BATON ROUGE – LSU put itself in almost every situation imaginable in its four games this football season.

Losing a one-possession neutral site game in the season-opener to a 4½-point underdog because of 10 penalties for 99 yards, including two senseless personal fouls by veterans.

Slogging to a home win in Game 2 vs. a supposedly overmatched FCS (formerly Division 1-AA) in-state 19 ½-point underdog school that had a running back lineup as a Wildcat QB who rushed for 145 yards and 2 TDs.

Winning on the road in the SEC in Game 3 over a 7½-point underdog after falling behind 17-0 in the game’s first 18 minutes.

Winning at home in Game 4 over a 23½-point underdog despite being in a 17-17 tie at halftime with a team that had scored seven first-half points in its first two games.

But here Saturday in Tiger Stadium in their final non-conference contest before an open date and seven SEC games in the regular season’s last eight weeks, the Brian Kelly-coached 14th-ranked Tigers found themselves in a foreign yet welcome spot.

Playing mostly like a 23½-point favorite as deemed by oddsmakers, LSU hammered South Alabama 42-10 after scoring 14 points in its first three offensive plays.

“Coach Kelly kept telling us during the week this was our last game before an open date,” LSU linebacker Whit Weeks said. “He said, `Everybody’s gonna be talking about this game for the next two weeks, so make sure it’s a good one.’”

Good, yes.

Good enough to win the rest of LSU’s games or maybe another loss or two along the way? Debatable.

It’s hard to argue with 667 yards total offense vs. the visiting Jags.

There was a career-high 409 passing yards (in his sixth college start) from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and 217 all-purpose yards (128 rushing, 71 receiving) in one half from true freshman running back Caden Durham who sat out the second half with a foot injury Kelly deemed “not major.”

Defensively, playing without injured linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. who sustained a season-ending torn ACL vs. UCLA, the Tigers held an offense that had averaged 512.3 yards and 48.3 points to 333 yards and a field goal and a touchdown.

While it’s nit-picking to find the negatives in a 32-point win, every possession is now magnified when LSU, now ranked 13th in the AP and 12th in the coaches poll, resumes SEC play on Oct. 12 at home vs. No. 12 Ole Miss.

Just ask the Rebels about how each possession is meaningful. Armed with an offense ranked first nationally in total offense (670.8 yards per game) and points (55 points per game) against four woefully weak non-conference creampuffs, Ole Miss scored on its first possession in its SEC opener before going 1 for 10 in third down conversions with one lost fumble in a 20-17 home loss to Kentucky.

The Tigers’ offense wandered away from focused execution vs. South Alabama after establishing a 35-3 lead with 4:23 left in the first half.

From that point, LSU’s final five possessions of the game consisted of Nussmeier throwing back-to-back interceptions, followed by a 99-yard TD drive, a punt and a clock-killing 55-yard possession under backup QB Rickie Collins that ate the final 6:38 of game clock.

Nussmeier, who has improved a million miles in his decision-making from his last few years as a backup, threw two uncharacteristically bad passes for picks.

“The first one was just a play that I got outside the pocket and some throw that I make normally in my sleep,” Nussmeier said. “I’ll beat myself up over it for the next couple of weeks. The second one was a mistake that I made that I should never not.”

Though a red-faced, cussing Kelly gave Nussmeier a thorough tongue-lashing after the second pick – something some LSU fans on social media deemed inappropriate behavior from a head coach – Nussmeier understood Kelly’s anger.

“I’ve been coached hard my whole life,” said Nussmeier, son of longtime NFL and college QB coach Doug Nussmeier. “When I was a kid, my dad was always very hard on me, very enthusiastic and very loud. I’m used to it. Coach Kelly does an unbelievable job helping me correct it.”

Kelly hinted afterward that Nussmeier’s mistakes were the byproduct of having a comfortable lead, conducive to taking more risky throws.

“I think he probably got caught up a little bit in the game,” Kelly said. “I’m not here to defend him for that, but I’m not panicked about the two interceptions. Those were decisions that are easily correctable. And I’m not concerned about the two interceptions from that perspective.”

