Tuesday: Pelicans Roster Reality
Chrissy Smith • August 4, 2026
Who Has the Most to Prove This Season? Three Pelicans Entering Pivotal Years
NEW ORLEANS -- There’s no doubt that every NBA season brings pressure. For some players, it's about earning a bigger contract. For others, it's about proving they belong in the rotation. And for a select few, it's about changing the direction of an entire franchise.
The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off a disappointing 26-win season and enter 2026-27 with a new head coach in Jamahl Mosley, but a roster that looks largely the same. The organization is counting on internal growth—not a roster overhaul—to climb back into playoff contention.
That means several players will be under the microscope from opening night.
Here are the three Pelicans with the most to prove this season:
1. Zion Williamson
This one is obvious because no player on the roster faces more scrutiny than Zion Williamson—not because anyone questions his talent, but because everyone knows what he's capable of when he's healthy and fully engaged.
We've seen stretches where Zion looks like one of the most unstoppable players in basketball. He's a nightmare in transition, impossible to keep out of the paint, and one of the league's most efficient scorers around the rim.
The question has never been talent.
If Zion adds in a mid-range jumper and at least one to two three-point attempts every game, as well as embraces Mosley's defensive culture, the Pelicans' outlook changes dramatically.
2. Jeremiah Fears
Rookies usually aren't expected to carry much pressure, but Jeremiah Fears is different. The Pelicans drafted him because they believe he can become a cornerstone of the franchise, so now comes the difficult part.
He needs to adjust better to NBA speed, learn to really guard veteran players, and make smart decisions when game slows down in the fourth quarter. No one expects him to have it figured out day one, so there will be growing pains, but that's perfectly normal.
I don’t’ think success this season will be measured solely by points or assists for him, but it will be measured by growth.
If Fears finishes the year looking even more like the point guard of the future, the season will be considered a success regardless of his stat line.
3. Jamahl Mosley
Yes, I believe coaches belong on this list too.
Mosley arrives in New Orleans with a reputation for building culture, developing young players, and constructing elite defensive teams. But can he unlock a roster that has consistently shown flashes of playoff potential but struggled to put everything together?
I’m OK with the fact that the Pelicans didn't make sweeping offseason changes because what they did change is leadership. That means much of this season's success—or failure—will be tied to whether Mosley can establish a defensive identity, create accountability, and maximize the talent already on the roster.
His fingerprints should be visible from the opening week.
The Bottom Line
The Pelicans don't necessarily need every player to have a career year, but they need their most important people to answer the biggest questions.
If those players can do that, then the conversation around the Pelicans could look very different by next spring. So that's why this season feels less about talent—and more about proving it.
A quick share helps us a lot!
No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss couldn't have asked for a bigger Week 3 matchup. Both teams enter Saturday night undefeated, and for LSU, this will be the first true test of the Lane Kiffin era. But this isn't just another SEC game — it's Kiffin's return to Oxford. Less than a year ago, Kiffin led Ole Miss to its first playoff appearance. Now he'll walk into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium as LSU's head coach, facing the program he helped turn into a national contender. Saturday marks a historic matchup, as LSU and Ole Miss meet as Top 10 teams for the first time in 64 years — since No. 6 Ole Miss defeated No. 4 LSU 15–7 in Baton Rouge. LSU Offense: Can Leavitt Protect the Football? The Tigers have opened the season with wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech, averaging 48 points and 586 yards per game through two games. The biggest question heading into Oxford is LSU's quarterback play. Sam Leavitt has shown plenty of playmaking ability through the first two games, particularly with his legs, but turnovers have been the biggest concern. He's completed 41 of 66 passes (62.1%) for 574 yards with just two touchdowns against four interceptions, while adding 135 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Against Louisiana Tech alone, he threw three picks — including a 100-yard pick-six — to go with 344 passing yards, four total touchdowns, and five sacks taken. Those four interceptions are something LSU must clean up quickly, especially heading into a road matchup where every possession could matter. If Leavitt can protect the football while continuing to make plays outside the pocket, LSU's offense becomes much more difficult to defend. Leavitt was initially listed as doubtful because of a back issue after missing Wednesday's practice. He returned to practice Thursday and was upgraded to questionable. If Leavitt plays, the question turns to the playmakers — and whether LSU can pressure Ole Miss and its secondary the way it did in its Week 1 matchup against Louisville. Ole Miss Has Plenty of Firepower The Rebels enter the game 2-0 with plenty of weapons of their own. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has emerged as a Heisman Trophy contender and potential first-round draft pick — and the résumé backs it up. In 2025 he threw for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns to just three interceptions, ran for 527 yards and eight more scores, and finished eighth in Heisman voting while leading Ole Miss to the Sugar Bowl, where he torched Georgia for 362 yards and two touchdowns in a 39–34 upset. His 155.4 passer rating last season ranked among the nation's elite. Through the first two games, Chambliss, Kewan Lacy, and Deuce Alexander have given Ole Miss a balanced offensive attack, with Chambliss providing a dual-threat presence at quarterback, Lacy bringing a physical run game, and Alexander emerging as a reliable weapon in the passing game. Together, they give LSU three different problems to account for and make the Rebels' offense difficult to defend. With two Heisman Trophy candidates and solid offensive line play, Ole Miss could prove to overpower LSU if the Tigers can't get into the backfield and continue their disruption of opposing offenses. The Biggest Matchup: LSU's Defense vs. Ole Miss' Offense This is where I think the game could ultimately be decided. LSU's defense has been impressive through the first two games, but Ole Miss presents a much different challenge with a quarterback who can make plays with his arm and legs, a physical running back in Kewan Lacy, and a dangerous receiver in Deuce Alexander. The key for LSU will be stopping the run without committing too many defenders to the box. Lacy can punish a defense that gets out of position, while Chambliss can take advantage of open running lanes if LSU's linebackers and defensive ends get too aggressive. LSU's defensive line has to win its matchups and force Ole Miss into obvious passing situations. When Ole Miss does throw, LSU's secondary will have to be disciplined. Alexander has emerged as one of the Rebels' leading receiving threats, and LSU can't afford to give up explosive plays. Chambliss showed last season he can stretch a defense vertically — he averaged 8.8 yards per attempt and ripped off an 88-yard completion — so the Tigers need to make Ole Miss earn every yard rather than allowing quick touchdowns. The other major factor is pressure. LSU has already recorded 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss through two games, with defensive end Princewill Umanmielen leading the way with two sacks and linebacker TJ Dottery forcing two fumbles. The Tigers held Louisiana Tech to zero net yards on 20 plays and zero first downs in the first half of their Week 2 win. If LSU can consistently get pressure on Chambliss with four or five defenders, it could completely change the game. If they have to blitz constantly, however, that could create opportunities for Chambliss and Ole Miss' playmakers. For me, the formula is pretty simple: stop Lacy, contain Chambliss, don't give up explosive plays to Alexander, and make Ole Miss consistently drive the length of the field. If LSU's defense can do that, the Tigers have a legitimate opportunity to control this game. LSU Keys to Victory The Tigers have to protect the football. Leavitt threw four interceptions through two games — including three in a single night against Louisiana Tech — and LSU cannot afford to give Ole Miss short fields in a game that could come down to a possession or two. LSU also needs to slow down Kewan Lacy and force Ole Miss to win through the air. Another huge key to victory for me is making Trinidad Chambliss play East–West rather than North–South when he uses his legs. Chambliss is a genuine rushing threat — he ran for 527 yards and eight touchdowns last season, averaging 4.0 yards per carry — so containing him on the ground is non-negotiable. The Tigers should continue using their defensive front aggressively, especially considering the pressure they've generated through the first two games. Offensively, getting Trey'Dez Green involved early could be important. His size creates a matchup Ole Miss will have to account for — he posted four catches for 71 yards in Week 2 — and LSU needs to find ways to get its best playmakers involved regardless of who starts at quarterback. Perhaps most importantly, LSU has to stay disciplined. The environment will be hostile, the emotions will be high, and Kiffin's return will add another layer to the game. LSU can't allow penalties, turnovers, or frustration to become a bigger story than football itself. Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding know the narratives this game holds. Neither of them can put pads on and play, but they know it's time to spot the ball — and their coaches and players will be working through one of the best games of the 2026 season. Prediction I'm taking LSU 28, Ole Miss 17. I expect this to be a physical SEC game early, but I think LSU's defense ultimately makes the difference. The Tigers have allowed just 12 points per game through their first two games and have already recorded 10 sacks, while Ole Miss will be facing an LSU defense that has shown it can create pressure and force negative plays. Get Trinidad running sideline to sideline, and I expect this LSU team to hold the Rebels under 200 rushing yards as a team. The biggest factor is whether Sam Leavitt can protect the football. If he plays, LSU has enough offensive weapons to take advantage of Ole Miss' defense, particularly with Trey'Dez Green creating matchup problems. I expect LSU to lean on its defense, control the tempo, and make enough plays late to leave Oxford with a statement SEC victory. Can LSU Set It Off in Oxford? Final: LSU 28, Ole Miss 17. Game Information No. 7 LSU vs. No. 8 Ole Miss ๐
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 โฐ Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET ๐ Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Mississippi TV: ABC ๐ฑ Streaming: ESPN App
