Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney named senior quarterback Christopher Vizzina the starting quarterback against LSU on Saturday. It will be only his second college start after sitting three seasons as a backup behind Cade Klubnik. LSU linebacker Whit Weeks is expecting him to be greeted by a juiced Tiger Stadium crowd.

Cut 21 (11) “…be incredible.”

Swinney also commented on LSU’s commitments from former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris. He said he hasn’t lost any sleep preparing for whether or not they’ll be on the field Saturday, but the legal back-and-forth among the players, SEC and NCAA reflects the current state of college football.

Cut 9 (07)  “…college football.”

Saints cornerback Quincy Riley returned to practice today after being sidelined for the last two weeks with a groin injury. Right guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker Chris Rumph and D-lineman John Ridgeway also returned from injury. Defensive end Cameron Jordan is still out with a hamstring injury, but defensive coordinator Brandon Staley says he is recovering quickly.

Cut 22 (19) “…been with him.”

Running back Kendre Miller left practice early with an athletic trainer. Alvin Kamara and Audric Estime were both absent.

Ruston was ranked as the number one high school football team in Class 5A by the LSWA ahead of back-to-back D-1 Select State Champs Edna Karr. Neville topped the 4A rankings, U High was first in3A, Dunham in 2A and Haynesville in 1A.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin says former Ole Miss and NFL tight end Dae’Quan Wright and ex-Notre Dame defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka are now practicing with the team. Both are awaiting a preliminary injunction hearing seeking a fifth season of eligibility Thursday. Some have questioned whether adding players so close to the season opener could create chaos. Kiffin says a little internal chaos is okay.

Cut 19 (17) “…don’t understand it.”

Legendary LSU football player and coach Jerry Stovall died at the age of 85 yesterday. “Mr. Everything” was a two-time All-SEC and All-America selection as a player and led the Tigers from 1980 to 1983 as the head coach. He was also Louisiana Tech’s athletic director from 1990 to 1993 and served as President and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation

The Saints have cut down to a 53-man roster. Two-time All-Pro kicker Daniel Carlson made the team after spending less than one week of training camp in New Orleans. The nine-year vet signed last week and made two field goals and an extra point in the preseason finale versus the Cowboys, including a 53-yarder. Head coach Kellen Moore says he earned his spot.

Cut 17 (12) “…in this league (2x).”

Charlie Smyth is staying on the team’s practice squad.

Louisiana Tech kicks off the season against Northwestern State Saturday. Quarterback Blake Baker returns from an ACL injury, and head coach Sonny Cumbie says he wants to see him comfortably make routine throws.

Cut 21 (13) “…football team.”

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin says he spoke with the leaders of his team before deciding to pursue former NFL players seeking a return to college for a fifth season of eligibility. Kiffin admitted Monday that he struggled with the decision and wanted to do what was in the best interest of his players….

Cut 18 (13) “…win, bring em”

Kiffin says former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright is now practicing with LSU. Wright spent time in training camp with the Cleveland Browns before he was released on August 22nd. A court hearing on Thursday will go a long way to determining if he can play in the season opener against Clemson.

Defensive end Jack Pyburn will not rejoin the Tigers. After his release from Tampa Bay, he was added to the Kansas City Chiefs roster.

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NFL rosters are down to 53 players as we move closer to the start of the regular season. The Saints decided to keep both backup quarterbacks, Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson on the active roster. Head coach Kellen Moore says they are both Q-B-two level players.

Cut 16 (09) “…really good QBs.”

New Orleans has not named which one will be the immediate back-up to Tyler Shough.

McNeese coach Matt Viator says starting quarterback Jake Strong is day-to-day after leaving Saturday’s loss to Stephen F Austin with a shoulder injury. Viator it’s too early to say if Strong will be available for this Saturday’s home game against Texas Wesleyan.

ULM will be facing one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the SEC on Saturday. Coach Bryant Vincent says they got to keep Kamario Taylor in the pocket and get him down when he does run.

Former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn was claimed off waivers by the Chiefs and is withdrawing his name from the Baton Rouge lawsuit seeking a fifth season of college eligibility. Pyburn led the NFL with four sacks this preseason but was cut by the Buccaneers and was expected to sign with LSU if he was not on an active NFL roster.

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reports officials from SEC member schools could seek to punish LSU for rostering former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris by placing the program on probation, barring the Tigers from competing for conference championships or even expelling them from the conference. Lane Kiffin says his only focus is making LSU better…

Cut 20 (17) “…anyway.”

Kiffin says Wright practiced with the team today and so did Notre Dame fifth-year transfer Junior Tuihalamaka.

