentucky (37), Tulane (23), TCU (21), Iowa (20), Air Force (16), Oklahoma State (11), Texas A&M (7), Georgia State (3), James Madison (3), Liberty (2), South Florida (2), South Alabama (1), South Carolina (1), Ohio (1)

Student Media Poll is sponsored by Indiana University Student Media

SPORTS

B2

The Battalion | 09.28.23

CJ Smith --THE BATTALION

Sophomore WR Evan Stewart (1) and new sophomore QB1 Max Johnson (14) celebrate after a touchdown during Texas A&M’s game against Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 at Kyle Field.

ARKANSAS FROM PG. A1 The Razorbacks look different in the backfield this season, as junior running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders has been out with a knee injury since Arkansas’ Week 1 victory over Western Carolina.

“No [update on Sander’s status],” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “I wish I knew.

We’re going to find a little bit more today at practice. Obviously, he ran and did some things last week, but it wasn’t stop and starts, things of that nature … We need him, but to say he’s going to play or not play right now, and this has nothing to do with A&M, or who knows. I really don’t know right now.”

Sanders, a preseason Second-Team All American and preseason All SEC selection, only rushed for 42 yards in the Razorbacks’ season opener.

In Sanders’ stead, junior RB AJ Green and sophomore RB Rashod Dubinion have

VOLLEYBALL FROM PG. B1 but a service error by Buzlutepe gave the Gators the serve. A&M then called timeout after Florida evened things at 19.

With the Aggies up one late, a kill by Lednicky and service ace by Underwood made the score 23-20. The Aggies pushed the set to set point twice, but Florida’s Victoria had

been the workhorses. Combined, both have accounted for 364 of Arkansas’ 591 rushing yards and half of its rushing touchdowns.

“The backs are running the ball,” Fisher said. “I know Sanders isn’t in the game, their starting back, but they’re still moving it really well and scoring 36-and-a-half points a game.”

Last season, Arkansas ranked No. 101 in total team defense, giving up 30 or more points five times. In the offseason, Arkansas brought in defensive coordinator Travis Williams from UCF after Barry Odom left to become the head coach at UNLV. In his two years at UCF, the Golden Knights held the No. 71 ranking in total defense, coming in No. 39 in scoring defense and No. 76 in rushing defense.

Since his arrival, Arkansas’ defense has vastly improved, coming in at No. 41 in total defense nationally and No. 21 in rushing defense.

On the defensive line, Arkansas boasts

Week 2 SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week, senior Trajan Jeffcoat, fellow senior Taurean Carter, junior Landon Jackson and sophomore Cameron Ball. Combined, all four account for 41 total tackles and five sacks.

Jackson is also tied for 19th in the country in tackles for loss.

“Jeffcoat can rush up front, [Jackson], the big defensive end, can play up front,” Fisher said. “The inside guys are physical.”

Where the Razorbacks really shine defensively is their linebackers. Despite losing Drew Sanders, an All-SEC selection, and Bumper Pool, Arkansas’ all-time tackles leader, in the offseason, the Razorbacks have not missed a beat filling that void.

Taking over the spots are junior Jaheim Thomas and sophomore Chris Paul Jr. Both rank No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in total tackles on the team, while Thomas leads the team in sacks with 3. Also, Thomas is tied for 11th in the country in total tackles.

“Defensively, [Paul] and [Thomas] can run,

make plays,” Fisher said. “They’re athletic, they’re long.”

In the secondary, senior preseason All-SEC Second Team selection Dwight McGlothern highlights a Razorback defense that comes in with six interceptions on the year.

“We know McGlothern, he’s a preseason all-conference player,” Fisher said. “Long, athletic at corner. Really makes plays.”

In a matchup that has had its fair share of down-to-the-wire finishes, the eighth installment of the Southwest Classic has a chance to follow tradition and offer both Aggies and Razorbacks a game to remember.

“They’re 2-2, we’re 3-1,” Fisher said. “So, it’s the next step we’re going to have to do.

