The Falcons beat Tampa Bay 24-21 last night as Devonta Freeman rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown as Atlanta improved to 9-5 on the season heading into its game with the Saints this Sunday. New Orleans can clinch the NFC South this weekend if they win and the Panthers lose to Tampa Bay.

In the NBA tonight, the Pelicans host the Washington Wizards. Both teams have similar records, New Orleans is at 15-and-15. The Pels have been on a patter lately, where they win one and then lose one. They lost their last game, so that means they should win tonight. Tip-off is at 7 PM.

The first college baseball preseason poll of the season is out today. Collegiate Baseball ranks the Tigers 10th after losing to Florida last season in the championship series of the C-W-S. Florida is ranked number one in the preseason poll, Arkansas third, Vanderbil sixth, Kentucky eighth and UL Lafayette comes in at number 18.

In college basketball tonight, LSU hosts Sam Houston State at 7 PM. The Tigers are looking to rebound from a loss to Stephen F Austin. The Bearkats are 6-5 and Head Coach Will Wade says they play great defense.

Also, Northwestern State is at Oklahoma, McNeese hosts Texas College and Southeastern Louisiana is at UL Lafayette. New Cajuns football coach Billy Nappier is expected to address the crowd at the Cajundome tonight. Nappier says he can tell there’s great passion for football in Acadiana and he wants to be a part of it…
Cut 18 (15) “around that”
Napier’s contract is for five years.

And LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron announced today that James Cregg will be the Tigers new offensive line coach after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach in the NFL.

The Saints didn’t get any favors from the Bucs last night, though Tampa Bay put up a decent effort they ended up falling to Atlanta 24-21 during Monday Night Football. The Bucs had a shot at a last second field goal to go to overtime, but missed by inches. New Orleans will host The Dirty Birds on Christmas Eve; and last night’s Falcons victory means Atlanta can still knock the Saints out of the top spot in the NFC South.

Billy Napier is likely on the recruiting trail today after he was introduced as the Ragin Cajuns new head coach yesterday. Napier on what UL Lafayette will look like on the football field…:
Cut 16 (15) “proud of”
The new early signing period for college football begins tomorrow.

On the hardwood last night….ULM destroyed Millsaps 97-44 in Monroe. Travis Munnings had a perfect shooting night and scored 17 points and Michael Ertel added 14 for the Warhawks.

Tulane is still perfect at home after picking up a 76-69 win over in-state rival Nicholls State. The Green Wave is 6-0 on their own court.

In college women’s hoops, Nicholls State fell to No. 6 Baylor 85-43. Louisiana Tech picked up a 78-62 win over McNeese State in Ruston.

Tonight LSU returns to action against Sam Houston in the PMAC. The Tigers are coming off a tough loss to Stephen F Austin and Coach Will Wade says the lineup will look different tonight.

Elsewhere, Northwestern State is at Oklahoma, McNeese State hosts Texas College, and Southeastern travels to face UL-Lafayette.

The Pelicans are back in action tonight as they take on the Wizards in Washington for a 6pm tip-off.

LSU receiver DJ Chark accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Receiver Russell Gage and defensive end Frank Herron accepted invites to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

Despite three turnovers, the Saints still beat the New York jets 31 to 19 to improve to 10-and-4 on the season. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns. But Brees, who also threw an interception, was not happy about the team’s three turnovers….
cut 15 (13) “….distance are self”
The Saints were also just three of 10 on third downs.

Carolina also won yesterday, as they defeated Green Bay 31-24. The Panthers and the Saints are both 10-and-4, tied for first place in the NFC South, with New Orleans owning the tie breaker. Atlanta can move within one game of the division lead, with a win tonight over Tampa Bay.

And other NFL note…the league has suspended Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis for the final two games of the regular season for his illegal hit on Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.

Billy Napier was introduced today as the 26th head football coach in Ragin Cajuns football history. The former offensive coordinator at Arizona State had this message for University of Louisiana fans…
cut 30 (26) “…off the field”
Napier says he will not serve as Arizona State’s offensive coordinator in their appearance in the Sun Bowl.

LSU returned to practice this week as they continue to get ready for the New Year’s Day bowl game against Notre Dame. Arden Key still has yet to participate in a bowl game practice and running back Derius Guice and cornerback Kevin Toliver were abesent too.

The Saints pulled off a 31-19 win over a stubborn New York Jets team on Sunday. Mark Ingram rushed for two touchdowns and had 151 yards from scrimmage. Second-year wide receiver Michael Thomas also had a big game with 9 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. But Coach Sean Payton was not happy with the rest of his offense…:
Cut 13 (08) “better competition”
The Saints scored on their first three possessions, but didn’t score just 14 points the rest of the way. Quarterback Drew Brees on the struggles on offense after a quick start…:
Cut 16 (08) “to it”
Now the Saints can put this one behind them and focus on the biggest game of the year as the hated Atlanta Falcons come to town on Christmas Eve. The Dirty Birds are at Tampa Bay tonight.