Playing without Perkins for the first time seemed to galvanize LSU’s defense. There were fewer coverage busts and not as many missed tackles. The linebacking duo of Weeks and Greg Penn III seemed to play as one, accounting for 23 tackles, 1 ½ tackles for loss and 2 QB hurries.

“Those two pair up really well, really feed off each other,” Kelly said. “But it’s important to point out we’re doing a good job up front (on the defensive line).”

Kelly said this week’s open date will be treated differently than the Tigers’ second open date week of Nov. 2 before hosting now No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 9.

“We’re going to practice, we still have some real work to get done,” Kelly said of this week’s first open date. “We’ll treat the second open date as a recovery week.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

MARSHALL, Texas — The Centenary football team fell 47-8 to the East Texas Baptist University Tigers on Saturday night in a non-conference game at Ornelas Stadium.

The Gents (1-3) fumbled on the game’s first offensive play and ETBU recovered, leading to a Paul Woodard 4-yard touchdown rush just three plays later and the  Tigers took a 7-0 lead with 13:54 remaining in the first quarter.

Centenary forced an ETBU punt with 9:38 left in the first and the snap was bad, forcing the Tigers’ punter to run out of the back of the end zone for a Gents’ safety to make it 7-2. Woodard scored on a 19-yard TD run to make it 14-2 with 3:29 left in the period.

ETBU quarterback Kaden Brown’s 25-yard TD pass to wide receiver Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox extended the Tigers’ lead to 21-2 with 9:38 remaining in the second quarter and the lead swelled to 28-2 following a Hymond Drinkard 2-yard TD run.

The Gents finally found the end zone at the 3:25 mark of the second quarter as junior quarterback Zin’Tavious Smith of Coushatta and Red River High found junior transfer Kobe Chambers for a 61-yard TD pass to make it 28-8, but the two-point conversion run failed.

The Tigers returned the second half kickoff 95 yards and cashed in immediately on the next play as Woodard scored from two yards out to make it 34-8 with 14:40 left in the third quarter. Brown connected with Llanas-Wilcox for an 8-yard TD pass at the 13:40 mark of the fourth quarter as the Tigers made it a 41-8 game. Brown tossed another TD pass to WR Elias Dejean for 10 yards with 8:31 left in the game to make it 47-8 and the two-point attempt failed.

ETBU piled up 25 first downs to 11 for the visitors. The Lions ran for 252 of their 493 total yards while Centenary got 112 of its 209 yards on the ground.

Shreveport freshmen Delarrious Marshall and Jacob Wilson each had nine tackles to pace the Gents on defense.

The Gents play three of their next four games at home beginning with a non-conference contest against Lyon College (1-3) on Saturday evening with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Atkins Field.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

JOURNAL SPORTS

MIAMI – Louisiana Tech proved to be its own worst enemy at times Saturday night at Pitbull Stadium in a 17-10 loss to Florida International in the Conference USA opener for both teams.

Untimely penalties and the lack of offensive output were the biggest culprits as Tech (1-3, 0-1) was penalized a season-high eight times, including three that proved to be crucial on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs failed to score on four straight runs from the 1-yard line in the first half.

The Bulldogs had a 40-yard interception return for a TD by Blake Thompson in the second quarter negated due to a roughing the passer penalty.

Tech’s defense – which played well for the fourth straight game – had two dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalties that kept FIU drives alive that results in the only two TDs of the night for the Panthers.

“Disappointed in the result,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “At times we did not play smart. We did not play smart in certain situations. We have to play smarter and cleaner. It stings in terms of the outcome.”

Tech has now dropped three straight games by a total of 20 points with each contest decided in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Freshman Evan Bullock made his first career start at quarterback for the Bulldogs and responded with a solid outing. The Anna, Texas, completed 26 of 37 passes for 218 yards and no interceptions.

“I thought he was very poised,” said Cumbie. “I thought he made some really nice throws. We have to be more explosive though in throwing the ball down the field.”

For the fourth straight game the Bulldogs simply could not run the football, especially in short-yardage situations. But this time it came against an FIU run defense that entered the contest allowing more than 200 yards per game on the ground.

The most glaring example came late in the second quarter with Tech trailing 7-0. The Bulldogs faced a first and goal from the 1-yard line, but four straight run plays were all stuffed as the Panthers (2-3, 1-0) turned Tech away.