A legendary LSU football player from West Monroe has passed away. Former All-American Jerry Stovall, who finished second in the 1962 Heisman Trophy balloting, has died at the age of 85. Stovall’s nickname was “Mr. Everything” because he played four different positions at LSU from 1960 to 1962. In an interview with KNOE-TV in 2009, Stovall said he was able to excel on the football field even though he was not the best athlete…

Cut 13 (11)  “…of those.”

Stovall also spent four seasons as the head coach of the Tigers and led LSU to an 8-3-and-1 season with an Orange Bowl appearance in 1982.

The Saints claimed undrafted rookie offensive lineman Mason Murphy and fourth-year defensive lineman Colby Wooden off waivers today. New Orleans waived tight end Treyton Welch and wide receiver Kevin Austin to make room, leaving them with just four receivers on the 53-man roster, but Head coach Kellen Moore says more moves are on the way.

After months of waiting, LSU officially kicks off the Lane Kiffin era on Saturday against Clemson. The two teams faced off in a top-ten matchup last season, but both finished the year 7-and-6. The Advocate’s Jon Blau, who covered Clemson last year, says both Tigers teams are hard to predict.

Cut 14 (13) “…40-plus transfers.”

Kickoff in Death Valley is set for 6:30.

Southern lost its first game under new head coach Marshall Faulk 30-17 against Alabama State. The Jaguars will now get ready for their home opener this Saturday against Kentucky State. Faulk says he will not tolerate the self-inflicted mistakes that cost them this week’s game.

Cut 18 (12) “…beat themself.”

The Saints made their final roster cuts to get down to their final 53 players. New Orleans kept both Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson to back up quarterback Tyler Shough. Kicker Daniel Carlson took over the kicker spot after signing with the team last week. Running back Devin Neal was placed on season-ending IR, and Kendre Miller and Audric Estime round out the backfield rotation behind Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara. The Saints released veteran corner Isaac Yiadom and kept former UFL corner Jayden Price, one of the standouts of camp.

McNeese lost its season opener to defending Southland champs Stephen F Austin 38-27. Starting quarterback Jake Strong injured his shoulder in the first half and did not play in the second half. Backup Devin Lippold replaced Strong and threw for 118 yards and a touchdown; he was also intercepted once. Head coach Matt Viator says Lippold’s performance was encouraging…

Cut 20 (14) “…anyway.”

It was cut down day across the NFL on Sunday. The Saints released kicker Charlie Smyth and plan on going with veteran Daniel Carlson as their place kicker. New Orleans is keeping three quarterbacks, as Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson will back up Tyler Shough. Rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson will start the season on I-R and will not be eligible to play until week 5.

Sam Leavitt will make his long awaited debut in an LSU uniform on Saturday night when the Tigers kick-off the season against Clemson. John Blau covers the Tigers for the Advocate and says it seems Leavitt has recovered from foot surgery, but chemistry with his receivers is a question mark….

Cut 15 (12) “…like there”

Kiffin will speak later today with reporters to preview the matchup with Clemson.

The Marshall Faulk era at Southern University started with a loss as the Jaguars committed ten penalties in a 30-17 loss to Alabama State. Coach Marshall Faulk’s team had an 11 point lead in the second quarter and let it slip away because of costly mistakes…

Cut 17 (12) “…hard to come back from.”

Grambling thumped Clark Atlanta 49 to 7. Reginald Johnson threw for 133 yards and a TD.

McNeese lost to Stephen F Austin 38 and 27 and also lost its starting quarterback Jake Strong to a shoulder injury. Backup Devin Lippold threw a touchdown and an interception in relief. Coach Matt Viator says it was an encouraging performance by Lippold…

Cut 20 (14) “..anyway”

After a dismal performance last week against the Rams, the Saints finished the preseason on a high note with a 27-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Daniel Carlson might have won the job as the team’s field goal kicker, as he made the game-winning kick. A 53-yard boot with just under two minutes to go. He also made a 38-yarder in the first quarter.

Both quarterbacks put up similar numbers. Zach Wilson threw for 93 yards, while Spencer Rattler had 79 yards passing. New Orleans ran the ball much better in this game, led by Audric Estime with 46 yards on four carries. Zamir White had a nifty 11 yard TD Run. And the Saints only committed four penalties.

In other preseason action, Former LSU Tiger Jack Pyburn had two more sacks for Tampa Bay to finish the preseason with four sacks. We’ll find out this weekend if he makes the Bucs, or does he get cut and return to the LSU Tigers for a fifth season.

There were a couple of upsets in the Southland on Thursday, and McNeese would like to pull another upset tonight as the Cowboys host reigning Southland Champion Stephen F Austin. McNeese returns 71-percent of its offensive output from last season, including quarterback Jake Strong, who threw for two thousand yards and had 18 total touchdowns last season.