Arizona State offensive coordinator Billy Napier has been named the head coach at UL-Lafayette, and will be officially introduced today at noon in the Cajun dome. Before he was at A-S-U, Napier spent several years coaching on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide win national championships in 2011 and 2015.

In college post-season play; On Saturday in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Grambling fell to North Carolina A&T, 21-14. In the New Orleans Bowl, Troy dominated North Texas, 50-30. Wednesday Louisiana Tech plays in the Frisco Bowl versus SMU.

Today in college hoops, ULM hosts Millsaps, and Nicholls State plays down the street at Tulane. That contest will be televised on ESPN3.

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a limited edition bobblehead featuring the NFL rookie, Leonard Fournette, in his LSU uniform. It’s the first bobblehead with Fournette in a purple and gold jersey.

The NFL has fined Saints head coach Sean Payton for 10-thousand dollars for improperly entering the field during last week’s loss to Atlanta. Payton was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the game and Payton said afterwards he was trying to call a timeout.

That was a tough loss against the Falcons. New Orleans can get back in the win column when they host the New York Jets on Sunday. Payton on how the team is trying to bounce back…
cut 18 (17) “…from example”
Kick off is set for noon on CBS.

Arizona State offensive coordinator Billy Napier has been named the new head coach at UL Lafayette. Before he was at A-S-U, Napier spent several years coaching on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide win national championships in 2011 and 2015. Napier will be introduced to Cajun nation at a press conference at noon.

Grambling State goes after its second straight H-B-C-U national championship when they face undefeated North Carolina A-and-T in Saturday’s celebration bowl in Atlanta. Grambling is led by Q-B DeVante Kincade, but he goes up against an A-and-T defense that’s allowed just 12 points a game. Kick-off is at 11 AM.

Troy, who upset the LSU Tigers in 2017, can win its 11th game of the season on Saturday when they face North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. U-N-T is led by the Conference USA offensive player of the year, Mason Fine, who is 5-foot-10. He set school records for passing and touchdowns. Troy’s defense has intercepted 15 passes this year. Kick-off in the Dome is at noon.

In college basketball on Saturday, the Tigers look to extend their winning streak to four games when they host Stephen F Austin. The Lumberjacks are nine and one. Tip-off is at noon.
Louisiana Tech is at Texas. The Bulldogs are coming off a loss to the Ragin Cajuns. UL Lafayette hosts UNO on Saturday night.

Arizona State offensive coordinator Bill Napier will reportedly be the new head coach at UL Lafayette. Napier also coached at Alabama and Clemson assistant. Napier was A-S-U’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this season and the Sun Devils finished with a 7-and-5 record and averaged 31 points a game. He’s 38-years-old.

LSU offensive line coach Jeff Grimes will remain with the Tigers through the bowl game, even though he’s been announced as the new offensive coordinator at BYU. LSU is done with bowl practices and edge rusher Arden Key and inside linebacker Donnie Alexander did not practice.

Grambling State will play North Carolina A-and-T in tomorrow’s Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. Both teams feature outstanding quarterbacks, Devante KIncade for the Tigers and Lamar Raynard for A-and-T. The two have combined for 47 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

On Sunday it’s the Saints versus the Jets. More than likely, New Orleans running back Mark Ingram will cross the one-thousand yard mark in rushing. Quarterback Drew Brees says Ingram is a leader that all players want to rally around…
cut 17 (20) “…more positive”
Fellow Saints running back Alvin Kamara is expected to play this Sunday after suffering a concussion in the loss to the Falcons.

Tonight in the NBA, the Pelicans begin a four-game road trip in Denver. The Nuggets are the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA, while the Pelicans are second in the league in assists.

Tomorrow in college hoops…LSU hosts Stephen F Austin, Louisiana Tech is at Texas and Southeastern Louisiana hosts Grambling.

The 9-and-4 Saints are preparing to host the New York Jets Sunday. New Orleans is in a tie in the NFC South with Carolina after losing last Thursday to Atlanta. Quarterback Drew Brees says the long week has allowed the team to heal and prepare for the final four games of the regular season…:
Cut 16 (11) “some experience”
Saints breakout rookie running back Alvin Kamara said again that he will play on Sunday after suffering a concussion last week. Kick off is set for 12 noon on CBS.

The Jets will be without starting quarterback Josh McCown, who suffered a broken left hand in New York’s shutout loss at Denver last Sunday. But the team says McCown will be coming to New Orleans this weekend, and will serve as a player-coach on the sideline.

The Pelicans travel to Denver to face the Nuggets at 8pm tonight.

It’ll be a busy weekend for the Mercedes Benz Superdome staff, as not only are the Saints playing this weekend, but the R and L Carriers New Orleans Bowl takes place tomorrow with a noon kickoff. Troy, who upset LSU earlier this season 24-21, will take on North Texas in The Big Easy.

LSU will resume practice for the Citrus Bowl on Monday, and once again during Thursday workouts The Tigers were without edge rusher Arden Key who continues to battle injuries. Coach Ed Orgeron says Key is questionable for the New Years Day contest against Notre Dame.

Mississippi State officially announced former UL-Lafayette coach Mark Hudspeth as the Bulldogs’ associate head coach and tight ends coach.

