The hype was serious and the tensions were palpable. After months of talk, LSU and Ole Miss were finally ready to spot the ball. Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford was built up with drama after drama, tit for tat pettiness, and good ole fashion hate. Two good teams were set to square off with what was one of the most anticipated regular season matchups in recent history. Finally, it was time to play football. 1 st quarter flow After winning the toss and choosing to defer, LSU sent the defense out to start the game. They got the start they were looking for, putting early pressure on Trinidad Chambliss and the Ole Miss offense. After a short gain and then a holding penalty, Chambliss threw a swing pass to Kewan Lacy that was dropped, but it was reviewed and ruled a backwards pass, moving the ball way back to the spot in which Lacy recovered the ball for a loss of 14. The Tigers forced the 3-and-out and started with great field position at their own 39. Unfortunately, Sam Leavitt and the offense were going to get off to a slow start and they answered with 3-and-out of their own. After Ole Miss put together a 12-play, 59 yard drive to strike first on a 37-yard Lucas Caneiro field goal, the early game jitters continued for Kiffin’s signal caller. They’d give the ball right back with another 3-and-out. That’s when the Rebels found their groove, marching right down the field for a 6-play, 78 yard drive that included two plays of 30 or more yards. Chambliss hit Caleb Odom for 30 yards on a 3 rd and 6 to get down to the LSU 5 yard line and Lacy fought his way right through the middle to make it a quick 10-0 lead. Leavitt and the offense finally gained their first 1 st down with under a minute to play in the 1 st quarter. 1 st quarter summary The biggest takeaway from the 1 st quarter was how frantic Sam Leavitt was. He looked extremely uncomfortable and borderline nervous. Was he actually nervous, considering that he’s started in a playoff game? I’m not sure, but it was rough. Blake Baker’s defense actually had Chambliss and the Ole Miss off balance early, forcing them to use two of their timeouts on their first two drives. Unfortunately, they were left on the field for 20 plays in the 1 st with the offense being anemic, so they were gassed early and that led to zero pressure on the touchdown drive. Kiffin’s offense finally found their rhythm to close the quarter with some short passes. 2 nd quarter flow The promising drive that ended the 1 st quarter quickly fell apart with a sack of Leavitt that put the Tigers behind the sticks, eventually leading to a punt. After Grant Chadwick pinned the Rebels deep at their own 8, it took just three plays for them to get across midfield. A Lacy run of 22 yards and a 23 yard reception by Odom quickly put the Tigers on their heels. Just a few plays later, LSU had the chance to get off of the field, but failed to stop a 3 rd down conversion and Chambliss soon after hit Traylon Ray for a 21 yard touchdown to send Vaught Hemmingway in to a frenzy with a 17-0 lead. It was time for the Tiger offense to wake up or things would get ugly and although it took 17 plays, they marched 75 yards with a near 8 minute drive to find the scoreboard. They converted three 3 rd downs and a 4 th down, but finally got down to the 2 yard line where Dilin Jones bashed his way in for his third touchdown of the season to make it 17-7. With under 2 minutes left in the half, it was crucial that Baker’s unit kept some of the momentum that their offense finally gained, especially considering that LSU would receive the ball to start the 3 rd quarter. That was not the case, though, as Chambliss made things look easy. Consecutive completions of 12, 14, 17, and 7 yards had the Rebels set up at the 20 yard line with 18 seconds left and no timeouts. After an incompletion, Ole Miss had a 3 rd down with just 10 seconds left and close to settling for a field goal. Unfortunately for LSU, Chambliss is the best quarterback in the country and as he scrambled forward without many options, he somehow gunned a pass through the zone defense in to a tight window to Deuce Alexander for a dagger of a touchdown before halftime to make it 24-7. 