In the high school football playoffs last night, the game of the night took place in Ruston as the 8th seeded Bearcats in Class Five-A defeated Alexandria 61-60 in double overtime. Ruston advances to play West Monroe in the quarterfinals.

Also in Five-A, third-seeded Acadiana rallied to beat Denham Springs 38-37. The Wreckin Rams advance to play defending champ Zachary in the quarterfinals. The Broncos rolled past Andrew Robison and the Hahnville Tigers 41-20.

And in 3-A Sterlington defeated Church Point 57-56 in overtime. Sterlington faces district rival Union Parish in the quarterfinals.

The LSU football team should have an easy time of it tonight as they host 1-and-10 Rice. The Tigers are a 44-point favorite.

And former coach Les Miles is reportedly moving closer to finalizing a deal with Kansas to become the next head coach of the Jayhawks.

ULM looks to stay in sole possession of first place today as the Warhawks visit Arkansas State. ULM has won four in a row, but they’ve lost eight straight to the Red Wolves.

The Ragin Cajuns can become bowl eligible with a win over South Alabama.

Louisiana Tech is at Southern Miss. The Bulldogs have lost lost three straight to the Golden Eagles.

McNeese closes out its season with a home game against Lamar.

The Saints host the defending champion Eagles tomorrow in the Superdome. Terron Armstead and Marcus Davenport have both been ruled out for this game. For the Eagles no Jalen Mills or Darren Sproles and starting right tackle Lane Johnson is questionable with a knee injury. Philadelphia arrives in New Orleans as a desperate team as they are just 4-and-5 on the season.

Last night in hoops, 22nd ranked LSU rallied to beat Louisiana 74-67 and Anthony Davis had 43 points in a come from behind win over the Knicks.

LSU and Les Miles have reached an agreement which will result in the former Tigers coach receiving a one-point-five million lump sum payment. MIles, who was fired four games into the 201 season, was set to receive 6.5 million dollars as part of his buyout, so LSU is saving five million dollars. Athletic Director Joe Alleva said it was time for both sides to move forward. There’s speculation Miles could be the next head coach at Kansas.

LSU will honor 18 seniors on Saturday night as the Fighting Tigers host Rice in the final game in Tiger Stadium this season. Senior tight end Foster Moreau has mixed emotions, as he’s loved his time at LSU, but at the same time he’s looking forward to this game….
Cut 13 (14) “…very respectful.”
Kick-off is at 6:30.

For the first time since 2005 and only the second time in school history, Nicholls won a Southland Conference championship in football with a resounding 44-0 win in the River Bell Classic. Freshmen Julien Gums led a strong rushing attack with 121 yards and two touchdowns. The victory gives the Colonels an automatic berth in the FCS playoffs.

Also last night, Northwestern State won the annual battle for chief Caddo as the Demons downed Stephen F Austin. The Demons finish the year 5-6.
And Houston trounced Tulane 48-17 to end the Green Wave’s three-game winning streak.
Marcus Davenport and Terron Armstead were the only two Saints who didn’t practice yesterday as the team gets ready for Sunday’s game against Philadelphia. Jermon Bushrod will likely start for Armstead and Drew Brees has faith Bushrod can get the job done…
cut 16 (11) “…ready to go”
Kick-off is at 3:25 on Sunday.

The Eagles bring a 4-5 record into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday. It’s been a struggle for the defending Super Bowl champs as they are having a hard time trying to find that magic they had a season ago. But Quarterback Carson Wentz is having a good season as he’s averaging over 300 yards passing per game. Coach Sean Payton says Wentz is hard to bring down….
cut 19 (19) “…the league’
The Eagles also recently traded for Golden Tate. He caught two passes last week in his first game with the Eagles as he appeared in 19 snaps.

The Pelicans three-game winning streak ended last night as New Orleans lost to Minnesota 107-100. New Orleans was not able to overcome a 21-point deficit, despite 31 points from E’Twaun Moore.

Nicholls can claim a share of the Southland title tonight with a win over Southeastern Louisiana in the River Bell Classic. The Colonels would also receive an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs. But the Lions have won six of the last seven games in this series. Kick-off is at 6 PM on C-S-T.

Northwestern State wraps up its season against Stephen F Austin. The Demons upset McNeese last week and can finish the year with a 5-6 record under first-year head coach Brad Laird.

And Tulane can become bowl eligible with a win tonight versus Houston. The Green Wave have won three in a row since naming former LSU Tiger Justin McMillan as their starting quarterback.

LSU’s Grant Delpit has been named a Bronko Nagurski finalist, which goes to the nation’s top defensive player in the country. Delpit leads the S-E-C with five interceptions and passes defensed with 11. He’s also the team’s third leading tackler.

And Louisiana Tech’s Kierra Anthony set a school record last night with 50 points in a game as the Lady Techsters beat Houston 100-88 in O-T.

