The Saints face their hated rival tonight, the Atlanta Falcons, in a Thursday night matchup inside the Mercedes Benz Superdome. Atlanta is favorite to win this game as they’ve been explosive on offense, while the Saints can’t stop opposing offenses. New Orleans running back CJ Spiller says Atlanta’s defense is also playing well under first-year head coach Dan Quinn…
cut 30 (14) “…division game”
And heading into tonight’s game, Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network is reporting Saints head coach Sean Payton is open to fielding offers from other teams. Rapoport says Payton will receive interest from multiple teams looking to make a coaching change and that includes Miami and the Dallas Cowboys. Payton has two years left on his contract and he denied speculation that he’s looking to leave New Orleans when he spoke with reporters on Monday.

Big time match-up in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night as sixth ranked LSU faces eighth ranked Florida. Can the Gators slow down Tigers running back Leonard Fournette, who has already rushed for over one-thousand yards this season. Last season, Fournette had 140 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Florida in the swamp.

Louisiana Tech takes on Mississippi State on Saturday at 11 AM in Starkville. State’s defensive coordinator is Manny Diaz, who was the defensive coordinator at Tech last season. Bulldogs head coach Skip Holtz says that does present some challenges…
cut 20 (20) “…normally be”
Mississippi State is a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

The Saints are 3.5 point underdogs at home tonight against Atlanta. The Falcons offense has been impressive, averaging 32 points a game. Quarterback Matt Ryan is third in the NFL in passing yards and second-year running back Devonta Freeman is the league’s second leading rusher and has also caught 24 passes out of the backfield. Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan says Freeman has looked impressive on the game film….
cut 17 (18) “….the defense”
Kick-off is at 7:25.

LSU Coach Les Miles says he expects senior defensive back Jalen Mills will play this Saturday against eighth ranked Florida. Mills has been sidelined since injuring his ankle on August 19th.

Lousiaina Tech visits Mississippi State on Saturday. Bulldogs coach Skip Holtz says State is playing well on offense and defense, but they may excel the most on special teams…
cut 19 (21) “….any time”
Kick-off is at 11 AM.

The preseason men’s basketball coaches poll is out and the LSU Tigers are ranked 19th. The Bayou Bengals have one of the top freshman in the country, Ben Simmons, who along with his teammates, worked out in front of about 40 NBA scouts earlier this week.

Meanwhile, CBS sports-dot-com says Grambling State is the worst basketball team in the country heading into the 2015-16 season.

The Saints look to turn their season around tonight when they host the Atlanta Falcons. The Dirty Birds are undefeated, while New Orleans is 1-4 and rank last in the NFL in total defense. But Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan believes they have enough talent to become one of the better teams in the league…

cut 16 (17) “be great”

Kickoff is at 7:25 and the game can be seen on CBS and the NFL Network.

It has not been a quiet week for the Florida Gators as they prepare to face LSU Saturday. First, their starting quarterback Will Grier was suspended for a year for taking a banned over-the-counter supplement. Now , freshman defensive back Deiondre Porter has been suspended indefinitely for allegedly firing a gun in he direction of his pregnant girlfriend.

Louisiana Tech will face Mississippi State on Saturday. Tech has won three in a row, but head coach Skip Holtz wants to see his defense stop giving up big plays

cut 18 (11) “safety”

Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator is Manny Diaz, who was the defensive coordinator at Tech last season. That game can be seen on the SEC Network.

In the Southland Conference this weekend…Nicholls State looks for its first win of the season as they host Houston Baptist. McNeese State looks to stay undefeated as they visit Central Arkansas. Northwestern State is coming off a bye week and will host Lamar, while Southeastern Louisiana takes on Stephen F Austin in Hammond.

In the SWAC…It’s homecoming for Southern as they take on Prairie View, while Grambling travels to Alcorn State in a matchup of two teams undefeated in league play.

The Saints take on their biggest rivals on Thursday as they host the Atlanta Falcons. First-year coach Dan Quinn has the Dirty Birds out to a 5-0 start. The Falcons had a losing record last year and Quarterback Drew Brees says their personnel is not much different from a year ago…
cut 19 (17) “…well right now”
Brees is seven and two against the Falcons in games played in the Superdome.

The LSU Tigers will face the Florida Gators on Saturday night. It’s not been a quite week in Gainesville. It all started with the one-year suspension for starting quarterback Will Grier for taking a banned over-the-counter supplement. Now a freshman defensive back, Deiondre Porter, has been suspended indefinitedly for allegedly firing a gun in the direction of his pregnant girlfriend.

LSU Coach Les Miles says fullback JD Moore will not play against eighth ranked Florida. Moore went down with a knee injury last Saturday against South Carolina. Miles says it would be great if Moore can return for the Western Kentucky game on October 24th.

