LSU will kick off the season at Clemson, which means a high-stakes matchup between top quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier and Kade Klubnik. Tiger linebacker Whit Weeks says he lives for this kind of big-time game, and he has confidence in Nussmeier.

Cut 16 (18) “…good team.”

The Tigers will take the field in Clemson August 30 at 6:30

Texas quarterback Arch Manning stole the show in Atlanta yesterday. Manning says he and Nussmeier grew close rooming together at the Manning Passing Academy.

Cut 22 (08) “…over there.”

Louisiana Tech and the Sun Belt will hold a press conference this afternoon to discuss the Bulldogs’ return. KNOE-TV Sports Director Aaron Dietrich says Tech has a history of overlooking its in-state rivals.

Cut 5 (14) “…Sun Belt Conference.”

ULM and UL-Lafayette were two of the Bulldogs’ biggest advocates. Dietrich says those officials have moved on, and the new guard is ready to move past old grudges.

LSU received a commitment from Kansas right-handed pitcher Cooper Moore. Moore recorded a 3.96 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 88 and two-thirds innings last year. The Tigers also landed Oregon State infielder Trent Caraway and Grand Canyon first baseman Zach Yorke yesterday.

The Pelicans suffered their third straight Summer League loss to the Trailblazers last night 93-87. Guard Antonio Reeves led the team with 18 points, followed by rookie Derik Queen’s 17 points and 10 boards.

LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton represented the Tigers at SEC Media Days yesterday. Hilton has been plagued by injuries at LSU, but projects to be the Tigers’ top wideout this season. He missed the first seven games of last season and totaled only nine receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Hilton has always been a big play threat, but quarterback Garrett Nussmeier says he’s improved as he’s gotten healthier.

Cut 14 (11) “…season last year.”

Hilton arrived in Baton Rouge the same year as Nussmeier and says he’s seen his quarterback grow off the field.

Cut 18 (13) “…work in.”

LSU center fielder Chris Stanfield announced he’ll be returning for his senior season in Baton Rouge after going undrafted. The Auburn transfer hit .298 with 31 RBI this year.

Former LSU star and Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start for the National League in back-to-back years in tonight’s MLB All-Star game. Skenes is posting a 2.01 ERA with 131 strikeouts through 121 innings for Pittsburgh this season. First pitch is set for 7:00.

LSU Gymnastics star Haleigh Bryant will return to the Tigers as an assistant coach on the 2026 staff, the team announced today. Bryant is one of the most decorated athletes in LSU and N-C-Double-A history. She is a 33-time All-American and led LSU to its first-ever team NCAA title in 2024, earning the individual All-Around title along the way.

Louisiana Tech officially accepted the invitation to the Sun Belt today. The Sun Belt Board of Directors voted unanimously to invite the Bulldogs to the conference as soon as 2026 but no later than 2027. LA Tech will owe at least a $5 million exit fee to leave Conference USA.

Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and Texas will take the stage at SEC Football Media Days today. Yesterday, Garrett Nussmeier spoke about the expectations for his second year as a starter. He’s the nation’s only returning 4,000-yard passer, but with a year’s worth of film to review, he’s been looking for ways to improve. The gunslinger threw 12 interceptions last year and says he can take better care of the football.

Cut 17 (17)  “…different outcome.”

When it was all said and done, nine tigers were taken in the MLB Draft. Pitcher Zac Cowan announced he will be returning for his senior season in Baton Rouge after going undrafted. The same goes for infielder Tanner Reaves. Center Fielder Chris Stanfield went undrafted but has made no indication whether or not he’ll return for a final season in Baton Rouge.

Tulane right-hander Michael Lombardi was selected 61st overall by the Royals Sunday. Green Wave lefty Tayler Montiel was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 12th round, and infielder Connor Rasmussen went to the Royals in the 15th.

Southeastern catcher Conner O’Neal was picked by the Dodgers in the ninth round, and right-hander Brennan Stuprich went to the Yankees in the 14th.

Louisiana Tech righty reliever Logan Forsythe was picked in the 13th round by the Braves. Forsythe led the Bulldogs with 71 strikeouts and becomes coach Lane Burrough’s 13th drafted player.

Southern outfielder Cardell Thibodeaux was selected by the Padres in the 16th round. Thibodeaux was the SWAC Player of the Year this season and had recently entered the transfer portal.

The Saints released a teaser for what appears to be a new jersey set to be released July 22. New Orleans announced a new white alternate helmet to go with the color rush jersey last week. The teaser video shows defensive end Cam Jordan opening a glowing gold duffel bag with the throwback thin black fleur-de-lis which was used until the 2000s on the side.  Jordan has been a vocal advocate for the return of the 2002 gold jerseys. The new threads will replace the current throwback alternate.

LSU football coach Brian Kelly kicked off SEC Media Days in Atlanta this morning. LSU brought in 18 veterans in the top-ranked transfer class this offseason. Kelly expects the class to bolster a defensive unit he acknowledged was improved last season, but not championship level. He says defensive coordinator Blake Baker is elite, and his players should be as well.