In the SWAC.. Grambling State kicks off the season tonight against Clark Atlanta at 6 p.m.. Head coach Mickey Joseph named junior quarterback Jacobe Robinson as the starter in the spring but has not committed to who will take the first snap in the opener.

Southern will start Christian Johnson at QB today as the Jags battle Alabama State in Birmingham. Coach Marshall Faulk likes Johnson’s attitude…

Cut 17 (14) “…win football games”

Kick off is at 2.

The SEC and Commissioner Greg Sankey have been added to the temporary restraining order granted by a Baton Rouge judge to make a group class of 2022 athletes, including those who signed pro contracts, eligible to return for a fifth season. At the request of their attorneys, Judge William Jorden amended the order to also temporarily block the SEC’s rule punishing schools for signing former pros. Governor Jeff Landry told Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge that the associations have to abide by the court’s ruling.

Cut 3 (10) “…college football.”

Court documents also state that ex-LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn intends to commit to LSU if he is deemed eligible and cut by the Buccaneers. His last preseason game is tonight at 6:30.

The Saints’ preseason finale is tonight versus the Cowboys. The starters will sit, so it will be the last chance for players to make their case on why they should make the 53-man roster. The Saints have not yet announced who will start at quarterback.

Grambling State kicks off the season tomorrow against Clark Atlanta at 6 p.m.. Head coach Mickey Joseph named junior quarterback Jacobe Robinson as the starter in the spring but has not committed to who will take the first snap in the opener. He says he is comfortable playing more than one signal-caller.

Cut 18 (20) “…a strong competition.”

Southern opens the season against Alabama State at 2, and McNeese hosts Stephen F Austin at 6.

Louisiana Christian upset Northwestern State 42-37 last night. It was the first win over a D-1 program for the NAIA school, but head coach Ben McLaughlin says his team wasn’t thinking about that when they scored two quick touchdowns in the second half.

Cut 12 (09) “…lot of fun.”

Attorneys representing the 30-plus athletes seeking a fifth season of eligibility have now named the SEC and Commissioner Greg Sankey as defendants in the case along with the NCAA. They believe that the SEC’s rule prohibiting schools from rostering former pro football and basketball players violates the court’s ruling against the NCAA and will seek a preliminary injunction addressing both NCAA and conference rules in a hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Governor Jeff Landry weighed in on the situation while on Talk 107.3 in Baton Rouge.

Cut 5 (12) “…college sports.”

Also included in the amended documents obtained by The Baton Rouge Advocate is a statement that former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn intends to return if the court allows and he is cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pyburn signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent and made two sacks in his preseason debut.

The Saints close out the preseason tonight as they visit the Cowboys at 7. The starters will sit for the third time this preseason.

19^th-ranked Southeastern Louisiana was one of three ranked FCS teams to lose last night, falling 34-28 to Houston Christian. The Lions fumbled six times and turned the ball over three times, including one interception in quarterback Kyle Lowe’s first start. He also threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns and added another score and 54 yards on the ground.

Northwestern State lost to Louisiana Christian of the NAIA 42-37. The Wildcats became the 13^th NAIA team to ever beat an FCS program.

Nicholls cruised past Mississippi Valley State in a 44-10 win.

The only Louisiana Southland team yet to open the season is McNeese. The Cowboys kick off against defending conference champs Stephen F Austin at 6 tomorrow. Head coach Matt Viator says the week zero primetime home game is a great opportunity for the program.

Cut 19 (19) “…a special experience.”

History happened in Natchitoches last night as Louisiana Christian upset Northwestern State 42 to 37 marking just the 13^th time that an NAIA school has defeated an FCS school. Bryce Perkins threw for two touchdowns and Datlan Cunningham from Alexandria rushed for two touchdowns in the biggest win in school history.

There was also a major upset in Hammond last night as Houston Christian stunned 19^th ranked Southeastern Louisiana 34 to 28 as the Lions could not overcome three turnovers.

Nicholls was an easy winner over Mississippi Valley state 44 to 10 as Ean Rodrigue threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

The Saints conclude the preseason tonight as New Orleans visit the Cowboys. Most of the starters are not expected to play. Two position battles to watch, back-up quarterback and place kicker. Charlie Smyth, Tanner Brown and Daniels Carlson are batting for the kicking job.

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SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has been added as a defendant in the Louisiana case over a fifth-year of eligibility for several college athletes. Attorneys for the plaintiffs believe Sankey is going against a court order by threatening severe punishment if players who signed pro contracts with NFL and NBA teams play in SEC games. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The Marshall Faulk era begins tomorrow for the Southern Jaguars as the Jags face Alabama State in Birmingham. The Pro Football Hall of Famer for New Orleans is ready get his new career started with a “W”…

Cut 16 (13) “…perform within them”

Southern star defensive end Ckelby Givens is expected to play. For now he has been granted a fifth year of eligibility.