The 1-1 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns are back at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium on Saturday night when they face the 1-1 UAB Blazers. Kickoff is set for 7pm. Saturday’s matchup will break what is currently an even 4-4 all-time series between the Cajuns and Blazers. These two teams last met in Birmingham three years ago in 2023, when Louisiana defeated UAB 41-21 behind a dominant rushing performance. Quarterback Zeon Chriss, who replaced Ben Wooldridge after he suffered a lower-leg injury early in the game, rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Jacob Kibodi added 108 yards and another touchdown. Chriss also helped lead the Cajuns to the convincing win with his arm, completing 14-of-20 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. Louisiana comes into Saturday after losing 49-30 in Los Angeles last weekend against the 14th-ranked USC Trojans in a game the Trojans controlled for most of the night. The Cajuns, however, managed to stay within reach for a good portion of the game. An interception by Avery Demery on USC’s first drive gave UL great field position, while their first touchdown came in the second quarter following a strong drive that included a 37-yard catch and run by tight end Brock Chappell before Steven Blanco punched it in. The game eventually started to separate, especially as USC’s offense continued finding the end zone. The Trojans scored touchdowns on six of their eight full offensive possessions and finished with 269 passing yards and 206 rushing yards. Louisiana did show some fight late, though. The Cajuns scored touchdowns on both of their fourth-quarter possessions, with Lunch Winfield finishing the night with 303 yards of total offense. He completed 16-of-22 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown while adding 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Needless to say, despite the loss, the Cajuns showed a lot of fight against a USC team that has its eyes set on a national championship run. It also helped Louisiana learn a little more about an offense that left week one’s win against Lamar with some question marks, especially through the air. UAB, on the other hand, has had a somewhat similar start to its season. The Blazers opened the year on the road against Illinois, a game that, much like UL against USC, stayed relatively competitive before Illinois began to separate. Despite losing 42-23, UAB actually outgained Illinois in yards by over 80 yards, finished with seven more first downs and held the football for more than 41 minutes compared with less than 19 minutes for Illinois. So how did they lose by 19? Penalties, red-zone struggles and one costly turnover. UAB committed nine penalties for 69 yards and, despite scoring on all five of its red-zone trips, only came away with two touchdowns. Quarterback Ryder Burton also threw a fourth-quarter interception that was returned 59 yards for an Illinois touchdown. The Blazers then returned home to face the ULM Warhawks, and once again, UAB struggled with penalties and finishing drives in plus territory. UAB eventually won 26-20, but had to play catch-up for most of it. UAB trailed 20-10 midway through the third quarter before scoring the game’s final 16 points. They didn’t take their first lead until Ryder Burton connected with EJ Reid for a 43-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. That game was predominantly won through UAB’s rushing attack. The Blazers rushed for 266 yards on 52 carries, led by redshirt junior running back Rod Robinson II with 114 yards on 21 attempts. Braylon McReynolds added 75 yards and a touchdown. Ryder Burton finished 8/16 passing for 115 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Through two games, UAB is averaging 230 rushing yards per game compared with just 167 yards through the air. The Blazers have run the football 100 times while attempting only 47 passes. That should give us a pretty good idea of what Louisiana’s defense can expect Saturday night. Louisiana Looks to Create Consistency on the Ground Without the ground game, UL wouldn’t be where it’s at offensively right now. The Cajuns are averaging 195 rushing yards per game through their first two contests, and a lot of that has come from quarterback Lunch Winfield, who leads the team with 175 rushing yards and three touchdowns. But the bigger story has been the development of a new group of running backs. Darrell Smith and JJ Garner have both been reliable when Louisiana has needed them, while Anthony Reagan Jr. and Steven Blanco have also shown flashes through the first two games. It’s a deep running back room, which is something Coach Michael Desormeaux and his staff should be able to continue taking advantage of as the season progresses. Right now, it’s simply a matter of creating some consistency with that group. Louisiana’s offensive line, for the most part, has done a good job creating room to run, although the Cajuns will be without starting guard Matt Broussard on Saturday as he is in concussion protocol. Sophomore Jakoby Isom, redshirt sophomore Jayce Mitchell, and redshirt junior Andrew Martinez will all be rotated in place of Broussard. With a passing game that, to me, still poses some questions, it will be imperative that Louisiana establishes the run early against UAB. Whether that’s through the running backs or Lunch Winfield, it has to start there. Shutting Down UAB’s Running Game If there is one thing UAB has made clear through two games, it’s that they want to run the football. The Blazers are averaging 230 rushing yards per game and have run the ball on roughly two-thirds of their offensive plays. Quarterback Ryder Burton, meanwhile, has completed 26/47 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has shown that he can move the football through the air when necessary, but UAB’s identity right now is clearly built around the ground game. That means it’ll come down to