Cut 4 (14) “…level defense.”

Louisiana Tech was officially invited to the Sun Belt this morning. Locked On Sun Belt Podcast Host Dave Schultz says the Bulldogs need to reinvest the money it will save from regional rivalries to compete in one of the top mid-major conferences.

Cut 14 (12) “…the Sun Belt is.”

LSU ace Kade Anderson was selected 3^rd by the Mariners in the first round of the MLB Draft. Anderson says Seattle was the only team to visit him in Louisiana, and he had a great visit with Assistant General Manager Andy McKay…

Cut 20 (22) “…like a dream.”

Right-hander Chase Shores went to the Angels with the 47th pick. The Red Sox grabbed a pair of Tigers righties in juniors Anthony Eyanson 87th overall and Jacob Meyers at pick 268. D-H Ethan Frey was selected 95th by the Astros, and the Brewers used pick 185 to grab infielder Daniel Dickinson in the sixth round. First baseman Jared Jones will be joining former teammate Paul Skenes after being picked 263rd by the Pirates.

LSU football coach Brian Kelly opened SEC Media Days this morning. Kelly highlighted a revamped roster he says is built to compete for championships. For the Tigers, that path will begin in Clemson week one.

Cut 21 (07) “…one and oh.”

Kelly is 0-and-3 in season openers with LSU. The Tigers have lost their last five straight.

He expects quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to improve in year two.

Cut 22 (10) “…with that.”

Southern University defensive end Ckelby Givens was named the preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Givens leads the nation in tackles for loss with 26-and-a-half and ranked eighth last season in sacks.

LSU lefty Kade Anderson went third overall to the Mariners in the first round of the MLB Draft yesterday. The 21-year-old was expected to be the top pick to the Nationals, who instead selected high school shortstop Eli Willits.  Anderson celebrated the moment with his family in Madisonville.

Cut 19 (10) “…grateful for.”

Right-handed pitcher Chase Shores was also selected 47^th overall by the Angels. Righty Anthony Eyanson went to the Red Sox with pick 87, and D-H Ethan Frey was selected by the Astros with the 95^th pick.

Louisiana Tech is returning to the Sun Belt after conference leaders voted to officially invite the Bulldogs this morning. Tech was previously art of the league from 1991 to 2001 before departing for the WAC. The earliest LA Tech can make the move is 2026, the same year Texas State departs for the PAC-12. The Bulldogs will have to pay the five-million-dollar buyout from Conference USA.

LSU’s proposed new arena project is facing yet another delay after the CEO of the firm, who was the sole finalist to build the facility, was indicted for allegedly rigging the bid process for a similar project at UT Austin. Tiger Rag Executive Editor Todd Horne says there’s a lot of unknown.

Cut 12 (11) “…right now reeling.”

The LSU football team added two more front office members. The Tigers hired Ohio State Director of Player Personnel Sam Petitto to be the team’s Director of Scouting and Personnel Strategy. The Amite-native spent nearly a decade under Nick Saban at Alabama, where he annually helped orchestrate top recruiting classes. New Orleans native Jeff Martin is returning to LSU as the Executive Director of Player Personnel after serving as USC’s Director of Scouting and relations.

ESPN analyst Kiley McDaniel is still mocking LSU ace Kade Anderson to go first overall in the MLB draft. Anderson’s pitching partner, right-hander Anthony Eyanson, is another top-50 prospect. The UC San Diego transfer’s stock skyrocketed after a dominant season in Baton Rouge, and D1 Baseball analyst Aaron Fitt says it might not be done rising.

Cut 15 (13) “…in Omaha.”

McDaniel projected Eyanson to go 42nd overall to the Rays.

LSU commit Raegan Ricken pulled his name from the MLB Draft. The 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher is ESPN’s 121st-ranked prospect in the draft and Perfect Game’s 69th-ranked high schooler in the class.

Louisiana Tech announced its Conference USA basketball schedule. The Bulldogs will open league play at home December 29 versus UTEP, and close the season with back-to-back road games at Liberty March 5 and Delaware March 7.

LSU baseball commit Raegan Ricken will make it to campus. The 6-foot-5 right-hander out of California pulled his name from this weekend’s MLB Draft. Perfect Game ranks Ricken as the No. 69 high school prospect, and ESPN has him 121st among all draft-eligible players.

One Tiger who certainly will be heading to pro ball is pitcher Kade Anderson. After a season where he led the nation in strikeouts and earned Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series, D1 Baseball analyst Aaron Fitt expects him to go first overall. He says Anderson is already the best college pitcher.

Cut 14 (13) “…even harder.”

United Airlines is adding two new flights to the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport for LSU fans this season. The airline will fly direct to Birmingham November 7 ahead of the Tigers’ matchup with Alabama and to Benton, Arkansas November 14 when the team faces off against the Razorbacks. Flights will depart the Friday before the games and return Sunday.

