More playoff heartbreak for the Saints. For the third consecutive year, New Orleans’ season ended on the final play as Minnesota defeated the Black and Gold 26-20 in overtime. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 208 yards and a touchdown, but he was also intercepted once and lost a fumble for the first time this year. The 40-year-old Brees says it was a hard-fought game, but it hurts to come up short…
cut 13 (07) “…disappointing”
Brees is in the final year of his contract and could be a free agent in March.

Now Louisiana sports fans can turn their attention to the national championship game a week from tonight. Sophomore Tigers linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson has played very well down the stretch and is likely getting ready to play in his final game in purple and gold..
cut 18 (27) “…special”
The U-L Ragin Cajuns will take on Miami of Ohio tonight at 6:30 PM in the Lending Tree Bowl at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. 20 seniors, including Kevin Dotson, Jacques Boudreaux and Ja’Marcus Bradley are playing their final game for the Cajuns. Coach Billy Napier says they will be missed…
cut 17 (23) “….than that”
Napier also says he’s not a candidate for the head coaching vacancy at Mississippi State.

In college basketball, After winning their 10th straight SEC road game on Saturday over Tennessee. LSU has two home games this week. The Tigers will host Arkansas on Wednesday and Mississippi State on Saturday.

Tonight, ULM is at Coastal Carolina and the Cajuns are at Appalachian State.

The Vikings will try to pull off the upset on Sunday in the Superdome when they face the Saints. Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer knows New Orleans will look to bring the pressure on defense…
cut 19 (30) man to man ”
Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas and safeties Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams practiced fully yesterday after they were limited on Wednesday.

Former Saints linebacker Sam Mills is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and legendary Saints player Steve Gleason will receive his Congressional Gold Medal on January 15th.

LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a full-go at practice yesterday after a hamstring injury limited him in the Peach Bowl. A healthy Edwards-Helaire will only help an offense that leads the nation in scoring, averaging 49 points per game. Quarterback Joe Burrow on why it’s so difficult to defend the Tigers…
cut 17 (23) “….the rest”

Mississippi State has fired head football coach Joe Moorhead after just two seasons. Ragin Cajuns Coach Billy Napier’s name has come up as a potential replacement. Napier just agreed to a two-year contract extension with U-L Lafayette that extends his deal through the 2025 season. Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz’s name has also been mentioned in media reports.

The Vikings will try to pull off the upset on Sunday in the Superdome when they face the Saints. Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer knows New Orleans will look to bring the pressure on defense…
cut 19 (30)  man to man ”
Former Dome Patrol Member Sam Mills is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s already in the Saints Hall of Fame and in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Former LSU Tiger Alan Faneca is a finalist for the fourth year in a row.

LSU returned to the practice field yesterday for the first time since its record-breaking performance in the Peach Bowl against Oklahoma. Justin Jefferson had 14 catches for 227 yards and four touchdowns in that contest. Quarterback Joe Burrow says Jefferson had something to prove…
cut 18 (09) “….he did it”
Coach Ed Orgeron said running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire practiced without limitations yesterday.

Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson participated in his first full practice since knee surgery, but it’s unknown when he’ll play in a game. New Orleans visits the Lakers tonight.

Last night in college hoops…the Cajuns lost to South Alabama 60-57, ULM topped Troy 79-63 as Tyree White had 19 points.

In the Southland, all of the Louisiana schools lost except Nicholls who beat Incarnate Word 76-60. Dexter McClanahan had 21 points for the Colonels.

The Saints continued their preparations today to host the 10-and-6 Minnesota Vikings in Sunday’s N-F-L Wildcard playoff game. The Vikings are 10-and-6 and have one of the best defenses in the league. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees says it starts with Minnesota’s fierce pass rush which has resulted in 48 sacks…
cut 18 (19) “…close attention”
Out of the four NFL Wildcard playoff games this weekend, the Saints are the biggest favorite. New Orleans is an eight-point favorite over the Vikings, but oddsmaker consultant Scott Cooley says he could see that line come down before Sunday’s noon kickoff…
Cut 12 (06) “…we’ll see.”

Former Ragin Cajuns athletics director David Walker has passed away. The 1976 graduate of the school took over as A-D on an interim basis right before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and was named permanent A-D in 2007 and retired from the position in 2010. The voice of the Ragin Cajuns Jay Walker says David Walker was an effective fundraiser and hired some good coaches at the end of his tenure…
cut 8 (10) “….New Orleans Bowls”
Current Cajuns football coach Billy Napier has agreed to a two-year contract extension that extends his deal through 2025.

