11:40 LRN Sportscast August 31

Saints Coach Sean Payton says they plan to spend the next month away from New Orleans. They are currently in Dallas and could practice at either SMU or TCU. The home opener is September 12th and Payton says that game will likely be played at the Cowboys home stadium.

Meanwhile, today is cut down day, the Saints have to reduce their roster to 53 active players. Payton says this is not the ideal situation to tell players they didn’t make the team…
cut 18 (24) “….care of everyone”
The Saints have reportedly cut veteran running back Devonta Freeman.

The LSU football team is in Houston getting ready for its season opener against UCLA. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron told a Baton Rouge station that cornerbacks Derek Stingley and Eli Ricks have both returned to practice after missing much of camp with injuries.

ULM Coach Terry Bowden has named Rhett Rodriguez as the team’s starting quarterback for the season opener against Kentucky.

Instead of hosting second-ranked Oklahoma, Tulane will play the Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma, because of Hurricane Ida damage. Southeastern Louisiana’s season opener against North Alabama has been moved from Hammond to Florence Alabama.

The preseason high school football polls are out, here are the ranked teams, Calvary Baptist, Lafayette Christian, De La Salle, Edna Karr and Acadiana. But it could be weeks before New Orleans area schools can play a game.