2 nd quarter summary Leavitt’s struggles continued for much of the 2 nd quarter outside of one drive. His footwork was rough, causing his accuracy to struggle. The tackling against Lacy suffered as the defense began to get tired. Ole Miss went 7-9 on 3 rd downs in the first half, which extended drive after drive and wore LSU down. The last second touchdown looked to be a killer going in to the half with Ole Miss having all of the momentum. The injury to Dashawn Spears made things even worse. 3 rd quarter flow Needing to get something going coming out of the locker room, it was another 3-and-out and things did not look good for the Tigers. Finally, though, they got a much needed big play. On a 3 rd and 6, Ty Benefield blitzed Chambliss and forced an errant throw in to the hands of Ja’Keem Jackson, returning it to the Rebels 33 yard line. Leavitt and Jones took over with their legs, each running the ball on three consecutive plays with Leavitt finally punching it in from 4 yards out to make it a 24-14 game. Ole Miss was looking to answer to retake momentum and had the chance by getting the ball down to the LSU 35 yard line, but a holding penalty put a big damper on their drive. Caneiro came out to attempt a 53-yard field goal, but pushed it right. Somehow, the Tigers were a score away from making it a one-possession game. Leavitt found Winnie Watkins for a gain of 19 yards to start the drive, then converted a 3 rd and 11 with a 23 yard pass to Trey’Dez Green. With a 2 nd and 13, Leavitt threw a pretty good pass to the right side of the endzone for Jackson Harris, but the Hawaii transfer was unable to come down with it. Charlie Weis Jr dialed up the same route on the very next play, but this time it was an even better throw and a beautiful catch by Watkins and just like that, it was a 24-21 game. Tensions were rising for the Rebels, especially after their ensuing drive stalled after making it to midfield. On a 3 rd and 10, Benefield sacked Chambliss for a loss of 20 to force just the second punt of the night for the home team. After bad punt and an Ole Miss penalty, LSU took over at their own 40 yard line and somehow, some way, had the chance to take the lead. After two plays to start the drive, we’d head to the final quarter. 3 rd quarter summary Things looked bleak for the Tigers after the 3-and-out to start the half while down 17. Blake Baker deserves a ton of credit, because despite the onslaught that his defense faced in the first half and the questionable soft coverage, he adjusted and turned the heat up on Chambliss in the 3 rd quarter. The interception was caused by a blitz by Benefield and then his sack at the end of the quarter is what stalled a drive that had a chance to net a field goal, at the least. Leavitt finally looked comfortable, hanging in the pocket and zinging balls to his receivers. The offensive line stepped up and the ground game with Jones helped open up the entire offense. 4 th quarter flow Following a 3 rd down conversion to start the quarter, Trey’Dez Green made a 19 yard reception to get down to the Ole Miss 39, but a helmet to his knee knocked him out of the game. Jones followed with his biggest run of the game, a 20 yarder down in to the redzone. Back-to-back runs of 4 yards by Leavitt and Jones had the Tigers with a 3 rd and 2 from the 3 yard line. A direct snap to Jones went for a 2 yard loss and it forced Kiffin to settle for the 23 yard Scott Starzyk field goal to tie the game at 24. LSU had marched all the way back, but Trinidad Chambliss was still Trinidad Chambliss, despite the 3 rd quarter struggles. A few plays after a big gain of 22 to Horatio Fields, the Rebels faced a 4 th and 1 at the LSU 40 yard line and Pete Golding left his offense on the field. Former Tiger, JT Lindsey, had been in the game for the injured Kewan Lacy and took the direct snap for a massive