The Saints announce their big free-agent acquisition last offseason is out for the season. Safety Jairus Byrd injured his knee in practice this week and has been placed on injured reserve. Byrd’s injury, means Rafael Bush will likely start in his place. Byrd was an All-pro selection last season with the Bills and signed a six-year, 54 million dollar contract with the Black and Gold last March. He’ll be watching from the sidelines this Sunday, when New Orleans hosts Tampa Bay.

Saturday will be a great day for the SEC West as six of the seven teams in the division will be involved in Top 25 match-ups. It all starts at 11 AM when sixth ranked Texas A-and-M visits 12th ranked Mississippi State. At two-thirty, third ranked Alabama faces 11th ranked Ole Miss in Oxford and then at six o’ clock, 15th ranked LSU takes on fifth ranked Auburn. LSU is the only team out of that bunch that has a conference loss.

The Ragin Cajuns begin Sun Belt play on Saturday when they host Georgia State. UL Lafayette has lost three straight, but they didn’t play last week, so they should be well rested and they face a team that’s lost 15 of its last 16 games dating back to last year.

ULM has the chance to improve to 3-and-0 in the Sun Belt when they visit Arkansas State. Arkansas State has won at least a share of the last three Sun Belt Conference Championships and they’ve defeated the Warhawks four years in a row.

Louisiana Tech is asking fans to wear red for their Conference USA home opener against UTEP. The Bulldogs want to stay away from turnovers. They’ve had nine of them this season, including five against Northwestern State.

Speaking of the Demons they open conference play by visiting the defending Southland champs, the Southeastern Louisiana Lions. McNeese State also gets conference play going as they host Nicholls State.

And in the SWAC…Grambling looks to improve to 3-and-0 in league play as they visit Alabama A-and-M.