In college hoops last night, Southeastern Louisiana got back to its winning ways with a 106-77 victory over Southern-New Orleans. SLU hosts Grambling tomorrow. McNeese State fell to North Carolina Central, 77-71. The Cowboys are at Pittsburgh tomorrow. Southern defeated Florida A&M 68-50. Also Saturday LSU hosts Stephen F Austin, Louisiana Tech plays at Texas. Nicholls State hosts Culver-Stockton, and UL-Lafayette hosts UNO.

LSU offensive line coach Jeff Grimes has been named as the offensive coordinator at BYU today. Tiger Rag Magazine reports head coach Ed Orgeron has already found a replacement in Los Angeles Chargers offensive line assistant James Cregg. Cregg and Orgeron were on staffs together at Tennessee and USC and Cregg was an assistant when they won Super Bowl 50.

LSU has several draft-eligible juniors who could enter the NFL draft. Cornerback Donte Jackson knows a decision has to be made soon, but right now the focus is on the Fighting Irish…
cut 18 (20) “…Notre Dame”
Kick-off against Notre Dame is at noon on New Year’s Day.

Bruce Feldman with Sports Illustrated reports Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry has emerged as a favorite to become the next head coach of the Ragin Cajuns. Pry guided one of the best defenses in college football this past season. He also served as an assistant at UL Lafayette from 2002 to 2006, helping the Cajuns win a share of the 2005 Sun Belt Championship.

In basketball, the LSU Tigers defeated Houston 80-77 last night. The Bayou Bengals got a big game from Aaron Epps who set career highs with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Head Coach Will Wade on his senior from Ball, Louisiana…
cut 29 (15) “…proud of him”
The Tigers are 6-and-2 and host Stephen F Austin on Saturday.

In the NBA, the Pelicans bounced the Bucks 115 to 108.

Changes are coming to LSU’s coaching staff. Tiger Rag Magazine reports that LSU offensive line coach Jeff Grimes is leaving to become the new offensive coordinator at B-Y-U. But head coach Ed Orgeron has already found his replacement and he is the assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, James Cregg. The Syracuse, New York native was on the Broncos staff when they won Super Bowl 50 and has served on coaching staffs with Orgeron at Tennessee and U-S-C.

LSU starting Q-B Danny Etling is familiar with the Tigers bowl opponent, Notre Dame. Etling grew up in Indiana, attended games in South Bend and also played against Notre Dame, while at Purdue. Etling says it is a little bit ironic his final college game will be against the Golden Domers…
Cut 17 (14) “game plan”

Three of the six Saints players who were injured in New Orleans’ loss to Atlanta were at practice yesterday, including rookie running back Alvin Kamara. Starting left guard Andrus Peat, who missed the Falcons game, practiced on a limited basis. New Orleans hosts the Jets this Sunday.

Nice win last night for the LSU basketball team as they outmuscled Houston 80-77 in the PMAC. Head coach Will Wade…
cut 28 (09) “….in the country”
Senior Aaron Epps from Ball, Louisiana had his best game in a Tiger uniform with 26 points and 16 rebounds. And freshman point guard Tremont Waters had another nice night with 17 ponts, six assists and a blocked shot in the final seconds to secure the victory.

Anthony Davis had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Pelicans overcame 21 turnovers to beat Milwaukee 115 to 108. The Pels visit Denver on Friday.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara was back at practice today. Kamara had a concussion in the loss to the Falcons and said today he plans to play this Sunday against the New York Jets. Left tackle Andrus Peat was also at practice. He missed the Atlanta game with a groin injury. Offensive lineman Senio Kelemete and safety Kenny Vaccaro left the Falcons game because of injuries, but both were back at practice today.

A week from today is the start of the early signing period for college football begins today. LSU head coach Ed Orgeron says over half of their 20 commitments are linemen…
cut 17 (16) “….tremendous job”
A main cog in LSU’s recruiting operation is leaving for Tennessee. Tigers general manager Austin Thomas will serve the same role in Knoxville. He is a Tennessee native and he has spent 4.5 years at LSU.

The LSU men’s basketball team faces a tough test tonight as they host 8-and-1 Houston. The Cougars are allowing just 65 points a game and opponents are shooting just 39-percent. But LSU is third in the nation when it comes to making field goal attempts from inside the three-point line at 63-percent. Tip-off is at 8 PM.

In Last night, the Ragin Cajuns went up to Ruston and beat Louisiana Tech 75-71. That’s five wins in a row for UL Lafayette and second straight win over the Bulldogs. Jordan Harris lay up at the buzzer gave ULM a 59-57 win over Grambling and Central Florida dribbled past Southeastern Louisiana 61-53. The loss ended the Lions four game winning streak.

Three LSU players are listed on Baseball America’s Top 100 college prospects list…sophomore outfielder Zach Watson, sophomore pitcher Zack Hess and junior outfielder Antoine Duplantis. Watson and Hess were freshmen All-Americans last season, while Duplantis was a member of the 2017 College World Series All-Tournament team.