conversion. Just a little bit later, Golding called a timeout prior to a 2 nd and 10 from the LSU 14 yard line with just over 6 minutes left to go in the game. Chambliss ran an incredible play-action bootleg around the left corner with no one near him to score their first points of the second half and retake the lead. Surprisingly, the Rebel offense stayed on the field for what seemed to be a crazy decision to go for two. They ran hard counts and got LSU to jump offsides twice in a row, moving the ball up to the 1 yard line where Lindsey would punch through and give his team a 32-24 lead. Needing an immediate answer, the Tiger offense found themselves immediately with a 4 th down at their own 31 yard line. Knowing that giving the ball back to Chambliss would likely mean he’d ice the game, Kiffin kept Leavitt out there and he scrambled for a gain of 13 to keep their hopes alive. Leavitt and Jones went to work on the next few plays, setting LSU up with a big 3 rd and 8 where Harris drew a pass interference to move the ball down to the Rebel 10 yard line. After a 5 yard scramble, backup tight end Zach Grace got called for a false start. Leavitt scrambled again, bringing up a 3 rd and goal from the 6 yard line. There were a lot of throws that Leavitt would like back from this game, but the biggest one came next when he missed a wide open Grace that would have been an easy touchdown. With the game on the line, Leavitt tried to hit Harris on a crossing route, but the ball got batted at the line and fell in to the the hands of an Ole Miss defender to secure the win. 4 th quarter summary This game was essentially over when LSU settled for a field goal to tie the game earlier in the 4 th . They had all of the momentum and Ole Miss was fully on their heels and panicking. A touchdown in that scenario to take the lead would have really put the pressure on them. Yes, a top quarterback like Chambliss very well could have found a way, but the Tigers made it too easy for them by taking the pressure off with just a tie game. The decision to run another direct snap to Jones at the goal line was perplexing, especially considering that they’ve shown it multiple times this year and even earlier in the game. On the final drive to try and send the game to overtime, Leavitt missed two possible touchdowns. The 1 st and goal where he scrambled for 5 yards, he tucked the ball a little too early instead of keeping his eyes down field, where he would have seen Harris running open in the end zone. Then, the misfire to Grace was brutal. Final summary This was another tale of two halves for LSU. We saw the slow start against LA Tech and the same issues plagued them against Ole Miss. To be honest, they’re lucky they even had a chance in this game after spotting 17 points to the best quarterback in the country. Again, Blake Baker deserves credit for the adjustments that he made, because the defense did just enough to allow the offense to find their footing and make it a game. The injuries were brutal. Spears tore his ACL and is done for the year. While it looked as if Green may have suffered the same fate, considering how emotional he appeared and unable to walk off of the field, great news came on Sunday. There are no tears or anything more than a sprain, meaning he will be able to return this season. Losing both of those guys on top of losing this game would have been worst case scenario. All in all, LSU lost to a top-10 team on the road. It happens. There were plenty of frustrating moments, but Ole Miss is a really good team. They’re likely a playoff team, once again. Pete Golding and their offensive coordinator, John David Baker, deserve a lot of credit, as do the players. LSU will return home for a very important matchup with Texas A&M in primetime on Saturday night. I will be back in Death Valley to keep you covered, so stay tuned here on The Kneaux. Follow me on X @DCBilliotJr and join us on Wednesday night for a Texas A&M preview episode of Geaux Deep Dive on YouTube, X, Spotify, Twitch, or Kick.