The Pelicans signed lockdown defender Her Jones to a three-year, 68-million-dollar contract extension. The 26-year-old is now under contract for five years with a player option in 2029.

New Orleans lost their Summer League Debut to the Timberwolves yesterday 98-to-91. First-round duo Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen had 14 and 13 points, but both rookies posted seven turnovers in 27 minutes.

LSU has the 6th-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to On3, after landing a pair of defensive line commits yesterday. U High five-star and top-ranked athlete Lamar Brown announced his commitment in a heated recruiting battle versus Texas A&M. Three-star edge rusher DeAnthony Lafayette chose the Tigers over Miami and Oklahoma.

Five-star University Lab lineman Lamar Brown announced his commitment to LSU on ESPN2 today. With his Cubs teammates behind him in front of a packed U High gym, ESPN’s top overall recruit put on the purple LSU cap and revealed a gold Tigers baseball jersey.

Cut 9 (11)  “…(applause) go Tigers.”

Brown is the third five-star commit in a 2026 class On3 now ranks the sixth in the nation. He joins top overall wide receiver and fellow top ten recruit Tristen Keys.

LSU also landed a commitment from three-star edge rusher and outside linebacker DeAnthony Lafayette today. The Orlando product chose the Tigers over Oklahoma and Miami.

The Tigers missed out on four-star edge rusher Jamarion Carlton, who announced his commitment to Baylor today. Carlton chose the Bears over LSU, Texas and Texas Tech.

The MLB Draft kicks off Sunday and LSU left-hander Kade Anderson hopes his name is the first one called. An elite lefty with a four-pitch mix, many view Anderson as the safest option at number one overall. D1 Baseball analyst Aaron Fitt thinks Anderson is already the best pitcher in college baseball and may not be done improving.

Cut 18 (18) “…an All-Star.”

Right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Chase Shores will likely also hear their names called Sunday. Fitt says Shores, who will likely go near the third round, has the talent to improve to a top pick next season if he returns to LSU.

Louisiana Tech legend and three-time WNBA Champ Cheryl Ford has returned to the game as the girls’ basketball coach at Arcadia High School. Ford will lead a Lady Hornets team coming off back-to-back state championship appearances.

The Pelicans will tip off the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas at 2:30 against the Timberwolves. Former LSU center William Baker and McNeese forward Christian Shumate are both on the Pels Summer League Roster. Shumate played four years in Lake Charles, and now the Chicago native has another opportunity in the Bayou State.

Cut 17 (19)  “…back here.”

Also making the trip to Vegas will be former LSU guard Cam Carter with the Spurs and Louisiana Tech center Kenneth Lofton Jr. with the Celtics. Former LA Tech teammates Isaiah Crawford and Daniel Batcho will share the hardwood again as they suit up for the Kings’ summer league squad.

The CEO of one of the finalists to build LSU’s new arena has been indicted in a federal case for bid-rigging a similar project at UT Austin. Oak View Group was able to subcontract its competitors and submit the sole qualified bid to build Texas’s Moody Center, which LSU officials have named as the inspiration for a new arena.

Former LSU star D-J LeMahieu is headed for a change of scenery. The Yankees designated the two-time batting champ for assignment. LeMahieu turns 37 on Sunday and is batting .266 this season.

The MLB Draft begins Sunday in Atlanta, and several national championship-winning Tigers will come off the board. Lefty ace Kade Anderson has been mocked first overall and ranks as the number one prospect on ESPN and second on MLB.com. Right-hander Anthony Eyanson could go towards the end of the first round, ranked 45th on ESPN and 40th by MLB.  Both rank flamethrower Chase Shores towards the end of day one selections. Infielders Daniel Dickinson and Jared Jones and D-H Ethan Frey all project to be early day two picks.

Five-star U-High lineman Lamar Brown is scheduled to make his commitment tomorrow. Zach Nagy of SI on LSU says it’s a fierce battle between LSU and Texas A&M for the number one recruit in Louisiana.

Cut 8 (14) “…and he knows it.”

The Saints unveiled the franchise’s first-ever white helmet today. The alternate helmet will be worn with the team’s color rush jersey this season and features an old gold fleur-de-lis and facemask that matches the jersey.

The Pelicans announced their group opponents for the Emirates NBA Cup. New Orleans will face the Lakers, Clippers, Grizzlies and Mavericks once each in West Group B.

LSU also received a commitment from three-star Haynesville safety Isaiah Washington. Washington has led the Golden Hurricane to back-to-back state championship appearances at quarterback. Haynesville coach David Franklin says there was an opening at QB his freshman year.

Cut 17 (19) “…leader now.”

Minden High School right-handed pitcher Landon Brewer announced his commitment to Louisiana Tech.

Locked On Sun Belt Podcast Host Dave Schultz reports that momentum has shifted to Louisiana Tech’s favor to join the Sun Belt. He says the West has always been behind the Bulldogs, and some votes might have shifted in the East to get the ball rolling. He says whether or not Tech has all the necessary votes, as of right now, the Bulldogs are the only school under serious consideration.