We’re going to have to play a really good football game all the way and we’re going to have to improve on some things to get better, but they’re a good opponent. Sam [Pittman] always has those guys ready to play. He’s a good coach.”

back-to-back kills to even the score at 24.

A service error by Florida freshman outside hitter Kennedy Martin brought A&M back to set point. After a fantastic rally, A&M won the set 26-24 to even the match at 2-2, sending the game to a fifth set.

Early in the fifth set, Florida took a 2-0 lead but A&M battled back to take a 5-4 lead.

Florida then went on a 4-0 run to take a 8-5 lead. A&M went on a quick 3-1 run and a

Lednicky block forced Florida into a timeout with a 9-8 lead.

The set went back-and-forth, but A&M took a late 13-12 lead after a service error by senior setter Elli McKissock. Florida’s Victoria then hit the ball out to bring the Aggies to a 14-12, match point.

A service error by freshman setter Margot Manning gave the Gators another shot, but a kill by Meuth gave the Aggies a 15-13 set win

and a 3-2 match win.

For A&M, this not only marked an upset win over a top-5 team, but it’s the Aggies’ first win in Gainesville. The Maroon and White improved to 2-1 in conference play and handed Florida its first conference loss.

Next for A&M is a home matchup against Missouri. First serve is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1.

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SPORTS

B4

The Battalion | 09.28.23

WEEK 5: STAFF PICKS Texas A&M vs. Arkansas

Brought to you by

Saturday, Sept. 30 at 11 a.m. on SEC Network

Pranay Dhoopar

Zoe May

Video/Graphics Editor @dahooperMedia

Editor-in-Chief @MayZoella

My friend ran over a razorback.

I am already sick of Fish spurs.

ZOE

Luke White

Sports Editor @Lukewhite03

Hunter Mitchell

Asst. Sports Editor @HunterM1001

PRANAY

*Insert overused bacon joke here*

Aggie football to the Max. Prediction record: 3-1

Kylie Stoner

Prediction record:

Prediction record:

3-1

LUKE Megan Williams

HUNTER

Design Editor @meg_atx422

Asst. Sports Editor @Sportsbystoner

I can’t think of anything funny so #gigs.

3-1

Prediction record:

1-3

Prediction record:

KYLIE

3-1

I fed the Arkansas pig a grape and then it died (2 months later).

Prediction record: 3-1

MEGAN Ana Renfroe

News Editor @aeoenia

Remember the “oink doink?”

Prediction record:

3-1

Nico Gutteridge

Asst. News Editor @nico_gjc

ANA

Yawn. Wake me up when Bama’s in town.

NICO

Prediction record:

KYLE

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Kyle Heise

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ANNA

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Kyle is my father, call me Mr. Field.

Prediction record:

Prediction record:

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SPORTS

B5

The Battalion | 09.28.23

AROUND THE SEC A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 5

By Luke White @LukeWhite03

No. 22 Florida @ Kentucky Saturday, Sept. 30 — 11 a.m. on ESPN Kroger Field — Lexington, Kentucky Don’t count out these Gators just yet. After falling to No. 14 Utah 2411 in the season opener, Florida has shown signs of life with a 49-7 win over McNeese State and a 29-16 upset of No. 11 Tennessee.

The Gators’ bounce-back efforts have started on defense, where the Gators have held opponents to 13.5 points per game to tie for third in the conference. Sophomore running back Trevor Etienne spurs the offense with 329 rushing yards, good for third in the SEC, and 6.7 yards per carry.

Meanwhile, Kentucky is off to its third 4-0 start in a row, although it’s had the benefit of taking on non-

conference opponents in Ball State, Eastern Kentucky and Akron, while opening SEC play against Vanderbilt.

The Gators will be the first true challenge to the Wildcats this season, who have integrated NC State quarterback transfer Devin Leary into their offense. He has nine touchdowns and 1,060 passing yards through four games, but five interceptions have limited the offense.

