Well the changing of the guard has begun on defense. With Demario Davis leaving in free agency a big leadership void was left in the locker room where someone else will have to take the torch. Whom remains to be seen but all eyes are on what Kaden Ellis brings in his return to the Saints. The Saints signed Ellis to bring back someone with familiarity with the organization and the talents he was better able to showcase after leaving the team. Kaden Ellis in his time with the Atlanta Falcons was able to show he can do whatever you need of him from the linebacker position. He can play off ball in space showing good awareness in coverage but can also play well on the ball when asked to rush the passer from a variety of situations. With Ellis in the fold I expect the defense to be more effective in keeping the offense guessing on what the linebackers will be doing on a down to down basis. Next up is Pete Werner who has had a up and down career thus far with the Saints but overall has been a solid starter since he was drafted. Werner’s coming off a down year in terms of on field production in 2025 where he was routinely taken off the field in favor of getting the young linebackers on the roster snaps on defense to give them some opportunity and experience. If Werner wants to keep his starting role on defense he is going to have to show more impact on defense this season beginning in training camp. With Demario gone and Pete Werner the only returning starting at linebacker on defense the door of opportunity has fully opened for the young linebackers on the roster. who have been patiently waiting for their chance to make a name for themselves. Isiah Stalbird, Jaylan Ford, Danny Stutsman fit into this category as young guys earning their stripes through special teams and limited snaps on defense thus far. This will be one of the more fascinating, fun training camp battles to see if any can overtake Werner on the depth chart and carve out a more meaningful role on defense. After them is the roster hopefuls in Anfernee Jennings and Jackson Sirmon. These two will look to show they belong in the league and will do whatever it takes to prove it. Whether they make the 53 man roster with the Saints or not the goal is to help bring more competition to the room and see who can do enough to latch on somewhere in the NFL. Opportunity is the key word I would use for this group. From Kaden Ellis getting a chance to really star on defense to Pete Werner getting an opportunity to keep young guys from taking his snaps again to the young guys like Danny Stutsman overtaking Werner on the depth chart. The linebacker unit has plenty of opportunities ahead of them, let’s see what they can make with them.
The Saints went through the offseason making major investments around rising starting quarterback Tyler Shough, but one of their biggest investments came along the offensive line. If the Saints want to have more success and improve upon the way they closed out the 2025 season, it has to start with the group controlling the line of scrimmage. The Saints have invested a great deal of high-end draft capital into the offensive line over the past several seasons. They have finally answered the questions at both tackle spots and have solidified the center position with Erik McCoy. Now, however, McCoy enters his eighth season with questions of his own. Can the veteran center make it through an entire season healthy? Alongside McCoy, the Saints had questions at both guard positions, but the free-agent acquisition of David Edwards answers one of those concerns. Edwards was the top available offensive lineman in free agency this year and immediately solidifies the left guard spot. That leaves right guard as the final position up for grabs, currently occupied by veteran Cesar Ruiz. Ruiz is entering the seventh year of his career after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Michigan as a center. It was a questionable selection at the time, considering the Saints had drafted McCoy in the second round just one year earlier. Despite not having a first-round pick in 2019, McCoy stepped in as a rookie and played exceptionally well. This is a contract year for Ruiz, so he must prove that he is a dependable guard capable of holding onto his starting job. However, the leash on that position may have gotten much shorter. The Saints used a fourth-round pick in this year's draft on Jeremiah Wright, a road-grading offensive guard with outstanding size, athleticism, and strength. Wright still has areas of his game that need refinement, but through training camp and the preseason, he could push Ruiz to either elevate his play or lose the starting job altogether. If either of those scenarios plays out, the Saints will have a significantly improved offensive line, and that should translate into a much better offense overall. Follow AP on X , as well as his podcast Timeouts & Tangents