Louisiana Tech continues preparations for its trip to Mississippi State by piping in the sound of cow bells ringing while they practice. Mississippi State has won eight of the eleven match-ups between the two schools and kick-off on Saturday is at 11 AM.

In the Southland Conference this weekend…Nicholls State seeks its first win of the year as they Houston Baptist. McNeese State looks to stay undefeated as they visit Central Arkansas. Northwestern State is coming off a bye week and they’ll host Lamar, while Southeastern Louisiana takes on Stephen F Austin in Hammond. Lions leading receiver Jeff Smiley is out for the year with a torn ACL.

In the SWAC this weekend….It’s homecoming for Southern as they take on Prairie View, while Grambling travels to Alcorn State in a matchup of two teams undefeated in league play.

For the fourth consecutive week, LSU will face a back-up quarterback. Florida will start Treon Harris under center, because Will Grier has been suspended for one year for taking a banned over the counter supplement. LSU defensive tackle Christian Lacouture gives this scouting report on Harris…
cut 17 (14) “…do your job”
And Florida has suspended freshman defensive back Deiondre Porter after he was arrested on aggravated assault charges. Porter is one of Florida’s best players on special teams.

And LSU Coach Les Miles confirmed starting fullback JD Moore will miss this game and the next, because of a knee injury sustained in the South Carolina game.

And Southeastern Louisiana leading receiver Jeff Smiley will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL.

The Saints are 1-and-4 and in last place in the NFC South heading into Thursday night’s match-up with the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Drew Brees always has a positive take on things, but admits the losing is eating at him inside…
cut 18 (11) “something positive”
Tomorrow night’s game will kickoff at 7:25 and can be seen on CBS and the NFL Network. And Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is not sure if he’ll be able to play. Jones is dealing with a hamstring injury that he suffered in the win over the Redskins.

Louisiana Tech continues preparations for its trip to Mississippi State by piping in the sound of cow bells ringing while they practice. Mississippi State has won eight of the eleven match-ups between the two schools and kick-off on Saturday is at 11 AM.

LSU continues preparations for its top ten matchup with undefeated Florida on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. While Alabama is consider the Tigers biggest rival, LSU linebacker Deion Jones says while growing up in New Orleans, Florida was always the big game on the schedule…

cut 16 (14) “as a kid”

Kickoff is at 6PM Saturday and the game will be televised on ESPN.

The American Red Cross says fundraising efforts for disaster relief in South Carolina outside Tiger Stadium last Saturday netted over $40,000. These donations will be used to provide shelter, food, relief supplies, emotional support, and more to residents there continuing to recover after devastating flooding. You can still donate to help South Carolina flood victims at redcross-dot-org.

The Saints are 1-and-4 and in last place in the NFC South heading into Thursday night’s match-up with the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Drew Brees always has a positive take on things, but admits the losing is eating at him inside…

cut 18 (11) “something positive”

Tomorrow night’s game will kickoff at 7:25 and can be seen on CBS and the NFL Network.

McNeese State has jumped into the top 10 in the latest FCS Coaches’ Poll. The Cowboys moved up four spots to number nine after their 21-7 win over Southeastern Louisiana. After the loss, the Lions dropped four spots in the poll and land at number 21.

Louisiana Tech will take a three-game winning streak to Starkville Saturday where they’ll play Mississippi State at 11 AM. Tech’s defense is trying to stop giving up the big play. They allowed two long touchdown passes in last Saturday’s win against Texas San Antonio, including a 57-yarder that tied the game.

The hype around LSU running back Leonard Fournette continues to get bigger. He’s on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated. LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette says Fournette joins a list of great Tigers who have been featured on the front of the popular sports magazine….
cut 11 (11) “…not very many”
While Fournette is making the offense go, something needs to be done about the Tigers special teams. This past week they gave up a 96-yard kick off return for a touchdown. The kicking game has also been flagged on numerous occasions. Coach Les Miles says they’re looking at making personnel changes, but it also comes down to the players executing…
cut 19 (15) “…correct it”
LSU hosts Florida in a top ten matchup this Saturday night.

The Saints only have a couple more days to prepare before they play their big division rival Atlanta. New Orleans will host the Falcons on Thursday night. Coach Sean Payton on what he’s seen on tape from Atlanta, who is undefeated on the season…
cut 30 (11) “…football well”
Kick-off is at 7:30 on Thursday.

In NBA preseason action…the Pelicans beat the Chicago Bulls 123 to 115 last night. Anthony Davis, playing in his hometown of Chicago, had 26 points on 10 of 16 shooting. Sean Kilpatrick added 23. New Orleans continues its preseason schedule on Saturday against Sacramento in Lexington, Kentucky.

In high school football….Notre Dame of Crowley is the newly ranked number one team in Class Two-A. Many, Ouachita Christian, Riverside and Calvary Baptist round out the top five in Two-A.

It turns out that Steve Spurrier has coached his last game and it came against LSU last Saturday in Tiger Stadium. Spurrier told his players that he’s resigning immediately. South Carolina lost to LSU last week 45-24, which was the fourth consecutive loss in league play for the Gamecocks. Spurrier won six SEC titles during his 23 combined seasons at South Carolina and Florida.

Meanwhile, the LSU Tigers are getting ready for a top ten matchup against Spurrier’s old team. The Gators have allowed just 13 points in their last two SEC games and they are one of the best teams at defending the run. Coach Les Miles is interested to see if LSU can have success running the football against the Gators…
cut 18 (13) “…a war”
Kick-off on Saturday night is at six PM.

Tuesday is usually a day off for the Saints, but they’ll practice today, because they host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. New Orleans has plenty of players on the injury list, including wide receiver Marques Colston, who reportedly has a separated shoulder. Left guard Tim Lelito, left tackle Terron Armstead and punter Thomas Morstead are also not expected to play against the Falcons.

And the LSU Tigers have picked up a verbal commitment from an in-state linebacker. His name is Michael Divinity and he stars at John Ehret High School.

Louisiana Tech takes a three-game winning streak to Starkville where they’ll play Mississippi State at 11 AM. Tech’s defense is trying to stop giving up the big play. They allowed two long touchdown passes in last Saturday’s win against Texas San Antonio, including a 57-yarder that tied the game.

In NBA preseason action, the Pelicans came from 20 points down to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-115.

There will be a lot of hype leading up to Saturday night’s showdown in Tiger Stadium between sixth ranked LSU and eighth ranked Florida. Players from the two teams were in a twitter war over the summer, over which school can lay claim to D-B-U, which stands for defensive back university. Coach Les Miles doesn’t want see trash talking from his team leading up to Saturday’s game…

cut 17 (13) “recognize that”

Both teams are undefeated heading into Saturday’s contest.

LSU will not face the man who has been Florida’s starting quarterback the last several weeks. The Gators announced that Will Grier has been suspended for the season by the NCAA for taking a banned over-the-counter supplement. Florida will appeal the suspension, but a reversal of this suspension is not expected before Saturday. That means sophomore Treon Harris will start Saturday night in Tiger Stadium against LSU.

The game this Saturday night in Tiger Stadium between LSU and Florida is one of the most highly anticipated college matchups of the week. Cameron Papp with StubHub says the average ticket price for the game on their website is about $220. He says it’s definitely a big game for LSU, but StubHub always sees a lot of demand for the Tigers…

cut 6 (08) “home games”

Kickoff Saturday is 6PM.

It’s been reported that Saints wide receiver Marques Colston separated his shoulder in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and the shoulder may have suffered structural damage as well. Colston was seen after the game with his arm in a sling. The 32-year-old has 18 receptions this year for 200 yards.

There’s also been reports that a couple of other NFL teams will try to lure Saints head coach Sean Payton out of New Orleans after the season. Payton told reporters that he sees himself in the Big Easy.

LSU will not face the man who has been Florida’s starting quarterback the last several weeks. The Gators announced that Will Grier has been suspended for the season by the NCAA for taking a banned over-the-counter supplement. Florida will appeal the suspension, but a reversal of this suspension is not expected before Saturday. That means sophomore Treon Harris will start on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium against LSU.

The SEC announced today that LSU’s Ethan Pocic is the league’s offensive lineman of the week. He had 17 knockdown blocks in the Tigers win over South Carolina. And LSU running back Derius Guice was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after rushing for 161 yards. Coach Les Miles on Guice…
cut 18 (13) “…efficient”
Kick-off this Saturday at Florida is at 6 PM.

It’s been reported that Saints wide receiver Marques Colston separated his shoulder in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and the shoulder may have also suffered structural damage. Colston was seen after the game with his arm in a sling. The 32-year-old has 18 receptions this year for 200 yards.

There’s also been reports that a couple of other NFL teams will try to lure Saints head coach Sean Payton out of New Orleans after the season. Payton told reporters that he sees himself in the Big Easy

In college football…UL Lafayette opened up Sun Belt play with a 49-27 win over Texas State on Saturday night. But we learned the next day that the NCAA is looking into alleged recruiting violations that took place at the school in 2011. UL Lafayette admits some wrong doing and has vacated all of its victories from that year, including the win over San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.

In major league baseball…the Houston Astros blew a four-run lead in the eighth inning and lost to Kansas City today 9-6 to force a deciding Game Five on Wednesday night.