Warhawks fall to 0-3 after 38-35 loss to Southeastern Louisiana

Tulane 20, Kansas State 31 Bill Snyder Family Stadium Sept. 19, 2026 Tulane flew into Manhattan and scored the first offensive touchdown Kansas State had allowed all season. Seven plays, 90 yards, Kadin Semonza keeping the option and walking in from nine. For a quarter, the Green Wave looked like the version of this offense Will Hall and Russ Callaway have been selling since January: stay on schedule, hit a shot, finish. Then the call sheet forgot who the best players on the field were. Kansas State won 31-20. Tulane is 1-2. The box score will say 260 total yards, 13-of-26 for 165 from Semonza, 6 sacks, 4.4 yards per play. Those numbers are real. They are not the whole story. The story is who touched the football after that opening drive, and who never did. Destyn Hill: zero catches. Garrett Mmahat: zero. Jaylin Lucas: 7 touches. ABS: 1 catch Hill is the preseason All-Conference receiver, the 61-yard threat, the guy this staff is supposed to feature when a front loads the box. Mmahat and Stephens are the complementary answers. On Saturday they were mostly spectators in their own offense. Oliver Mitchell Jr led Tulane with one catch for 41 yards, the strike that started the opening touchdown drive and then the vertical game went quiet. Bredell Richardson had three for 40. Anthony Brown-Stephens had one for 22. Maurice Turner caught the late 25-yard touchdown. Jaylin Lucas, who ran for 214 yards against South Alabama a week ago, finished with three receptions for five yards and was not the feature back. That is not a “they just missed throws” problem. That is a usage problem. What the first drive proved: The opening series is the tape this staff should pin to the wall. Semonza threw into double coverage to Mitchell for 41. The Wave stayed aggressive. They finished with an option instead of a hopeful fade. Kansas State’s defense, which had not given up an offensive touchdown in two games, blinked. Everything after that looked like a team that did not trust the same answers. The run game still produced pieces. Turner 7 carries for 64, Johnnie Daniels 10 for 59, but the identity never settled. Semonza was credited with 10 rushes for minus-27 yards, which is what six sacks look like on a stat sheet. Kansas State logged 12 tackles for loss. Once the Wave fell behind the chains, Jordan Peterson’s front lived in obvious passing downs. That is exactly the trap my preview said this defense wanted. Semonza does not have to throw 40 times. He has to stay on schedule and get Hill, Brown-Stephens, and Lewis (When Healthy) the ball when the box is loaded. Saturday he completed 13 passes. The three receivers who should stress a secondary combined for zero of them. Design, protection, and the difference between a drop and a plan. Give the defense and the drops their share. Hall said after the game that Tulane “had our opportunities” and “just didn’t come down with the ball a few times.” Dawson Johnson had a chance inside the Kansas State 10. Brown-Stephens had a deep ball that would have moved the sticks inside the 30. Both drives died into Cooper Helmke field goals, a school-record 58-yarder at the half and a 53-yarder in the third. Helmke was excellent. Field goals are not how you keep pace with Avery Johnson. Johnson accounted for 379 of Kansas State’s 428 yards: 227 passing, 152 rushing, two scores, including a 66-yarder that flipped the game after Kansas State stuffed Daniels on third-and-1. The Wildcats converted 10 of 16 third downs. Five of those were third-and-5 or longer. Tulane has now watched Duke, South Alabama, and Kansas State live on third down with mobile quarterbacks. That is a defensive problem. It became an offensive problem the moment the Wave stopped answering with explosives of their own. Hall’s postgame point was fair: “The difference in the game was their explosive plays.” Kansas State created them. Tulane created one real shot to Mitchell, a late screen-and-go to Turner, and two long kicks. That is not enough against a 3-0 Big 12 team in its building. Protection matters here and should not be waved off as “just play calling.” Six sacks and 12 TFLs mean the offensive line, still replacing last year’s front with Reese Baker as the veteran piece, lost the point of attack for long stretches. You cannot call deep shots if the pocket is gone on second-and-7. You also cannot keep calling the same early-down answers after the first series fails and then act surprised when Hill is covered and Semonza is running for his life. Those two things live together. Bad protection shrinks the playbook. A timid playbook makes the protection look worse because every down becomes obvious. This is Year 1. It is also Week 3. Context still counts. Hall is in his first season as head coach. Callaway is in his first season calling this offense. The quarterback changed after Duke. Jamauri McClure hasn’t played yet, Zy Carl Lewis is banged up and the line is young. Kansas State had not allowed an offensive touchdown and was stuffing people under 200 yards. None of that is fake. None of that excuses zero targets finding Hill, Mmahat, and ABS in a game Tulane trailed from the second quarter on. None of it explains why Lucas, after a 214-yard night, was used as a checkdown instead of a space player. If the plan was run-and-play-action, the play-action never stressed the secondary. If the plan was to protect