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette announced today that Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletic Director, Dr. Bryan Maggard, has accepted a new role as the Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Missouri. Maggard, who has been the director of athletics since 2017, has helped lead an athletic program that generated 21 Sun Belt Conference titles and 23 trips to the NCAA postseason across various sports. It was under his leadership that former football head coach Billy Napier, current football head coach Michael Desormeaux, former softball head coach Gerry Glasco, and current baseball head coach Matt Deggs were appointed. In the 2021-2022 athletic year under all of these coaches, Louisiana was the only program in the country to win a conference championship in all three sports, as well as winning a bowl game. In football, Maggard’s leadership brought Billy Napier to Louisiana in 2018, where he finished 40-12 overall (27-5 in the Sun Belt) and led the Cajuns to the Sun Belt Conference Championship in all four seasons, as well as winning multiple bowl games. After Napier left for Florida, Maggard facilitated Michael Desormeaux’s appointment to football head coach, where the Cajuns continued to appear in bowl games, as well as a Sun Belt Conference Championship in 2024. Overall, Maggard’s football program has appeared in eight consecutive bowl games (a streak currently ongoing), an accomplishment only five other schools in the country (Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Clemson, and Ohio State) currently have. In softball, Maggard was responsible for bringing Gerry Glasco to lead the program in 2018. Glasco led the Lady Cajuns to winning the regular season title and making the conference championship final in all six of his full seasons (2020 season nof included due to it being canceled due to COVID) at Louisiana, winning four conference titles, and making the NCAA postseason in all of his seasons. Glasco ended up moving to Texas Tech in 2024. In baseball, Maggard appointed current baseball coach Matt Deggs as the team’s head coach in following the 2019 season after UL’s former long time head coach, Tony Robichaux, passed away. Deggs led the Cajuns to four NCAA postseason appearances in the last six years (his 2020 season is not included as it was canceled due to COVID). Maggard has earned multiple prestigious national accolades during his tenure at Louisiana, including an appointment to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee. He also cultivated a culture of civic engagement, resulting in Louisiana student-athletes leading the Sun Belt Conference in community service hours for four consecutive years and ranking second nationally in 2023-24. Current Deputy Athletics and Executive Director of the RCAF, Trey Frazier, has been appointed as the interim athletic director for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. The program has announced that a national search for a new Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletic Director will begin in the coming months.
Cornerback was one of the positions going into the offseason I thought could use another major infusion of talent. Outside of Marshon Lattimore’s time with the Saints the team has not had a bona fide number one caliber cornerback. We’ve seen the defense benefit from having one and what the defense looks like without one in recent years. The defense can still be very well be good and effective without a number one but knowing you have one who can take the opposing team’s best receiver out of the game is a game changer. So the Saints have gone through the offseason without any flashy additions to the cornerback room. I’m sure they would have liked to but with all the focus on upgrading the offense it seems like the plan will have to wait for another day. In the meantime though there is a major opportunity for the young cornerbacks on the roster to show they can be long term answers at the position. Kool-Aid McKinstry is entering his third year in the league and offers the best chance of these young corners to break out and become a number one corner. He’s been a reliable starter who has shown flashes of success but with the inconsistency you expect from a young player. Kool-Aid will look to make the patented third year jump a lot of young players tend to make. I’m sure the Saints would love to see it and they just might be with the feedback we have been getting from OTA’s and minicamp.
Breaking down why the buzz around every team eyeing Trey Murphy is justified.
