Louisiana Radio Network Sports, I’m Jeanne Burns….
What a night of high school football last night as 13 teams punched their ticket to next week’s Prep Classic in the Ceasars Superdome.

For the first time in 67 years Opelousas will play for a state championship in football as the 12th seeded Tigers upset top seeded North Desoto 28-20.

Cecilia will play for a state title in football for the first time in 28 years as the Bulldogs knocked off Northwest 55-18. Cecilia will play its district rival Opelousas on Friday afternoon.

St. Charles Catholic will play in a state championship game for a fifth consecutive season after beating University High 10 to seven in overtime.

Union Parish knocked off Jena and will play St. James for a state championship. It’s the fourth straight year the Farmers have made it to the Prep Classic.

Haynesville will make its 26th state title appearance after beating Logansport and they’ll play Oak Grove on Thursday night.
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The betting odds have LSU’s Jayden Daniels as the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after last night’s Pac-12 championship game. Washington defeated Oregon 34-31 and Ducks quarterback Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes, but he only threw for 239 yards in a second loss to the Huskies this season. If Nix and the Ducks won, the former Auburn quarterback might have been the favorite to win the Heisman.

Tulane is looking to lock up a second straight American Athletic Conference Championship today as they host S-M-U. A win for the Green Wave and they could find themselves in a New Year’s Six Bowl.

The Ragin Cajuns are reportedly headed to the New Orleans Bowl and will play Jacksonsville State on December 16th. LSU will find out its bowl destination and opponent tomorrow. The Tigers are expected to play in Tampa, possibly against Notre Dame.

The Saints host the Lions on Sunday. Four starters out for New Orleans with injuries and defensive end Cam Jordan is questionable. Kick-off Sunday is at noon.

The Saints will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday and New Orleans can not do what they did last week in a loss to Atlanta and that’s make five trips into the red zone and not score a touchdown. Quarterback Derek Carr says they’ve spent more time on red zone drills this week…
cut 16 (12) “…in house”
New Orleans has only scored 17 touchdowns on 40 trips to the red zone, fourth worst percentage in the NFL. Four Saints players have been ruled out of Sunday’s game…Pete Werner, Rashid Shaheed, Kendre Miller and Marcus Maye. Cameron Jordan and Chris Olave are questionable.

LSU cornerback Laterrence Welch has entered the transfer portal. So has Louisiana Tech running back Charvis Thornton. The Ragin Cajuns will reportedly play Jacksonville State in the New Orleans Bowl on December 16th.

LSU All-American forward Angel Reese scored 19 points and had nine rebounds last night as the 7th-ranked Lady Tigers defeated ninth-ranked Virginia Tech 82-64. After a four-game absence, Reese says she used her time away to reset and refocus. She says LSU legend Shaquille O’Neal was her daily motivator.
Cut 4 (15) “…I am.”
Former LSU star Seimone Augustus has been elected to the Women’s College Basketball Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony Thursday April 27th. Augustus is also going into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in June.

Angel Reese returned from a four-game unexplained absence and scored 19 points as the seventh ranked Lady Tigers defeated ninth ranked Virginia Tech 82-64 in a rematch of last year’s national semi-final game. It was win number 700 for Coach Kim Mulkey. Mulkey is glad to have her All-American back…
cut 5 (12) “….she’s comfortable’
Reese says she used the time away to reset and refocus and credits former LSU star Shaquille O’ Neal for providing her with advice.

The Pelicans host San Antonio tonight. Trey Murphy is expected to make his season debut. He injured his knee in September.

The Ragin Cajuns will reportedly play Jacksonville State in the New Orleans Bowl on December 16th.

The Saints are getting ready to the face the 8-and-3 Detroit Lions on Sunday. Detroit has one of the better rushing offenses in the NFL as they average 4.6 yards a carry. New Orleans safety Tyrann Mathieu on Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs…
Cut 18 (21) “…last weekend.”

There will be excitement on 16 high school football fields as the semifinals are tonight. North DeSoto hosts Opelousas in an intriguing matchup in Division two non-select. Sports Scouting Report Podcast host Lee Brecheen says Opelousas is in the semi-finals for the first time since 1994…
cut 14 (12) “….move”

The seventh ranked LSU women’s basketball team got off to a slow start last night, as All-American Angel Reese returned from a four-game unexplained absence, but once the shots started falling, the Lady Tigers rolled past ninth ranked Virginia Tech 82 to 64. It was win number 700 for Coach Kim Mulkey and it was a successful return for Reese who had 19 points and nine rebounds. It was Reese’s first game since November 14th. During her time away, she spoke with LSU legend Shaquille O’ Neal every day…
cut 20 (14) “….I am”
LSU is now 8-and-1 and they’ll take a break for final exams.

Kobe Julien scored 29 points but the Ragin Cajuns still lost at Samford 88 to 65.

LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels has won the 2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement.

Louisiana Tech’s starting offensive tackles from this past season, Carson Bruno and Dakota White say they are entering the transfer portal.

In recruiting news…University High four-star linebacker Keylan Moses committed to LSU last night on his 17th birthday. The 2025 recruit is six-foot-three, 215 pounds and plans to stay home after also considering offers from Texas and Florida.

University High visits St. Charles Catholic in a Division Three select playoff game tonight. The other semi-final game in that bracket is Newman at Calvary Baptist. Louisiana Football Magazine Publisher Lee Brecheen says the Cavaliers will be tough to beat…
cut 15 (12) “…much speed”

The Pelicans host San Antonio tonight. Trey Murphy is expected to make his season debut. He injured his knee in September.

The Saints are gearing up for a big home game this Sunday against the Detroit Lions. New Orleans is 5-and-6, while the Lions are 8-and-3. Safety Tyrann Mathieu says this is a good measuring stick game for the Black and Gold…
cut 17 (19) “…going forward”
Kick-off is at noon.

LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels has won the 2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement.

Louisiana Tech’s starting offensive tackles from this past season, Carson Bruno and Dakota White says they will entering the transfer portal, which opens on Monday.

Big game at the PMAC tonight as the seventh ranked LSU women’s basketball team hosts ninth ranked Virginia Tech. All-American forward Angel Reese returns after a four-game unexplained absence, but sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith is done for the rest of the season after injuring her knee in a game last week. Smith is a six-foot-two post player and Coach Kim Mulkey says she’ll be missed…
cut 28 (18) “:….thus far”
Smith is averaging 12 points and eight rebounds a game this season. LSU could use Smith against Va Tech. Six-foot-six Elizabeth Kitley is averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds a game for the Hokies. Tip-off is at 8 PM.

Also tonight the Ragin Cajuns are at Samford, last night New Mexico beat Louisiana Tech 74-65.

The Pelicans took advantage of no Joel Emblid last night as New Orleans dribbled past the 76ers 124 to 114. Zion Williamson scored 33 points and he was 11 of 12 from the field. He also went 11 of 12 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds and six assists. The Pels are now 10-9 on the season.

Angel Reese returns to the court tonight after a four game absence as the seventh ranked Lady Tigers host ninth ranked Virginia Tech. Coach Kim Mulkey says Reese is happy to be back and the team is happy to have her back, but still no explanation on why Reese was away from the team….
cut 17 (17) “….to me”
Junior Guard Kateri Poole remains away from the team and sophomore Sa’Myah Smith will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Tip off is at 8 PM.

Four starters for the Saints did not practice yesterday….receiver Rashid Shaheed, defensive end Cam Jordan, safety Marcus Maye and linebacker Pete Werner. Running back Kendre Miller who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury also did not practice. Leading receiver Chris Olave practiced on a limited basis after leaving the Atlanta game with a concussion. New Orleans hosts the Lions this Sunday.

LSU graduate Blaine McCorkle has been named the new head football coach at Northwestern State. He was a long snapper for the Tigers in the late 1990s and played on three bowl teams. McCorkle who turned around a losing program at Division three Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi, says he’s wanted to be a Division one head coach in Louisiana for 30 years now…
Cut 14 (14) “…football games.”
Northwestern State has not had a winning season since 2008

All-American forward Angel Reese is back with the 7th ranked Lady Tigers just in time for Thursday night’s matchup against 9th ranked Virginia Tech, a rematch of last year’s national semifinal game won by LSU. Reese has missed the last four games for an undisclosed reason and Coach Kim Mulkey says Angel is back and everyone is happy…
Cut 16 (10) “..the country”
But Junior guard Kateri Poole is still not back and Mulkey left it at that. Poole has also missed the last four games. Also, sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith will miss the rest of the season after tearing her A-C-L and M-C-L in last Friday’s win over Niagara. She was off to a good start, averaging 12 points and eight rebounds a game this season.

CJ McCollum makes his return to the Pelicans tonight after suffering a collapsed lung. McCollum missed the last 12 games and New Orleans had a five and seven record without him. The Pels host the 76ers tonight at 7 PM.