A struggling Eagles team comes to the Superdome Sunday to take on the Saints. Philly has been battling a Super Bowl hang over, but tight end Zach Ertz remains one of the game’s best offensive weapons. Coach Sean Payton says Ertz reminds him of former Saints receiver Lance Moore, because he knows how to get open
Cut 18 (13) “natural receiver”
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall practiced with the Saints for the first time yesterday. The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Black and Gold on Monday.

The Pelicans got another big offensive night from E’Twaun Moore as he scored 31 points last night, but New Orleans three-game winning streak ended in Minnesota last night. The Timberwolves had a 21-point lead in the third quarter and ended up winning 107-100. The Pels are 7-7 on the year.

Nicholls State can clinch a berth in the F-C-S playoffs tonight with a win over Southeastern Louisiana. The Colonels enter the contest with a 6-2 conference mark and Coach Tim Rebowe is hoping for a special night at John L. Guidry Stadium…
Cut 16 (18) “…for our guys.”
The F-C-S playoff pairings will be released Sunday. Nicholls received an at-large berth last year, but this season they want to receive an automatic bid.

Northwestern State is looking to end the season on a two-game winning streak as they visit Stephen F Austin tonight. The Demons haven’t won there since 2008.

Tulane can reach bowl eligiblity tonight for the first time since 2013 as the Green Wave vistis Houston. Tulane has won three straight since former LSU quarterback Justin McMillan took over as the starter.

A struggling Eagles team comes to the Superdome Sunday to take on the Saints. Philly has been battling a Super Bowl hang over, but tight end Zach Ertz remains one of the game’s best offensive weapons. Coach Sean Payton says Ertz reminds him of former Saints receiver Lance Moore, because he knows how to get open
Cut 18 (13) “natural receiver”
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall practiced with the Saints for the first time yesterday. The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Black and Gold on Monday.

LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says back-up cornerback Kelvin Joseph is questionable for Saturday’s game at Rice.

The Pelicans three-game winning streak ended last night as New Orleans fell to Minnesota 107-100. The Wolves scored 69 points in the first half.

Nicholls State can secure a share of the Southland Conference Championship and an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs tonight with a win over Southeastern Louisiana in the River Bell Classic. The Colonels have won three in a row and head coach Tim Rebowe says the keys tonight will be to win the turnover battle and not give up the big play….
cut 17 (12) “…big run”
Southeastern Louisiana is more rested as they haven’t played in 12 days and the Lions are coming off a 23-6 win over McNeese. Kick-off is at 6.

Also tonight, Northwestern State and Stephen F Austin will battle for Chief Caddo in Nacodoches, Texas.

Tulane can become bowl eligible if they can beat the 7-and-3 Houston Cougars.

Last night in college basketball, on the women’s side Louisiana Tech’s Kierra Anthony of New Iberia scored a school record 50 points as the Lady Techsters beat Houston in overtime 100-88.

Five-star running back John Emery of Destrehan has made the decision to play college football in his home state and attend LSU once he graduates high school. The addition of Emery to the 2019 recruiting class moves LSU to fifth in the 24-7 sports team rankings. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says the class is loaded with the state’s top players…
Cut 5 (12) “…Trey Palmer.”
The early signing period in college football is December 19th to the 21st.

The Saints are getting ready to host the defending champs. It’s been a struggle for the Philadelphia Eagles, who have been hit with injuries, especially in the defensive secondary. Saints tackle Terron Armstead will reportedly miss the next three to four weeks because of a pectoral injury.

Louisiana Tech will bring a 7-3 record to Hattiesburg for Saturday’s game against Southern Miss. Coach Skip Holtz says he’s proud that his team has learned how to win football games, even if they have yet to fully click on offense…
cut 19 (20) “…for success”
The Golden Eagles have won the last three games in the series.

Southeastern Louisiana will look to beat Nicholls for a third consecutive time tomorrow night. A victory for the Colonels and they will claim a share of the Southland Conference championship and receive an automatic berth into the F-C-S Playoffs.

Tulane is at Houston tomorrow. If the Green Wave win, they are bowl eligible.

And tonight in Minnesota, it’s the Pelicans versus the Timberwolves. New Orleans has won three in a row.

One of the nation’s top running backs has been added to LSU’s 2019 recruiting class. Destrehan’s John Emery has given his verbal commitment to Coach Ed Orgeron. He’s a five-star running back, who was previously committed to Georgia, but de-committed after the Tigers beat the Bulldogs last month. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran says this is a big get for LSU…
cut 4 (10) “…gave up”
The addition of Emery to the 2019 recruiting class moves LSU to fifth in the 24-7 sports team rankings.

And Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead will reportedly miss the next three to four weeks because of a pectoral injury. Amstead left during the first half of New Orleans lopsided win over Cincinnati. Veteran Jermon Bushrod will likely get the start Sunday against the 4-and-5 Eagles.