Lane Kiffin sat in his office with Big Cat and PFT Commenter for Pardon My Take’s annual Grit Week series. PFT jokingly asked Kiffin, “Have you gotten to meet and know Mike the Tiger yet?” Kiffin briefly explained trying to have “a moment” with Mike before the conversation quickly pivoted. “That is really why we need Coach O,” Kiffin said. Kiffin’s lighthearted attempt to connect with Mike the Tiger landed because it pointed to something real: LSU had lost a piece of its soul. Mike is more than a mascot. He’s the living symbol of the program’s unique Bayou culture, the unmistakable cultural heartbeat Ed Orgeron once brought every day with his “one team, one heartbeat” energy that made the program feel truly alive. Say what you want about the way things ended between 2020 and 2021. Based on sourced information I won’t get into here, I’d argue much of the public perception surrounding Orgeron’s exit misses the full picture. Binder in hand, Orgeron built the greatest team in college football history, an achievement that never seemed fully appreciated by LSU’s leadership at the time. Brian Kelly was brought in to “steady the ship.” In some ways, he did. LSU remained competitive and relevant nationally. But in other ways, Kelly’s tenure slowly chipped away at the culture and identity that made LSU football unique. Over four seasons, Kelly often said the right things publicly, but in true politician form, his actions rarely matched his words. The result was a gradual erosion of the program’s identity and growing apathy within a fan base that prides itself on passion and pride. Eventually, that disconnect led to Kelly’s reported $54 million exit from Baton Rouge. In a separate Grit Week interview, Orgeron was blunt about why that disconnect happened. When asked about Kelly’s infamous first appearance on the basketball court, Coach O didn’t hesitate: “It’s over, he ain’t got a chance. If you try to be somebody you ain’t, they are going to smell it from a mile away.” It felt fitting that Frank Wilson stepped in as interim head coach, describing the opportunity as “answering the call of Mother University.” Wilson understood what LSU was supposed to be because he lived it, as a Louisiana native and as a longtime assistant deeply embedded in the fabric of the program. That is not to diminish the work he did during his second stint at LSU, but at times Wilson felt like a bridge to the culture Kelly never fully embraced. He helped keep the program tethered to its Louisiana roots while Kelly attempted to reshape LSU in his own political and calculated image. When Wilson later departed for Ole Miss and LSU hired Kevin Smith to coach running backs, Kiffin, general manager Billy Glasscock, and the rest of the staff did an admirable job holding together the recruiting class and stabilizing the roster. Orgeron alluded to assisting with this by speaking to families of recruits around signing day, pulling them back to the program they always wanted. Still, something was missing. This is not to suggest LSU lacked coaches with Louisiana ties, but the program lacked a singular embodiment of its identity. It lacked the unmistakable face of Bayou culture. It lacked Ed Orgeron. Orgeron understood the deep pull better than most. He added that 99 percent of players born in Louisiana at some point dreamed of running through those H-style goal posts in Tiger Stadium and becoming a Tiger. “You just have to recapture it.” In that same interview, Orgeron laid out exactly what he brings back to Baton Rouge. “It’s an energy you just can’t match at other places,” he said of LSU. He recounted the advice he gave Kiffin: “That’s what I told Lane, ‘Recruit them.’ They’re going to be there for you through thick and thin. The guy before (you) didn’t do it. You cannot disassociate yourself with these people because this is their life.” Coach O knows that truth because he was born with it. “I was raised in the state of Louisiana,” he said. “Nobody ever had to tell me about the expectations at LSU. I got it.” That’s the culture he’s always understood: “That’s what makes this state, the people. They don’t come here to see the mosquitoes, the humidity and the alligators, it’s because of the people and the culture… LSU makes the state of Louisiana and everybody loves the LSU Tigers.” Kiffin needs someone who can immediately strengthen relationships between a largely new staff and high school coaches across Louisiana. In an era dominated by transfer portal mercenaries and transactional roster building, LSU also needs someone capable of reigniting genuine passion inside the building. That is what Orgeron brings. He is a motivator. A recruiter. A culture builder. A general who has stood on the front lines in Death Valley and experienced LSU at both its highest highs and its lowest lows. Now, as special assistant to recruiting and defense, Orgeron returns without the burdens that come with being a head coach. No administrative distractions. No CEO responsibilities. Instead, he can focus entirely on the qualities that made him so valuable in the first place: relationships, energy, intensity, and a forever love for LSU. Follow Zach
How X Games Found Its Perfect Match in New Orleans