Semonza, six sacks say the plan did not hold. If the plan was to feature the skill players this roster actually has, the reception list says otherwise. Tulane was 2-for-2 in the red zone and still left points on the field because drives that should have been touchdowns became 50-yard field goals. The Wave won the first-down battle 18-20 and lost the yardage battle by 168. That is what happens when you move the chains without threatening the paint. What has to change before Southern Miss: Southern Miss comes to Yulman next Saturday. That game will not wait for the offense to “find itself” in October. The fixes are not mysterious. Get Hill the ball. Period. Motion him, stack him, isolate him, throw him the glance and the go. If Kansas State took him away, show the coverage that took him away and attack the vacated spot with Lewis/Brown-Stephens/Lucas. Use Lucas the way South Alabama had to defend him, as a runner and as a receiver in space, not as a 1.7-yard dump-off. Involve the tight ends on purpose, not as leftover checkdowns. Dawson Johnson and Vance Bolyard cannot be afterthoughts for a third straight week if this is a West Coast / 12-personnel offense. Stay ahead of the chains so Semonza is not a sitting duck on third-and-long. The sacks will not vanish overnight. The down-and-distance can. And when a drive reaches the plus-30, call the play that scores. Helmke should not be the leading scorer because the offense keeps settling. Tulane did not lose this game only because of officials, only because of Avery Johnson, or only because of one missed tackle on third down. Those things happened. The offense also spent three quarters declining to put its best players in the spots to win. The opening drive showed the version that can win in the American. The next 50 minutes showed a version that is still calling around its talent instead of through it. This was a winnable game, teams too talented to be playing like this. That can be fixed. It has to be fixed this week. Sponsor: @RedshirtLtd http://Redshirtltd.com CODE: RDW 10% OFF Licensed Tulane Lids #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X

It was not pretty, but Louisiana got the 21-14 win over UAB on Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Quarterback Lunch Winfield added to his rushing totals this season with 91 yards on 19 carries and two rushing touchdowns. He also went 15/20 through the air for 110 yards. Winfield came into this game as the team's leading rusher and scorer. After three games, the quarterback now has 266 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Through the air, Winfield now sits at 511 passing yards and just one touchdown through the air. Outside of Winfield being a magician on the ground, the team rallied 225 rushing yards also through the help of their four main running backs. Steven Blanco and Anthony Reagan Jr. both combined for 103 yards, with a rushing touchdown by Blanco that helped put the Cajuns up 7-0 in the first quarter. What really worked in favor of UL today was how the defense performed, especially against UAB's rushing attack which averaged 230 yards per game prior to Saturday. Linebacker Conor McPherson led the team in tackles with 11, including two for losses and a sack. The passing game was not much of a help for UAB either, as they only rallied 144 yards. Safety Collin Jacob came up with an interception in the second quarter. In total, UL limited UAB to just 218 total yards and 11 first downs. What Went Right As mentioned above, UL's defense slowed down UAB pretty much the entire game. Of UAB's 12 drives in the game, 10 were forced punts or turnover on downs. UAB also never found themselves in plus territory until the third quarter. There was a drive at the start of the fourth quarter where they methodically moved 74 yards down the field, but eventually resulted in a turnover on downs inside the five. Outside of that, along with the succeeding drive where a great punt return gave them great field position and eventually a touchdown, there was not much success from the Blazers offense. UAB also found themselves struggling with penalties (an issue they've had all season), finishing the game with nine of them for 89 yards. They worked in UL's favor from the get-go, as three of those penalties came on the opening drive in the game. Those costly penalties gave the Cajuns 34 free yards on a drive that resulted in a touchdown early in the game. We can't forget about the running game, led by Lunch Winfield, which has been the horsepower of this offense up to this point. And of course, the Cajuns ended up getting wide receiver Landon Strother back after suffering a broken collar bone in fall camp. It was a big boost for the Cajuns as they have consistently struggled with getting wide outs (outside of their slot receivers) involved in any sort of vertical passing game. Strother finished the game as the leading receiver with 41 yards on five receptions. What Went Wrong Offensively, UL was not able to get inside the UAB 30 in the second half of the game and thus did not put up any points in the second half. A lot of this was due to mental mistakes like false starts and missed assignments. It also did not help that the Cajuns fumbled the ball three times and lost it twice, the first of which was returned by UAB for a touchdown halfway through the second quarter. We also did not see much improvement when it came to the passing game. As we know