Kentucky boasts a strong defense as well, limiting the opposition to 15.5 points per game. This game could come down to the wire, with Florida’s big-play ability serving as the X-factor.

South Carolina @ No. 21 Tennessee Saturday, Sept. 30 — 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network Neyland Stadium — Knowville, Tennessee At 2-2, South Carolina hasn’t had Gamecocks display a heavy reliance the type of season its fans were ex- on their pass attack. Redshirt senior pecting after last year’s 8-5 showing, quarterback Spencer Rattler has a and the road doesn’t get any easier reliable target in fifth-year wide rewith a trip to Rocky Top this week- ceiver and SEC yards leader Xavier end. As if that wasn’t difficult enough Legette but will feel pressure from on its own, Tennessee will be play- senior defensive lineman Tyler Baron ing with revenge on its mind after with four sacks. South Carolina will last season’s 63-38 shellacking at the have its hands full against a Tennessee hands of the Gamecocks. Tennessee unit allowing 17.3 points per game brings a well-balanced offense into while shoring up its own defense the matchup, with a similar reliance from its 26.5-point average. With on both passing and rushing the a suspect defense South Carolina football. won’t be feeling the same after this Don’t expect that same kind of game as it did last season. balance from South Carolina, as the Prediction:Tennessee 42, South Carolina 24

Prediction: Florida 31, Kentucky 27

No. 12 Alabama @ Mississippi State No. 1 Georgia @ Auburn Saturday, Sept. 30 — 2:30 p.m. on CBS Jordan-Hare Stadium — Auburn, Alabama Auburn’s no-show on offense in last week’s 27-10 loss to Texas A&M doesn’t bode well for its matchup against the SEC’s No. 1 defense in Georgia.The run game has been Auburn’s bread and butter with 197.8 yards per game, but Georgia has toasted opponents on the ground, allowing just 87 yards per contest.

All told, the Bulldogs have held opponents to a mere 11.3 points.The Tigers will need to fight fire with fire and rely on a defense that has given

up only 16 points per game.

With that being said, there’s no easy way to slow down the Bulldogs’ offense, averaging 337.5 yards per game through the air and 159 yards on the ground.When it comes to the run game, eight different players have scored, led by senior running back Daijun Edwards with three of Georgia’s 13 rushing touchdowns. Expect the Bulldogs to roll while keeping the Tigers at bay on the scoreboard.

Prediction: Georgia 38, Auburn 10

Saturday, Sept. 30 — 8 p.m. on ESPN Davis Wade Stadium — Starkville, Mississippi Saturday provides an opportunity fense has remained consistent to alfor Alabama to stabilize its quarter- low only 13.5 points per game. Junior back carousel and for redshirt soph- linebacker Dallas Turner and senior omore Jalen Milroe to stake his claim linebacker Chris Braswell are a force to the position. The Katy native will in the pass rush with five and four have plenty to work with against sacks, respectively. Despite their shift a Mississippi State defense allow- away from the Air Raid offense, the ing 27.3 points per game following Bulldogs don’t shy away from passback-to-back SEC losses. ing the ball with 280 yards through Despite possessing one of the na- the air per game. Senior wide retion’s top linebacker duos in grad- ceiver Lideatrick Griffin ranks fifth uates Nathaniel Watson and Jett in the SEC with 388 receiving yards Johnson, the Bulldogs’ No. 120 pass to average nearly 20 yards per catch. defense needs work, allowing 280 While Mississippi State brings offensive firepower, it will be challenged yards per game.

While Alabama’s offense may be by an effective Alabama defense. uncharacteristic this season, the dePrediction: Alabama 38, Mississippi State 21

Zoe May, Editor-in-Chief Caleb Elizondo, Managing Editor Ana Renfroe, News Editor Nicholas Gutteridge, Asst. News Editor Ishika Samant, Photo Chief Kyle Heise, Asst. Photo Chief Anna Deardorff, Life & Arts Editor Sydnei Miles, Asst. L&A Editor Megan Williams, Design Editor Ruben Hernandez, Special Sections Editor

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