LSU has received a verbal pledge from the nation’s number one linebacker in the class of 2021. California native Raesjon Davis announced his commitment to LSU on Twitter.

And Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson participated in his first full practice today since knee surgery, but no timetable on when he’ll play in a game.

The Saints meet the Vikings on Sunday in a rematch of the Minneapolis Miracle. Stefon Diggs last second touchdown catch in the divisional round playoff game two years ago is a painful memory for Who Dat Nation. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees says revenge is not on their minds…
cut 17 (20) “…well coached”
Kick-off Sunday is at noon.

LSU returns to the practice field today after using the New Year’s holiday as a break. The Ragin Cajuns leave today for Mobile where they’ll meet Miami of Ohio in the Lending Tree Bowl. Coach Billy Napier has received a two-year contract extension that takes him through the 2025 season.

Northwestern State University has established a scholarship in memory of sports reporter and alumna Carley McCord, who was tragically killed in a plane crash along with four others last Saturday. McCord worked in the recruiting office while she attended NSU and McCord family friend Danielle Cobb says she made a big impression on prospective students.
Cut 14 (06) “…campus tours.”
To make a donation to the McCord Memorial Scholarship visit northwestern-state-alumni-dot-com forward-slash donations.

CEO of ticket reseller Gametime Blake Griffith says the average ticket prices for the national championship game are 23-hundred dollars. If dropping a stack or two to watch the Tigers national title game seems a bit too rich, Griffith says cheering for the Saints this Sunday might be more reasonable.
Cut 9 (05) “the Vikings game.”

After back-to-back years of heartbreaking losses in the playoffs, the Saints believe they are mentally tough enough to win three postseason games this year to reach the Super Bowl in Miami. Quarterback Drew Brees says putting those disappointing playoff losses behind and getting back to the postseason says a lot about this team…
Cut 16 (19) …all of us”

After losing in last year’s Sugar Bowl, Georgia returned to the Superdome last night and beat Baylor 26 to 14. Minnesota beat Auburn 31-24, and Alabama defeated Michigan 35-16. Tide Q-B Tua Tagolivoa will announce on Monday if he’ll return for his senior season.

Northwestern State University has established a scholarship in memory of sports-journalist and alumna Carley McCord, who was tragically killed in a plane crash along with four others last Saturday. McCord family friend Danielle Cobb says Carley always made an impression wherever she went.
Cut 13 (12) “…to do”
To make a donation go to Northwestern State-alumni-dot-com-slash-donations.

Former U-L Lafayette athletics director David Walker has passed away. He guided the university from 2005 to 2010, securing a two-million-dollar donation from Cox Communications, hiring current basketball coach Bob Marlin and firing Rickey Bustle, which led to the hiring of Mark Hudspeth as the football coach.

And the NBA is mourning the death of former commissioner David Stern. Stern was vital in bringing and keeping NBA basketball in New Orleans.

The N-F-L Network reports that if Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale gets a job as a head coach, his top choice as offensive coordinator is LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady. But LSU Coach Ed Orgeron remains confident Brady will stay in Baton Rouge once a new contract is finalized…
Cut 6 (10) “…LSU”
Orgeron also says senior linebacker Michael Divinity will play in the National Championship game against Clemson.

La Tech basketball had an impressive win last night to open up Conference USA play. The Bulldogs slammed Southern Miss 80 to 49. De Quan Bracey had 17 points. Kaleb Ledoux had 15 points off the bench and hit three-three points. Tech faces Southern Miss again on Saturday in Ruston.

Instead of winning two games, the Saints will have to win three to get to the Super Bowl in Miami. Who Dat nation is disappointed their team did not get a first-round bye, but Coach Sean Payton is excited about their match-up on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings…
Cut 16 (18) …for Sunday”
The Saints return to the practice field tomorrow.

National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg says they hope to release a preliminary report in two weeks on last Saturday’s fatal plane crash that killed sports reporter Carley McCord, but the investigation will last much longer than that…
cut 15 (10) “…we need”
The N-T-S-B has video of the crash and they ask for anyone with audio of the plane as it was going down to come forward.