by now, UL has had a very difficult time getting their wide receivers involved in a vertical passing game. Strother being back helped UL make some big plays down the field, but it is still apparent that the team is still lacking when it comes to playmakers on the outside. Shelton Sampson Jr. and Trenton Chaney are expected to return soon, which may help relieve Lunch a little bit from having to keep it on the ground. Final Takeaways This is a group that is maturing together and are learning to play and fight as one team. Coming into this season, I had a lot of questions when it came to both the offense (mainly the wide receiving corps) and the defense (mainly the secondary). The wide receiver room still has flaws, but it is safe to say that the Cajuns have a talented secondary and a feisty defense in general that want to fight and win games. They only allowed one touchdown on Saturday, and they were not happy about it. But they know they are a special group. Coach Michael Desormeaux in his postgame press conference speech said that there was a lot this team needed to work on if they want to become a championship-caliber team, particularly on offense. Yes, the Cajuns won the game, and it was not pretty, but he said it best: you cannot be sad with a win. It is all back to the drawing board on Sunday as they prepare to face Charlotte next Saturday. 

Nicholls Shut Out by Sam Houston in Tough 59-0 Road Loss

The New Orleans Saints will find themselves matching up against one of the best teams in the NFL and an actual Super Bowl contender in the Baltimore Ravens. The Saints are coming off a tough road loss to the Detroit Lions last week. That game saw everything you did not want to see and everything you did want to see. The Saints started off slow, could not find an offensive rhythm, and struggled to run the ball early. Because of that, they found themselves down 21-0. But they fought, rallied back, forced overtime, and had a shot to win the game with a two-point conversion that was well played by the Detroit defense. In order for the Saints to pull off an upset as an 8.5-point road underdog, they cannot repeat those same mistakes. Under head coach Kellen Moore, slow starts have been normal for the team in black and gold, and the defense they are matching up against will absolutely be looking to continue that trend for the Saints. The good news for New Orleans is that they will be getting some reinforcements for this game, as Alvin Kamara will be making his season debut this Sunday in Baltimore. Kendre Miller was able to find success in the second half of the game last week, but adding Kamara brings back the dynamic running back that this team was building the running game around this offseason. Olave will also be looking to build on his dominant season-opening debut. The number one receiving target for QB Tyler Shough had nearly 200 yards receiving but will find himself matched up with Marlon Humphrey, one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL. As for Tyler Shough, after such a dominant second half and overtime against the Lions, the question for him becomes: Can he carry that momentum into this game? That will determine a lot, but the competition is taking a major step up this week. This Ravens defense has elite talent at every single level. Trey Hendrickson at edge will definitely cause issues as a pass rusher. Roquan Smith is the leader of the defense in the middle, and Kyle Hamilton is a versatile safety who can line up anywhere. The offense will have to stay patient, stay on schedule, and ensure that it can limit third-and-long situations. The defense, however, will have its own set of issues—primarily two of the biggest problems the league has to offer on a single offensive unit: two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and one of the greatest running backs to ever play, Derrick Henry. The combination of Jackson and Henry is a running duo that causes defensive coordinators to lose sleep. Henry is coming off a game in which he rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns, and after seeing what the Saints defense allowed from Jahmyr Gibbs, it would be understandable to have concerns about this matchup for the rushing defense. Add to that the fact that Jackson is the most explosive running threat at the quarterback position ever, and you have yourself a very stressful situation. The issue with Jackson, though, is that in Week 1 he was also very polished throwing the football. Jackson finished with a 68% completion percentage, 324 passing yards, and one passing touchdown, while also adding 40 yards on the ground and another rushing touchdown. The Saints will have to get pressure on Jackson and cause issues in the backfield, even in the running game, but they have to do so with precision and rush-lane integrity. If they don't, Jackson will have the freedom to open the offense up to its full potential. In order for the Saints to pull off the upset, they have to control the clock by establishing the run and getting Shough into rhythm early. They will have to keep the Ravens offense off the field, and when they are on defense, they will have to win first down and force Baltimore into long third-down situations. By the end of the game, everyone will know whether the Saints are on the right track for this season or if they are still a few pieces away from challenging for the division and making a run in the playoffs.