HOUSTON, Texas - If there was one message SLU wanted to send at the 2026 Southland Conference Opening Drive, it was simple: the Lions aren't rebuilding. They're reloading. Representing SLU at media day were head coach Frank Scelfo, starting quarterback Kyle Lowe, and senior defensive lineman Peyton Anderson. Across multiple interviews and media sessions, one theme consistently emerged above all else: culture. Whether discussing leadership, recruiting, player development, or expectations for the upcoming season, the trio repeatedly returned to the same idea. At SLU, everyone is expected to protect the team, push one another, and focus on the little details that ultimately separate good teams from championship teams. A New-Look Team With Familiar Expectations SLU enters the 2026 season looking much different than last year's squad after replacing a senior class of 26 players. Despite the younger roster, Scelfo made it clear that the expectations of the program haven't changed. "You can expect to see an explosive, talented team," Scelfo said, adding that fans will see more players rotating into meaningful roles thanks to the depth the coaching staff has built. The Lions have posted the conference's best record over the past two seasons, and Scelfo believes the next wave of talent is ready to continue that success. Building Through Louisiana During the coaches' roundtable, Scelfo doubled down on SLU's recruiting philosophy. While NIL has become a valuable tool to fill immediate needs, he emphasized that high school recruiting remains the heartbeat of the program. SLU signed 28 players in its most recent recruiting class, the largest class in the Southland Conference, knowing today's college football landscape means some players may eventually move on through the transfer portal. "We'll continue recruiting high school players," Scelfo explained. "We might lose them after three or four years, but that's just the nature of the beast." Unlike many conference rivals that recruit heavily in Texas, SLU continues to build primarily from Louisiana, particularly Southeast Louisiana. As the easternmost football member of the Southland Conference, the Lions have found success by keeping local talent close to home. That philosophy became even more relevant during a discussion about recruiting footprints. East Texas A&M head coach Clint Dolezel praised Texas as the premier recruiting state in the country, referring to it as the "king" of high school football recruiting. He also highlighted Florida and California while failing to even acknowledge Louisiana. Dolezel went on to tout the benefits of hosting the Southland Conference Media Day in Houston, all but suggesting Louisiana schools should be thankful for the opportunity to recruit in Texas' backyard. That sentiment didn't sit uncontested. Northwestern State head coach Blaine McCorkle quickly came to Louisiana's defense. "Per capita there is no more passion and talent than the state of Louisiana," McCorkle said, adding that Louisiana has produced more NFL players per capita over the past 40 years than any other state. For a program like SLU that has built its roster around Louisiana talent, the exchange reinforced the recruiting identity Scelfo has embraced. The results only speak for themselves. While ETAMU has managed only 5 wins over the past 2 seasons, SLU has won 13 over that same timespan along with an FCS Playoff berth this past year. Protect the Team No phrase was repeated more throughout the day than "Protect the Team." Lowe and Anderson each described a locker room where accountability isn't optional. Teammates challenge one another daily on the practice field, in the weight room, in the classroom, and away from football. "Hammond fans are extremely passionate and supportive," Lowe said. "The team feels that support, and we want to play for the people who have our backs." Anderson echoed that sentiment from a different perspective. As a St. Amant High School alumnus, growing up just 30 minutes from Hammond, he said SLU has always felt like home. He is thankful that his friends and family have the opportunity to see him play every week he's in Strawberry Stadium. "The culture in our locker room is a team that's bought in," Anderson said. "When you have a team with that passion that's willing to push each other outside their comfort zones, good things are bound to happen." Both players repeatedly emphasized that "Protect the Team" isn't just a slogan. It's something they strive to live every day, whether on the football field, in the classroom, or throughout the community. The Details Matter During a one-on-one interview later in the day, Scelfo expanded on what separates this team. He pointed to players like Lowe, who has already earned his MBA in five years, and Anderson, who will be completing an engineering degree in just four years. "They're detail-oriented people," Scelfo explained, saying that attention to detail translates directly to success on the football field. That same mindset was echoed by Anderson during his own interview. "The little things will be the difference maker," he said. "If you're comfortable, you're not great." For Anderson, success comes from embracing his role, taking pride in the details, and continually improving year after year. Loyalty Still Matters One of the more refreshing storylines surrounding SLU is player loyalty. In an era where the transfer portal has reshaped college football, Anderson is entering his fourth season with the Lions. 