Tampa Bay lead the Saints, 20-7 at the end of three quarters but couldn’t hold on as the Black & Gold scored 16 in the fourth to eke out a 23-20 win in their last game of the season. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 281 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions as the Saints finish their disappointing season at 7-9.

Now, many Black & Gold faithful wonder what happens next. NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says the salary cap will play a big role for next year’s Saints team. He says, first, several veterans will be asked to rework their contract to save money under the cap. Then, Detillier says, the team needs to go to the “Bank of Brees”…

Cut 16 (09) “room, cap-wise”

He says the team should focus on getting a center and cornerback through free agency and work to get a big time pass rusher through the draft.

The Carolina Panthers will represent the NFC South in the playoffs this year. Carolina crushed the Atlanta Falcons 34-3 to win the division championship.

Louisiana Tech trounced the University of Illinois 35-18 in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Senior quarterback Cody Sokol threw for 247 yards and one touchdown and sophomore defensive back Xavier Woods brought an interception back 69 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs win their first bowl game since the 2008 Independence Bowl.

In Saturday’s Duck Commander Independence Bowl in Shreveport, the South Carolina Gamecocks held of the University of Miami Hurricanes, 24-21. This is South Carolina’s fourth straight bowl game win.

Tomorrow night, number 22 LSU faces off with Notre Dame in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville.

In college basketball, the 17th ranked St. Johns Red Storm defeated Tulane 82-57 and Arkansas held off Northwestern State 100-92.

Tonight LSU hosts Southern Miss, you can watch that game on the SEC Network, Southern is in Honolulu to take on Hawaii, and Louisiana Tech takes on the Muleriders of Southern Arkansas.