The Saints are off today, but tomorrow the players will return and get to work on getting ready for Sunday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. After giving up 48 points in a loss to San Francisco on December 8th, the Saints have allowed just 45 points in their last three games. Linebacker A-J Klein says there’s still room for improvement…
cut 18 (20) all right”
Minnesota is 16th in the N-F-L in total offense and eighth in scoring, putting up 25 points a game. They rank sixth in rushing offense and led by third-year running back Dalvin Cook who rushed for 11-hundred yards and 13 touchdowns, but missed the last two games because of a shoulder injury.

LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron said today that senior linebacker Michael Divinity will play in the national championship game against Clemson. Divinity has been suspended for half of the season, missing seven games for violating team rules. He joins a defense that’s playing great football. On Saturday the Tigers held Oklahoma to 97 yards rushing.

Louisiana Tech is reportedly losing both of its offensive and defensive coordinators. Yahoo Sports reporter Pete Thamel reports defensive coordinator Bob Diaco is heading to Purdue for the same job, while Todd Fitch will serve as the new offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.

Louisiana Tech shot 46-percent from three-point land as the Bulldogs routed Southern Miss 80-49 in last night’s Conference USA opener in Hattiesburg. The Dunkin Dogs forced 17 turnovers and turned them into 26 points. The 31-point victory was the largest CUSA road win for Tech. The Bulldogs will face Southern Miss again on Saturday in Ruston.

After three consecutive 7-and-9 seasons, the Saints are preparing to play in a playoff game for a third consecutive year. Coach Sean Payton says this year’s squad dealt with more adversity…
cut 17 (19) “…would be the comparison”
The Saints will host the 10-and-6 Vikings at noon on Sunday. New Orleans is an eight-point favorite. For the Vikings to have a chance, they will need a healthy Dalvin Cook. The running back has been out with a shoulder injury.

The N-F-L Network reports that if Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale gets a job as a head coach, his top choice as offensive coordinator is LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady.

Yahoo Sports National College Football reporter Pete Thamel is reporting Louisiana Tech will lose its offensive and defensive coordinators. Thamel tweets that offensive coordinator Todd Fitch is finalizing a deal to be next O-C at Vanderbilt. And Tech D-C Bob Diaco is heading to Purdue. The Bulldogs had the second-best red zone defense in the country.

Louisiana Tech basketball opened Conference USA play last night with an 80-49 victory over Southern Miss. It’s the Bulldogs biggest win over the Golden Eagles since 1972 and it’s the biggest Conference USA road win in program history. DaQuan Bracey had 17 points.

The Pelicans have won four in a row and Brandon Ingram has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week. During the win streak, Ingram averaged 25 points a game. Also, Lonzo Ball is now getting credit for a triple-double in Sunday’s win over Houston. Ball was credited with two more assists than what the box score originally showed.

Despite a 13-and-3 record, the Saints will not have a bye in the playoffs. Because Green Bay and San Francisco both won yesterday, New Orleans will host Minnesota on Sunday in the wild card round. After yesterday’s 42-10 win over Carolina, Coach Sean Payton says they are not sweating it…
cut 28 (09) “…home game”
The Saints host the Vikings on Sunday, if they win, New Orleans will visit Green Bay on Sunday, January 12th at 5:40 PM.

The Pelicans won their fourth straight last night as New Orleans shot down the Rockets 127 to 111. Lonzo Ball nearly had a triple-double, 27 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Brandon Ingram also had 27 points and today he was named Western Conference Player of the Week as he’s averaging 25 points a game during this four-game winning streak. New Orleans will visit the Lakers on Friday.

LSU will face Clemson on January 13th in New Orleans in the National Championship game. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says it’s another matchup between two great offenses…
cut 15 (09) “…the ball”
N-F-L-dot-com reports that LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady is up for an offensive coordinator position in the N-F-L. Ian Rapoport says Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale is a potential head coaching candidate and if he’s hired as a head coach, Brady is Martindale’s top choice to be his offensive coordinator.

LSU basketball finished off 2019 with a 74-57 victory over Liberty, who came into Baton Rouge with a perfect 14-0 record. The win for the Tigers snaps a two-game losing streak. Darius Days had 14 points.

The Cajuns lost their fifth straight falling to U-C Santa Barbara, 85-77. U-L Lafayette will host South Alabama on Thursday.