4th Round NFL Draft pick Kaleb Proctor of the Arizona Cardinals also spent four years in Hammond. Sources have indicated that Anderson had opportunities to transfer, including reported interest from a touted SEC program, but chose to stay at SLU and finish what he started. That decision speaks volumes about the culture inside the program. For recruits considering where to spend their college careers, SLU is selling more than playing time. The Lions are selling development, stability, and a program that invests in its players both on and off the field. Eyes on the Prize Coming off another successful season, Lowe believes the Lions still have another level to reach. "We want to get over the hump," he said. "Win the conference and make a deep playoff run." Personally, Lowe has focused his offseason on improving his accuracy, becoming a stronger leader, distributing the football more effectively, and continuing to develop both his strength and mobility. Those goals mirror the team's mentality as a whole. Every interview throughout the day circled back to improving the small things, trusting one another, and continuing to build the culture that has made SLU one of the Southland Conference's most consistent programs. A Program Built to Compete Scelfo also took time to highlight what makes Saturdays in Hammond, America so special. From the atmosphere surrounding Strawberry Stadium to one of the conference's premier tailgating scenes, he described game day at SLU as one of the most unique experiences in the Southland. He also praised the league itself. "Southland football is exciting," Scelfo said, pointing to the level of talent throughout the conference and the quality of competition fans can expect every weekend. If Opening Drive served as an early glimpse into the 2026 season, SLU made one thing abundantly clear. The Lions may be younger than they've been in recent years, but inside the program, expectations haven't changed. The culture remains intact, the leadership is in place, and the goal is the same as it's been all along: compete for a Southland Conference championship and make a deep run in the FCS Playoffs. Photo Credit: @LionUpFootball on X
It’s the night before the draft, and you’re scrolling on X to see what all the NFL insiders and draft analysts have to say about your team. Trying to find any clues about who is going where and what the latest rumor is that could be the biggest surprise of Thursday night. The NFL Draft is one of the few times during the year when every fan has some level of hope and optimism in their team. The draft is a three-day event where it can make or break a franchise to where you can be set up for a Super Bowl contention or be stuck in the doldrums. This year, Saints fans get to have some hope and optimism after how well the 2025 NFL Draft went. Kelvin Banks and Tyler Shough headline their draft class, which showed great promise for the Saints moving forward. Now it is on Mickey Loomis, Jeff Ireland, and company to keep the momentum going and have back-to-back successful drafts. Something they haven’t been able to really do in almost ten years now. But pressure isn’t new to Mickey Loomis, the man is not fazed by the likes of you or me posting online how poor of a job he’s done. No, the man simply chews his gum into a microphone defiantly with the confidence knowing that when his back is against the wall, he can capture lightning in a bottle. Mickey did it for the 06’ draft as well as the 17’ draft. The 2025 draft doesn’t appear to be quite like those, however, getting a starting Quarterback in the second round might help make a case, but that’s beside the point. The Saints don’t need to shoot for the moon with the 2026 NFL Draft, they aren’t one player away, which Mickey confirmed today in his annual pre-draft interview. All the Saints have to do is draft good football players and not get cute. Which I know is putting it way too simply, and is easier said than done. But I don’t want the Saints to get trigger-happy and make a costly trade that backfires on them à la Trevor Penning or Marcus Davenport. If a trade opportunity comes along that they deem is reasonable, then by all means, I hope they take advantage, but just make sure you’re not the ones being taken advantage of. The Saints might have already done the hardest part by finding a QB, so now they can do the fun part of the roster building. I’ll admit there is some nervousness as a Saints fan about the draft and rightfully so, but as I type this out, the Saints are in a spot where they can’t really go wrong with their first pick in the draft. All the players being mocked to them can and should help the team in a major way as a rookie. They could go with a dynamic wide receiver like Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate, a do-it-all safety like Caleb Downs, a productive edge rusher like Ruben Bain, or maybe even trade up for a cyborg-like linebacker in Arvell Reese. The Saints have plenty of options, and all of them should be quality options. So now the question is, who is going to be the Saints fans’ present Thursday evening? We don’t have to wait much longer to find out. Merry Draftmas, everyone.