For the 50th time, Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss will meet on the gridiron as the two Conference USA schools meet in Hattiesburg on Saturday at 2:30. The Golden Eagles have won the last three matchups in this series and Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz says they have to get ready for an explosive passing game…
Cut 17 (20) “high level”

The football weekend in Louisiana gets underway tomorrow as Nicholls will host Southeastern Louisiana in the River Bell Classic at 6 PM. A win for the Colonels and they win a share of the Southland Conference title and an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs.

In college hoops, LSU beat Memphis 85-76, La Tech over Harding 89-59, BYU beat Northwestern State 82-57 and Nicholls knocked off Idaho 83-80.

Big LSU recruiting news as five-star running back John Emery announces he has committed to the Fighting Tigers. 24-7 sports rates Emery as the number two running back in the country. He was originally committed to Georrgia, but de-committed 12 days after watching LSU beat the Bulldogs in Tiger Stadium.

LSU’s current senior running back Nick Brossette has received some criticism from fans and gamblers for not trying to score a touchdown late in the game against Arkansas. He slid down to the ground twice, but once LSU got near the goal line, he tried to score. Brossette says that’s what Coach Ed Orgeron told him to do…
cut 15 (04) “…yea”
Even though LSU won by just point seven points over Arkansas, they remain ranked seventh in this week’s college football playoff rankings which were released last night.

The Saints are back at practice today as they will host the defending champs. The Eagles are going through a Super Bowl hangover as they are just 4-and-5. Injuries, especially in the secondary have been a problem.

Louisiana Tech is at Southern Miss on Saturday. Golden Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins has nine touchdown catches and quarterback Jack Abraham has thrown for over 2,000 yards. Coach Skip Holtz says Abraham is smart and knows where to go with the football…
Cut 18 (12) “spread quarterback”
Tech is coming off a 28-13 win over Rice. They are 7-3 with two more regular season games left.

In college hoops, LSU had five players in double figures as the Tigers defeated Memphis 85-76. Skylar Mays had 19 points including monstrous dunk over Memphis’ Mike Parks Junior. The Tigers are 3-0.

The Saints lead the NFL in scoring at 37 points a game and they have scored on 66-percent of their possessions. But Coach Sean Payton sees where they can get better….
cut 18 (20) “…haven’t been good”
When Payton spoke with reporters, he did not provide an update on left tackle Terron Armstead, who who left in the second quarter on Sunday, because of a shoulder injury. An injury report will be released tomorrow.

The 22nd ranked LSU men’s basketball team hosts Memphis tonight. Memphis is coached by Penny Hardaway and they like to press. Memphis won their season opener over Tennessee Tech and Will Wade’s team is 2-0. His three starting guards, Tremont Waters, Skylar Mays and Ja’vonte Smart have combined to average 36.5 points and 10 assists a game.

LSU is a huge favorite to beat Rice on Saturday as the Owls have just one win on the season. Could we see sophomore quarterback Myles Brennan get some snaps? Coach Ed Orgeron says Brennan has been battling a minor injury which kept him from playing earlier, but the coach is pleased with his back-up Q-B’s development…
Cut 20 (16) “…healthier.”
Orgeron says they may simplify things on offense this week. The Tigers haven’t done much on that side of the football since the huge win over Georgia.

The Pelicans had a huge win last night as New Orleans beat Toronto 126 to 110. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 20 rebounds. E’Twaun Moore had 30 points and Jrue Holiday has 29 points and a game-high 14 assists. New Orleans visits the Jimmy Buterless Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night.

Since LSU’s upset win over Georgia, the Tigers offense hasn’t looked good, failing to reach 360 total yards in their last three games. Coach Ed Orgeron believes they have lost their identity and the coaching staff is searching for a way to get the offense back on track…
Cut 19 (15) “…it maybe.”
LSU is a huge favorite to beat Rice on Saturday as the Owls have just one win on the season.

Last night in college hoops, Texas topped ULM 65-55. Tonight, 22nd ranked LSU hosts Memphis. Tigers freshman Naz Reid is off to a good start as he’s averaging 23 points after two games.

Also Louisiana Tech hosts Harding, Southeastern Louisiana visits Texas Tech, Northwestern State is at BYU and Nicholls faces Idaho.

Saints Coach Payton admits to breaking a fire alarm that wouldn’t stop ringing in their locker room at Paul Brown Stadium before Sunday’s 51- 14 victory over Cincinnati. Payton says he didn’t do it out of disrespect…
Cut 16 (14) “…to stop.”
Payton says he’ll pay for the repair costs.

Last night in the NFL, the Giants beat the 49ers 27-23 as Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes, two of them went to Odell Beckham Junior.

Big win for the Pelicans last night as they defeated Toronto 126 to 110 to snap a five-game raod losing streak. It was only the second loss of the season for the Raptors. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 20 rebounds, E’Twaun Moore had 30 points, Jrue Holiday added 29 points and had a season-high 14 assists. New Orleans is at Minnesota on Wednesday.