how well Louisiana’s defensive front and linebackers can handle running back Rod Robinson II and the rest of this Blazers backfield without allowing them to consistently move the chains. Robinson II has shown so far this season that he is willing to play with physicality rather than agility. One thing UAB has done extremely well is stay on the field. The Blazers are converting nearly 59% of their third downs and have averaged more than 36 minutes of possession through two games. That’s a dangerous combination when you’re playing a team that wants to run the football 40 or 50 times. Louisiana has allowed 135 rushing yards per game so far this season, although USC did rush for 206 yards last week. This will be a completely different style of running game compared with what Louisiana saw in Los Angeles, but it’ll still be a very good early test of the Cajuns’ front seven. How prepared Louisiana’s defense is to slow down UAB’s ground game will definitely be one of the biggest questions Saturday night. Cajuns Get a Key Player Back at Wide Receiver Louisiana is expected to get redshirt sophomore wide receiver Landon Strother back on Saturday after he suffered a broken collarbone during fall camp. He is a player the Cajuns had high expectations for throughout the offseason, especially in a wide receiver room that needed to replace several players who either graduated or transferred out. The good news for Louisiana is that some of its younger pass catchers showed significant improvement against USC. Russell Babineaux had a breakout performance with six catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Brock Chappell added three catches for 47 yards. Now, adding Strother back into the mix gives Winfield another experienced option to work with. Louisiana will still be without Shelton Sampson Jr., Trenton Chaney and tight end Caden Jensen, but getting Strother back is definitely a step in the right direction. With a receiving room that still hasn’t shown much of a consistent outside vertical threat through two games, this could be the perfect opportunity to start opening things up a little more. Keys to the Game Establish the run game early on offense, and show that you can slow down a rushing attack on defense. If the Cajuns can do both of those things, this is a game Louisiana should be able to control. As mentioned earlier, UAB’s rushing attack helped the Blazers mount their comeback against ULM and also allowed them to control possession against Illinois, with 460 rushing yards total. Those are numbers that can wear a defense down. At the same time, the Blazers have also continuously hurt themselves. UAB already has 17 penalties for 136 yards through two games. Even more interesting is they are a perfect 6/6 when it comes to scoring inside the 20, but only two of those six possessions have ended in touchdowns. The other four ended in field goals. So while UAB has proven it can move the football and sustain long drives, finishing them with sixes has been another story. Louisiana needs to force UAB into those same situations Saturday night. Win first and second down, create third-and-long opportunities and force Burton to beat you through the air rather than allowing the Blazers to stay ahead of the chains with their rushing attack. Even a few negative plays would help take away momentum from the Blazers. Offensively, Louisiana needs to establish the running game early, keep the offense on schedule and don’t put Winfield in situations where he’s constantly being asked to convert obvious passing downs. You never want to fall behind, especially against a team that has already proven it can patiently work its way back into a game. Final Prediction: Louisiana 34, UAB 20 I think the biggest difference in this game will come down to how well Louisiana can limit UAB from getting into the red zone, and what happens once the Blazers get there. UAB has scored on all six of its red-zone opportunities so far this season. However, only two have resulted in touchdowns. Louisiana, meanwhile, has done a pretty good job of limiting opponents inside the 20. Lamar only reached the red zone once and resulted in a missed field goal, while USC made four trips last weekend. Louisiana’s opponents are 4-for-5 scoring in the red zone this season, but all four of those scores have been touchdowns. So the key isn’t necessarily Louisiana’s red-zone defense itself. It’s keeping UAB from consistently getting there in the first place. Against a team averaging 230 rushing yards per game and that can convert third downs well, getting the Blazers off the field before those long drives develop will be crucial. I think Lunch Winfield will find himself doing what he does best: creating plays with his legs and rushing for 50-plus yards, while also (hopefully) finding a passing touchdown or two. I also think this would be the perfect time for UL’s offense to start getting its outside receivers more involved. Russell Babineaux gave the short passing game a major boost against USC. Now with Strother back, it should give Winfield another weapon and hopefully a deep threat guy. It would definitely be great to see Strother find the end zone in his first game back. Ultimately, I think Louisiana’s offensive balance and ability to create more explosive plays will be the difference. UAB will move the football and probably put together a few long possessions, but if the Cajuns can limit touchdowns and force the Blazers to settle for field goals or punts, this is one the Cajuns should have. Give me UL to win this one 34-20 as the Cajuns improve to 2-1 before preparing for a trip to Charlotte next weekend as they wrap up non-conference play. I do think the under hits only because UAB's gameplan has shown to be ground-heavy, and the Cajuns don't fall that far behind on that trend.