 Same rules as the offense: only original Tulane high-school recruits, including guys who later left. No portal arrivals (Ed Smith IV, Reshad Sterling, Derrick Shepard, Chris Rodgers, Jack Tchienchou, Anthony Rogers, Macho Stevenson, Dalton Hughes, Justin Agu, Kajuan Banks, etc.). Tulane’s current defense is a 4-2-5. Defensive line DE Geordan Guidry/Josh Lewis/Gerrod Henderson DT Kameron Hamilton/Maxie Baudoin DT Maxie Baudoin IV/Jordyn Crites Hamilton (Zachary HS) is the big keep, multi-year starter, 12 career sacks, back for a fifth year. Guidry (Ruston HS, 2024 class) is a homegrown edge still on the roster. Lewis is a young homegrown end. The 2025 CFP front was mostly portal/graduates (Harvey Dyson, Santana Hopper, Tre’Von McAlpine). Without the portal you don’t get those Power-4-bound imports or the 2026 replacements (Smith, Sterling, Shepard). Bandit (hybrid DE/OLB) Matthew Fobbs-White/Jah’rie Garner/Warren Roberts Jr Garner (St. Augustine, New Orleans) is already the 2026 starter and a true homegrown product. Fobbs-White (Neville, Monroe) signed with Tulane, became a 2024 starter at bandit, then left for Baylor. In this world he never leaves, so you have a proven local edge duo instead of leaning on portal rushers. Linebackers MLB Makai Williams/Jesus Machado WLB Cory Platt Jr/Dickson Agu/JC Joseph Agu (Dutchtown, Geismar) is a homegrown starter right now. Williams (Cibolo Steele, TX, 2023 class) is a long-time Tulane recruit and the next man up. Chris Rodgers, the current WLB, came from Troy with Sumrall, so he doesn’t count here. The room loses portal depth (Dalton Hughes) but keeps two original Wave LBs who already play. Secondary CB E’zaiah Shine/Jahiem Johnson CB Reyshaun Pleasant/Armani Cargo Spear Javion White/Micheal Igbinoghene SS Kevin Adams III/Josh Simms FS Kentrell Webb/Joshua Moore Shine (Mainland, FL, 2024 class) is already a 2026 starter. Nicholas is a West Jefferson / Harvey product. Adams (Destrehan) is a homegrown safety and current starter. Moore (Clear Falls, TX) was a 2023 signee and would start at free safety instead of Troy transfer Jack Tchienchou. Javion White (playmaking sophomore safety/nickel who left for Houston) and Jahiem Johnson (starting CB, 4 INTs in 2025, left for Arkansas) were developed at Tulane after signing there. If they stay, the back seven is actually one of the stronger parts of this hypothetical. Jayden Lewis, a 4-star 2025 high-school signee who later entered the portal, adds another homegrown corner. Bottom line The back seven is playable Agu, Adams, Shine, Garner, Williams, Moore, plus leavers like Fobbs-White, White, and Johnson. The front is the problem. Without portal D-linemen, you’re asking Hamilton and a bunch of younger homegrown ends/tackles to replace an entire CFP rotation that walked to Power 4 schools. Special Teams K Patrick Durkin P William Carroll LS Jason Arrendendo If I’m missing anyone please let me know. #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X