The Sun Belt Conference announced its "set" 2026 football schedule today, which includes the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Normally, it does not take this long for the Sun Belt to release their annual football schedule. But ongoing issues between Louisiana Tech and Conference USA has complicated the process and delayed the schedule releases for both conferences. That said, I would take this "set" schedule release with a grain of salt (with heavy emphasis on the quotation marks). A few days ago, reports surfaced that the Sun Belt would indeed release its football schedule today and that it would include Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs have already accepted an invite to join the Sun Belt last July, and is pushing to make the move this summer, pending a court ruling next week. Late Thursday night, however, Conference USA unexpectedly released its own "set" 2026 football schedule out of nowhere, which also includes Louisiana Tech as one of its member schools. The timing itself raised eyebrows, making it seem like the conference did it out of pettiness to release their version of the schedule with the Bulldogs included prior to the Sun Belt's scheduled Friday release, which was also set to include the Bulldogs. As a result, Louisiana Tech is technically listed as a member of both conferences according to the newly released schedules. Of course, the Bulldogs cannot play in two conferences at once, which is why both schedule releases should be viewed as tentative for now. A court ruling between the UL System (which oversees Louisiana Tech) and Conference USA is currently rumored to take place on Thursday next week (March 19th). The decision at this rumored hearing is expected to have a solution on whether Louisiana Tech can move to the Sun Belt in the summer or remain in the Conference USA for one more year before making the move in the summer of 2027. Until then, it is a wait-and-see game for members of both the Sun Belt and Conference USA. Ultimately, one of these newly released schedules will be right, while the other will be forced to change. But it is in the best interest that both sides have their backup non-Louisiana Tech schedules ready to go in case the ruling swings one way over the other. Here is the 2026 Sun Belt Football Schedule, per the Sun Belt Conference: TEAM-BY-TEAM SCHEDULES SUN BELT EAST DIVISION APP STATE 9/5 Maine 9/12 at East Carolina 9/19 Charlotte 9/26 at North Carolina State 10/10 Old Dominion* 10/16 at Coastal Carolina* 10/22 James Madison* 10/31 at Georgia Southern* 11/7 Georgia State* 11/14 at Marshall* 11/21 ULM* 11/28 at South Alabama* COASTAL CAROLINA 9/5 at West Virginia 9/12 Fordham 9/19 at Delaware 9/24 Liberty 10/3 Georgia Southern* 10/10 at Marshall* 10/16 App State* 10/31 at Georgia State* 11/7 Old Dominion* 11/14 Arkansas State* 11/21 at Louisiana* 11/28 at James Madison* GEORGIA SOUTHERN 9/5 Charleston Southern 9/12 at Clemson 9/19 at Jacksonville State 9/26 Houston 10/3 at Coastal Carolina* 10/10 James Madison* 10/15 at Old Dominion* 10/31 App State* 11/7 Marshall* 11/14 at Georgia State* 11/21 at Troy* 11/28 Louisiana Tech* GEORGIA STATE 9/5 North Carolina A&T 9/12 at Kennesaw State 9/19 at UCF 9/26 Northern Illinois 10/3 Old Dominion* 10/17 at James Madison* 10/24 at Arkansas State* 10/31 Coastal Carolina* 11/7 at App State* 11/14 Georgia Southern* 11/21 at Marshall* 11/28 Louisiana* JAMES MADISON 9/5 Liberty 9/12 Wagner 9/19 at San Diego State 9/26 at Old Dominion* 10/3 Marshall* 10/10 at Georgia Southern* 