Stress reduction is a topic Megan Hedwall is ready to not be stressed out talking about.  Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns are prepping for the Rice Owls to hit the 40 Acres on Saturday.  Also, headlines from Florida today: a gunman kills three in an apparent racially-motivated shooting; and a tropical storm is forecast to hit Florida's Gulf coast later in the week.

Vanderbilt is the first SEC football team to kick it off in 2023.  VandySports.com insider Sea Bass breaks down the Clark Lea-coached Commodores, as Hawaii surfs in to Nashville for a game Saturday night. Paul Hare has the latest Southern financial and insurance happenings.  Also, we discuss Thursday night's booking and mug shot of Donald Trump at the Fulton County (Georgia) Jail.

Vivek Ramaswamy is a highlight of Wednesday's Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee.  We have audio of the political newcomer's exchange on-stage with Mike Pence and Ron DeSantis.  Lane Kiffin and the Mississippi Rebels are today's featured college football preview. Plus, the Sweet Tea & Southern Pickin's Festival (in McKenzie, Tennessee) is among the fun events happening around the South this weekend.

UPS workers agree to a big raise, one that customers will certainly feel.  The Oklahoma Sooners aim to make their last season in the Big 12 a memorable one, as Brent Venables wants to improve upon his 6-7 football record from his debut season as head coach. Also, tasty Tennessee roasted peanuts and a savory summer peach barbecue sauce is on our palette.

Lyndon B. Johnson and Joe Biden have similarities as the election cycle heats up for 2024.  Will Biden follow Johnson's lead and ultimately decline to run?  "The Toccopola Storyteller" Jerry Short shares his thoughts on the 1968–2024 comparison. The Clemson Tigers are today's college football feature.  Also, Dolly Parton teams with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney on the Beatles' classic, "Let It Be."

Mental health is an important topic across the region, and Dakota Harmon stops by to offer insight.  We discuss the disaffiliation fight going on within the United Methodist Church. Southern-bytes.com serves up a tasty dill pickle recipe. Plus, a preview of Texas A&M football and the traditions of Aggieland.

Samford University aims to win back-to-back Southern Conference titles on the gridiron in 2023.  We preview the Bulldogs' FCS season, hear from head coach Chris Hatcher, and learn about the traditions on the Homewood, Alabama, campus. Ronnie McDowell's "The King Is Gone" made its debut weeks after Elvis Presley's 1977 death. Plus, Paul Hare shares the week's financial happenings.

Luke Combs announces a major stadium tour for 2024, with stops in Jacksonville and Houston.  The Georgia Bulldogs aim to become the first college football team to have a three-peat national championship since Minnesota did it in the 1930s. Head coach Kirby Smart talks about his No. 1 Dawgs.  Plus, a glimpse of the weekend's fun festivals across the South.

Cargo pants, wearing pink, and mullets are making a comeback.  Megan Hedwall reports on items from the past suddenly becoming the hot items of 2023. Head coach Willie Fritz previews his preseason No. 24 Tulane Green Wave football team.  We also hear all about TU's "Hullabaloo" tradition.  Plus, WalletHub.com's ranking of the best states to live in. 

Jerry Short, "The Toccopola Storyteller," takes a slap across the face from host Jon Rawl – all in an effort to display his toughness and past history of getting in scores of fist fights. Zach Arnett will guide the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team in 2023.  We preview State's season; heck, we've even got cowbells playing for y'all. Plus, Nashville novelist Ann Patchett describes her newest top-selling read, "Tom Lake: A Novel."