47-year-old Blane McCorkle was introduced as the new head football coach of the Northwestern State Demons. He takes over a program that ended its season prematurely after the fatal shooting of safety Ronnie Caldwell. McCorkle understands the situation he walks into…
cut 19 (19) “…at Natchitoches”
McCorkle has been the head coach at Belhaven the last six seasons. That program had not won more than three games in a season since 2013 and this past year he led the Blazers to their first ever Division 3 playoff berth.

Saints returned to practice today to get ready for Sunday’s game against the Lions. Four starters were not at practice, Rashid Shaheed, Came Jordan, Marcus Maye and Pete Werner.

After two seasons, Hue Jackson is out as the head coach of Grambling State. Jackson went 3-and-8 in his first season at Grambling and then 5-and-6 this season. Grambling Athletics Director Trayvean Scott says he decided to make a move after a couple of sleepless nights following the loss to Southern in the Bayou Classic…
Cut 19 (18) “…moving forward”
Co-offensive coordinator John Simon has been elevated to interim head coach.

Northwestern State introduces 47-year-old Blaine McCorkle as its new head football coach today. He turned around a losing program at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. He just led the Blazers to their first ever Division Three playoff berth.

Action Network college football reporter and Heisman Trophy Voter, Brett McMurphy knows that his job this year is not about comparing Oregon and LSU as teams, but Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels as individual players and the accomplishments they have achieved this year. McMurphy says while Conference Championships are important, players’ statistical data is much more influential to the vote.
Cut 16 (23) “..anybody else.”
Nix has a chance to add to his Heisman Trophy resume when the Ducks play Washington in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday night.

The Saints have added kicker Austin Siebert to their practice squad. Seibert has appeared in 31 games with the Browns, Bengals, Lions and Jets.

The LSU men’s basketball team lost its 13th straight road game last night as they got off to a slow start in the second half and lost to Syracuse 80-57. The McNeese Cowboys went on the road and easily defeated UAB 81-60 as Shahada Wells had 36 points. ULM rallied back from an 18-point first half deficit to beat Northwestern State 74-70.

New college football playoff rankings were released last night, Georgia is number one followed by Michigan, Washington, Florida State and Oregon. Oregon plays Washington in the Pac-12 Title game on Friday Night and Brett McMurphy with the Action Network says an average performance by Ducks quarterback Bo Nix will help Jayden Daniels’ Heisman chances…
cut 17 (18) “….benefit Jayden”

Three days after losing to Southern in the Bayou Classic, Grambling has made a change, firing football coach Hue Jackson after just two seasons. Jackson was 8-and-14 in those two seasons, but failed to beat Southern in his two chances in the Bayou Classic. Grambling athletics director Trayvean Scott on what’s he’s looking for in a new head coach…
cut 20 (20) “…that’s significant”
Scott hopes to name a new head coach in the next seven to ten days.

Northwestern State has named Blaine McCorkle as its new head football coach. McCorkle has been the head coach at Belhaven the last six seasons. It’s a division three school in Jackson, Mississippi and before McCorkle arrived, the Blazers only won two games and this past season they won nine games and the program’s first berth in the Division 3 playoffs.

After a bad loss on the road to Atlanta, the hot seat is getting warmer for Saints Coach Dennis Allen. New Orleans is 5-and-6 on the season and fans are expecting more and they would like to see more emotion from Allen, especially after the team plays poorly…
cut 16 (20) “…sense of urgency’
The Saints have a tough game coming up this Sunday in the Ceasars Superdome. They’ll host the Detroit Lions. The Lions lead the NFC North with an 8-and-3 record and they are looking to rebound from a Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay.

The Pelicans lost for a second straight game in Utah as they fell to the Jazz last night 114 to 112. Tonight, LSU is at Syracuse. U-L Lafayette men’s hoops defeated Loyola of New Orleans 78-54.

ULM Athletics Director John Hartwell is searching for a new head football coach after firing Terry Bowden following a two and ten campaign. Hartwell says after watching the Warhawks lose to the Ragin Cajuns on Saturday, he decided a culture change is needed…
cut 18 (18) “…to lose”

Nicholls athletics director Jonathan Terrell is hoping no team will ever have to experience what they did following their loss to Southern Illinois in the FCS playoffs. They were stranded at a small airport for 22 hours before returning to Thibodaux…
cut 6 (10) “…for us’
The team arrived back on campus Sunday night just before 9:30.