10/17 Georgia State* 10/22 at App State* 10/29 Troy* 11/5 at Southern Miss* 11/14 at UConn 11/28 Coastal Carolina* MARSHALL 9/5 at Penn State 9/12 Middle Tennessee 9/19 at Missouri State 9/26 Gardner-Webb 10/3 at James Madison* 10/10 Coastal Carolina* 10/20 South Alabama* 10/31 at Old Dominion* 11/7 at Georgia Southern* 11/14 App State* 11/21 Georgia State* 11/28 at ULM* OLD DOMINION 9/5 Norfolk State 9/12 at Virginia Tech 9/19 East Carolina 9/26 James Madison* 10/3 at Georgia State* 10/10 at App State* 10/15 Georgia Southern* 10/24 at Louisiana Tech* 10/31 Marshall* 11/7 at Coastal Carolina* 11/21 at UConn 11/28 Southern Miss* SUN BELT WEST DIVISION ARKANSAS STATE 9/5 at Memphis 9/12 West Georgia 9/19 at TCU 9/26 Kennesaw State 10/3 at Louisiana* 10/8 South Alabama* 10/17 at Southern Miss* 10/24 Georgia State* 11/7 ULM* 11/14 at Coastal Carolina* TBA^ at Louisiana Tech* 11/28 Troy* LOUISIANA 9/5 Lamar 9/12 at USC 9/19 UAB 9/26 at Charlotte 10/3 Arkansas State* 10/10 at Louisiana Tech* 10/17 Troy* 10/24 at Southern Miss* 11/7 South Alabama* 11/12 at ULM* 11/21 Coastal Carolina* 11/28 at Georgia State* ULM 9/5 at Mississippi State 9/12 at UAB 9/19 Southeastern Louisiana 9/26 Florida Atlantic 10/3 at South Alabama* 10/17 Louisiana Tech* 10/24 at Troy* 10/31 Southern Miss* 11/7 at Arkansas State* 11/12 Louisiana* 11/21 at App State* 11/28 Marshall* LOUISIANA TECH 9/5 Northwestern State 9/12 at LSU 9/19 at Baylor 10/3 Army 10/10 Louisiana* 10/17 at ULM* 10/24 Old Dominion* 10/31 at South Alabama* 11/7 at Troy* 11/14 Southern Miss* TBA^ Arkansas State* 11/28 at Georgia Southern* SOUTH ALABAMA 9/5 Southeastern Louisiana 9/12 at Tulane 9/19 Ohio 9/26 at Kentucky 10/3 ULM* 10/8 at Arkansas State* 10/20 at Marshall* 10/31 Louisiana Tech* 11/7 at Louisiana* 11/14 Troy* 11/21 at Southern Miss* 11/28 App State* SOUTHERN MISS 9/5 Alcorn State 9/12 at Auburn 9/19 UConn 9/26 at Tulane 10/6 at Troy* 10/17 Arkansas State* 10/24 Louisiana* 10/31 at ULM* 11/5 James Madison* 11/14 at Louisiana Tech* 11/21 South Alabama* 11/28 at Old Dominion* TROY 9/5 Sam Houston 9/12 Alabama State 9/19 at Missouri 9/26 at Utah State 10/6 Southern Miss* 10/17 at Louisiana* 10/24 ULM* 10/29 at James Madison* 11/7 Louisiana Tech* 11/14 at South Alabama* 11/21 Georgia Southern* 11/28 at Arkansas State* * Sun Belt Conference Game ^ TBA as 11/19, 11/20 or 11/21
When: Saturday, October 18th, 2025, 11:00 AM Where: FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN Channel: ABC Spread: Vanderbilt -2.5 O/U: 47.5 The Tigers will be playing Saturday morning in Music City. This matchup will tell us a lot! Vanderbilt, 5-1 (1-1), is entering into this contest coming off of a bye week. Vandy does appear to be a little beat up. Keep an eye out for this. The Commodores have the 4th best rushing offense in the SEC as well as the 5th best total offense in the SEC. Diego Pavia is the leader of this team. Pavia has over 1400 passing yards, over 300 rushing yards, and 16 total TDs. Sedrick Alexander and Makihilyn Young are the leaders in the running back room. The leading pass catchers are Eli Stowers, Junior Sherrill, and Tre Richardson. The defense is led by safety CJ Heard, edge rusher Miles Capers, and Bryan Longwell. This isn't your grandpa's, your dad's, nor your Vanderbilt. This is a high strung team. The Tigers are in for a fight. LSU, 5-1 (2-1), enters the contest coming off of a big win against South Carolina. Garrett Nussmeier appears to be healthy. The ball really jumped off of his hand last week. The Tiger signal caller will look to cut back on the interceptions. Caden Durham and Ju'Juan Johnson will take care of the backfield duties for the Tigers. Both Durham and Johnson had solid games last week. The offensive line will look to build off of the momentum from last week. Trey'Dez Green had a great game last week. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers use Green. Kyle Parker has stepped up big time in recent weeks. I would like to see Parker continue to be involved. Aaron Anderson appears to be good to go for this one. This is huge for the Tigers. The Tiger defense is a solid unit with talent at all 3 levels. Jacobian Guillory is the leader on the line. Whit Weeks, who is a bit dinged up, is the leader in the linebacker room. Tamarcus Cooley and AJ Haulcy are the leaders in the defensive backfield, but this defensive backfield is LOADED with talent! KEYS TO THE GAME - The Tigers shut down Diego Pavia last year. This defense had practice last week facing LaNorris Sellers. Let's see if the Tigers can make Pavia one dimensional. - Can the Tiger defense get off the field on 3rd down? - Can the Tigers keep the running game going? This will be a perfect way to start the day, Tiger fans. This looks to be a great game. Fun Fact: The 1st time these teams met was in 1902. LSU finished the season 6-1 with the only loss being to Vanderbilt. The Tigers went on to capture a co-conference championship. Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro
The Tigers move to 5-1 on the season, 2-1 in SEC play. LSU goes 3 and out on the opening drive of the game. LaNorris Sellers fumbles on the 1st play of South Carolina's opening drive. Tigers recover the fumble. LSU goes on a 4 play 7 yard drive that is capped off by a Damian Ramos 28 yard field goal. LSU 3-0. South Carolina puts together a 9 play 46 yard drive, but William Joyce misses a 47 yard field goal. LSU puts together a strong 13 play 71 yard drive, but Ju'Juan Johnson fumbles. South Carolina recovers the fumble. South Carolina takes advantage by going on a 3 play 80 yard drive that was capped off by a Matt Fuller 72 yard rushing TD. SC 7-3. LSU punches back with a 6 play 72 yard drive that was capped off by a Trey'Dez Green 6 yard receiving TD. LSU 10-7. The teams trade punts. Then the quarterbacks trade interceptions. The teams trade punts again. South Carolina runs out the 1st half. South Carolina opens the 2nd half with an 11 play 46 yard drive that was capped off by a William Joyce 47 yard field goal. Tied 10-10. LSU responds with a 4 play 75 yard drive that was capped off by a Kyle Parker 43 yard receiving TD. LSU 17-10. South Carolina goes 3 and out. Garrett Nussmeier throws an interception. The teams trade punts. South Carolina turns the ball over on downs. LSU takes advantage by going on a 10 play 64 yard drive that was capped off by a Damian Ramos 22 yard field goal. LSU 20-10. South Carolina turns the ball over on downs. LSU kneels out the clock. Tigers win! LSU 20, South Carolina 10. Takeaways - The turnovers, especially in the end zone, have to be talked about. - This defense will keep LSU in games. This offense has to pull their weight. - TREY'DEZ GREEN!! Awards - Offensive MVP - Trey'Dez Green - This guy stepped up big time tonight. Hopefully this is a preview of things to come! - Defensive MVP - AJ Haulcy - This guy is climbing draft boards every week. Take it in, Tiger fans! The Tigers travel to Music City to take on Vanderbilt Saturday morning. Thank you for checking out my article. Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro