LSU is looking forward to getting another chance at Florida State. The Tigers played poorly for three quarters last season in the loss to the Seminoles, before LSU Quarterback Jaydn Daniels led LSU on a furious fourth quarter comeback. Daniels says he’s watched that game a lot and realizes they left out of plays on the field. He’s ready for what F-S-U will bring this year…
cut 17 (23) “…after you”

The Saints signed 16 players to their practice squad and that includes linebacker Jaylon Smith and wide receivers Jontre Kirklin and Shaq Davis.

Louisiana Tech got the win against Florida International in week zero, but now Coach Sonny Cumbie and the Bulldogs have turned their attention to a trip to Dallas to play SMU on Saturday.
Cut 19 (20) “…the football.”
SMU’s Quarterback is Preston Stone. He was a four-star recruit out of Dallas. Only played in three games in 2021, and made one start last season against Tulsa and was 11 of 17 for 219 yards and one touchdown.

There is a college football game tonight in Thibodaux as Nicholls hosts Sacramento State. The Hornets are ranked in the top ten in the FCS after going 12-and-1 last season. Nicholls is looking to bounce back from a 3-and-8 campaign last year. Kick-off is at 6 PM.

The Saints made a whole bunch of moves yesterday as they had to get their roster down to 53 players by 3 PM. New Orleans traded kicker Wil Lutz to the Broncos, waived punter Blake Gillikin and released cornerback Bradley Roby and linebacker Jaylon Smith. Coach Dennis Allen says even though they are at 53 players right now, the roster is far from set…
cut 15 (15) “…throughout the league”
Linebacker Jaylon Smith could be one guy that does return to the team.

New Orleans will go with Blake Grupe as its field goal kicker. Lutz will re-join Sean Payton in Denver after missing a career-high eight field goals last season. Also, Lou Hedley will handle punting duties. Both Grupe and Hedley are undrafted rookie free agents.

Special teams was a problem for LSU last season as they struggled handling punts and kicks. The Tigers had two blocked kicks last year against Florida State. But Coach Brian Kelly says they should be better this season with Aaron Anderson returning punts and Anderson and Kaleb Jackson returning kicks…
Cut 18 (24) “…influence games”

The Southland Conference has announced Lake Charles will continue to host the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments through 2029. The games will be played at McNeese’s Legacy Center. Southeastern Louisiana will host the Southland baseball and softball tournaments in 2024.

We are five days away from 5th-ranked LSU kicking off the season against eighth-ranked Florida State in Orlando. The Seminoles held on for a 24-23 victory last year in the Superdome. Tigers Coach Brian Kelly says he has a better team this year…

Cut 16 (10) “…and execute.”

At this time last year, Kelly had trouble identifying who will start on his offensive line. He says that’s not the case this year…
cut 28 (28) “…moving forward”

The Ragin Cajuns are gearing up to face Northwestern State on Saturday night. The game has been pushed back one hour to 7:30 because of the heat. Coach Michael Desormeaux believes he has a good team on his hands, but you never really know until you play another opponent…
cut 20 (20) “…as a team”
The Demons are coming off a 4-and-7 season and they have a new quarterback, Idaho State transfer Tyler Vander Waal.

Louisiana Tech receiver Smoke Harris has been named Conference USA player of the Week. He caught a career-high 11 passes in Tech’s come from behind win over F-I-U. Tech is at SMU this Saturday.

Today is cut down day in the NFL, the Browns have released former LSU kicker Cade York. Who will the Saints go with at kicker….Will Lutz or Blake Grupe?

The Saints closed out the preseason with a 17-13 loss to Houston. Derek Carr and most of the starters did not play. Quarterback Jameis Winston started and was 11 of 16 for 93 yards and a touchdown. He connected with tight end Jimmy Graham on a 25 yard pass and a three-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. But third-string QB threw two interceptions and finished with a quarterback rating of 36. Coach Dennis Allen wanted to finish the preseason with a win…
cut 24 (13) “…contested catches”
The Saints pass rush looked good last night. NIko Lalos, Isaiah Foskey and Malcolm Roach each had a sack. Roach also forced a fumble. The kicking compeition remains tight as Will Lutz tried to hold off rookie free agent Blake Grupe. Grupe made a 38 and 50 yarder last night, but missed from 60. The Saints need to trim the roster down from 90 to 53 by Tuesday afternoon.

Louisiana Tech kicked off the 2023 season with a 22-17 come-from-behind win over Conference USA rival FIU on Saturday night inside Joe Aillet Stadium. Tech trailed by as much as 14 points on two different occasions in the first half, but the Bulldogs ended up scoring 19 unanswered to go 1-and-0 on the season. Coach Sonny Cumbie says it was a great gut check victory…
Cut 17 (20) “…football team”
Tech has now won nine straight home openers and will be on the road this Saturday to face SMU.

Game week has arrived for the fifth ranked LSU Tigers who will battle eighth ranked Florida State Sunday night in Orlando. Tiger Rag Editor Todd Horne says LSU’s offense is primed for a big season, with fifth-year senior Jayden Daniels at quarterback, playing behind an experienced o-line…
cut 20 (12) “….right now”

Gameday has arrived for the Louisiana Tech football team as they will battle Conference USA Rival F-I-U at 8 PM in a game that will be seen on the C-B-S Sports Network. Coach Sonny Cumbie is ready to improve on last season’s three and nine mark…
cut 20 (20) “…going”
Quarterback Hank Bachmeier will make his Louisiana Tech debut and expect him to get the ball to Smoke Harris and Cyrus Allen. Harris has scored 19 touchdowns during his career at Tech.

On the defensive side of the ball…Jim Thorpe Award Watch list selection Willie Roberts will be one of the leaders of the season. He had four interceptions last season and the Bulldogs leading tackler from last season, Hugh Davis is also back.

The Saints conclude the preseason tomorrow night in the Superdome as they host the Houston Texans. Coach Dennis Allen has liked what he’s seen from his squad in the preseason…
cut 28 (13) “…our team”
Derek Carr and several Saints starters will not play in this preseason finale. Houston is expected to play the number two overall pick in this year’s draft, quarterback C-J Stroud. The Texans are the only team in the NFL that has yet to name a starting quarterback for week one.

According to Yahoo Sports, LSU football coach Brian Kelly tried multiple ways to make sure defensive tackle Maason Smith was eligible for the Tigers game against Florida State on September 3rd. One scenario was to play Grambling State, their opponent on September 9th, during week zero, which means the game would have been played today. Smith is suspended for the season opener for participating in an autograph session before NIL went into effect. Multiple appeals were denied.

The Saints are mourning the death of former defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell. He was in charge of those great Dome Patrol defenses in the 1980s and 90s. He helped develop one of the greatest linebacker units in NFL history with Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills and Vaughn Johnson. Sidwell died Wednesday night at the age of 78. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2004.

Many Saints fans are wondering if second-year head coach Dennis Allen can lead the Black and Gold to the playoffs. Linebacker Demario Davis likes what he’s seen from Allen so far this season…
cut 19 (17) “…undisclosed”
Davis says Allen is like fine wine, just keeps getting better with time.

Tomorrow is Game Day for Louisiana Tech as they kick off the 2023 season against Conference USA rival FIU. The Bulldogs won three games last season and finished second to last in total defense in Conference USA. Second-year coach Sonny Cumbie is looking forward to better play from his defense this year..
cut 18 (14) “…look for”

Louisiana Tech was set to unveil the A-L Williams Champions Plaza tonight, but the school says one of the six statues has not arrived yet. The Plaza will honor La Tech legends Terry Bradshaw, Fred Dean, Karl Malone, Kim Mulkey, Willie Roaf and Teresa Weatherspoon.

U-L Lafayette has agreed to contract extensions with men’s basketball coach Bob Marlin and softball coach Gerry Glasco. Both coaches led their teams to Sun Belt tournament championships last season.

LSU will reportedly not have one of its top defensive lineman for the season opener against Florida State on September 3rd. Sources say the NCAA is suspending defensive tackle Maason Smith for the season opener, because he received an improper benefit, before college athletes could take advantage of N-I-L. Mekhi Wingo, Jacobian Guillory and West Virginia transfer Jordan Jefferson will be your primary defensive tackles against the Seminoles.

Damian Ramos is expected to be LSU’s place kicker this season after he made 10 of 14 field goal tries last year. Ramos made all of his kicks in last Saturday’s scrimmage, including a 47-yarder….
Cut 20 (18) “…mid-season prime,”

The Saints will continue preparations today for Sunday’s final preseason game against the Houston Texans. In the offseason, Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach signed a one-year deal. The Baton Rouge native is entering his fourth season and believes he’s a versatile piece for the Saints defense.
Cut 18 (22) “…a little while.”
Roach is coming off his best season as he had 26 tackles and a sack. He says he’s down to 290 pounds this year and believes that will improve his effectiveness.

The LSU women’s basketball team released its non-conference schedule and they will go on the road to play Southeastern Louisiana on November 17th. And they will host Virginia Tech on November 30th in a rematch of last year’s national semifinal game.

LSU started two freshmen at left and right tackle last season and could start another freshman at one of the tackle positions again this season. Five-star prospect Lance Heard took snaps with the first team at right tackle during last Saturday’s scrimmage. Coach Brian Kelly says Heard dominated at Neville High School last season, but now he’s getting tested every day at practice…
Cut 18 (22) “…the mix”
Last year Will Campbell as a freshman started at left tackle and rookie Emery Jones started at right tackle. If Heard gets in the starting line-up, Jones would line up at right guard.

After missing Saturday’s scrimmage, Kelly says running backs Josh Williams, Logan Diggs and Armoni Goodwin all practiced yesterday.

Saints Coach Dennis Allen says tight end Jimmy Graham is expected to return to practice soon after suffering a medical episode that resulted in police in the Los Angeles area arresting him after he wandered into traffic on Friday night. The team’s training staff says Graham likely suffered a seizure.

After starting 29 games at Boise State in four seasons, Louisiana Tech quarterback Hank Bachmeier is expected to make his first start this Saturday for the Bulldogs when they kick off the regular season against F-I-U. Bachmeier says he wants to take what the defense gives him…
cut 17 (19) “…my mentality”
Last season, FIU beat Tech in double overtime.

In LSU baseball news…Shreveport’s Hayden Travinski will wear the coveted number eight jersey in 2024.

The high school football season starts next week and the format for the playoffs is unclear after a Baton Rouge judge ruled in favor of nine schools in central and north Louisiana who sued the LHSAA over its revised definition of a select school. Last year the LHSAA updated its definition of a select school and that resulted in dozens of schools considered public competing against private schools in football, basketball, baseball and softball postseason play. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the playoff format used last year until a full trial can take place.

The Saints return to practice today as they get ready for their final preseason game on Sunday night against the Houston Texans.

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins has been named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press. Defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo and wide receiver Malik Nabers are second-team selections.

The LSU baseball team has set its fall roster as the Tigers look to repeat as national champions. They have to rebuild a pitching staff that no longer has Paul Skenes, Ty Floyd, and Riley Cooper. But Coach Jay Johnson says next year’s staff will be loaded with left-handed pitchers…
cut 18 (19) “….left-handed”
And those left-handed pitchers are Kade Anderson from St. Paul’s High School, Jake Brown from Sulphur and Cameron Johnson, who new pitching coach Nate Yeskie says looks major league pitcher Ardolis Chapman. Johnson is six-foot-five, 240 pounds. LSU also added left-handed pitcher Gage Jump, a transfer from UCLA who did not pitch last season due to injury.

Despite a tropical storm and a 5.1 earthquake in southern California 90 minutes before kickoff, the Saints and Chargers still played their preseason game last night and New Orleans came out on top, winning 22-17. The Black and Gold scored just one touchdown and that was set up by Payton Turner’s sack of Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, who also coughed up the football. Coach Dennis Allen says the third year defensive end is finally showing off what he can do…
cut 20 (19) “…plays today”
Rookie quarterback Jake Haener also had a good performance. He was 11 of 17 for 118 yards and Niko Lalos had three sacks. The Saints final preseason game is Sunday against the Houston Texans.

It’s game week for Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs will kick off year two of the Sonny Cumbie era by hosting Florida International on Saturday in a week zero matchup. Cumbie signed 19 transfers in the offseason and likes the experience he has among his starters…
cut 17 (15) “…..tempering that”

LSU completed preseason camp with a scrimmage on Saturday. Freshman running back Kaleb Jackson had two touchdowns and cornerback Zy Alexander caused a fumble and recovered it.

A court hearing in Baton Rouge takes place today over the LHSAA’s playoff format for football, basketball, baseball and softball. A group of schools Rapides Parish and the Monroe area are upset the LHSAA executive committee reduced the number of playoff brackets and moved a bunch of schools from non-select to select. Attorney Brian Blackwell…
cut 4 (06) “…to vote”