“When you look at all of the plays, you have to be able to get a yard,” said Cumbie. “We were not able to do that. It was disappointing. You have to find a way to win football games.”

FIU took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a Keyon Jenkins 10-yard scoring toss to Eric Rivers, who ended with 7 catches for 97 yards and the one TD. The drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty that wiped out a third down and long for the Panthers.

FIU took the 7-0 lead into the halftime locker room.

Following a three-and-out by the Bulldogs offense on its first possession of the third quarter, FIU mounted a 56-yard scoring drive, capped by Lexington Joseph’s five-yard TD run as the Panthers took the 14-0 lead. Once again, the scoring drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty on the Tech defense that wiped out a third down and long.

Tech finally found the scoreboard midway through the third quarter. Bullock completed a pair of passes to Marlion Jackson covering 29 and 13 yards and Jimmy Holiday scored on a 5-yard end around. Buck Buchanan’s extra point made it 14-7.

On the following drive, the Bulldogs marched inside the FIU redzone but stalled as Buchanan was called upon to connect on a 34-yard field goal to make it 14-10.

The Bulldogs had an opportunity to take the lead late in the third quarter, but a completion to Jackson inside FIU territory resulted in a fumble and a turnover – the only one of the night for Tech.

FIU added a fourth quarter field goal to increase the lead to 17-10, and two final offensive possessions by the Bulldogs came up empty as the Panthers won for just the second time in seven tries against Tech.

Tech’s defense recorded eight tackles for loss, including three sacks. Michael Richard led the Bulldogs with a career-high 11 tackles while Jessie Evans, David Blay and Sifa Leota each registered sacks.

The loss spoiled a fourth straight solid outing by the Tech defense.

Tech returns to action Thursday, Oct. 10 when it hosts Middle Tennessee at Joe Aillet Stadium.

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

DALLAS — By the time it was over, it felt like a heavyweight slugfest that ended up in a split decision.

A late touchdown in regulation by Grambling State pushed the game in overtime — five OT periods, actually — before Prairie View A&M was able to escape with a 36-34 win in the Tigers’ first Southwestern Athletic Conference game of the season.

GSU, now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the SWAC West, will next play host to Alcorn State (2-3, 1-0), which defeated Mississippi Valley State on Saturday by the score of 42-21, in a contest set for a 2 p.m. start Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

Summing up Saturday night’s drama in one word, heartbreaking would be an understatement. But the way the G-Men battled to push the game into overtime was undeniably thrilling.

Trailing 24-17 with 2:48 remaining, the Tigers mounted a 14-play,  82-yard drive to tie things up with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

A 38-yard connection between GSU quarterback Miles Crawley and receiver Maquis Harrison on a fourth-and-18 play set the Tigers up at the Prairie View nine-yard line with 59 seconds left on the clock.

After running back Tre Bradford, who had earlier scored on a nine-yard run, was shut down for a three-yard loss on first down, the Tigers went no huddle and Crawley hit Jalen Johnson for the 12-yard scoring strike with 38 seconds remaining in regulation.

Prairie View got off three plays on the ensuing series but knelt on the ball on their final snap to send the game into overtime tied at 24-24.

Grambling got the first OT possession and scored on a 16-yard by power back Dedrick Talbert.

But Prairie View countered with a touchdown of its own on its initial OT possession to push the game into another stanza.

The excitement was only getting started.

GSU and PV traded field goals in the second overtime to push the game to yet another period knotted up at 34-34.

The NCAA Football Rulebook says the first three overtimes of a game have specific stipulations. The first period allows normal scoring, the second mandates two-point attempts after touchdowns, and from the third onward, teams must execute one-play, two-point conversions.

Grambling and Prairie View traded field goals in the second period on a pair as the game moved into a third, single possession game for each team.

Talbert and Crawley run attempts were shut down in the third and fourth overtime periods while Prairie View failed to connect a couple of pass plays, sending the contest into a fifth overtime period.

Crawley tried another QB keeper on GSU’s fifth OT period possession but couldn’t reach paydirt before Prairie View’s Lamaga McDowell ended the game with a short two-point conversion plunge that gave the Panthers the 36-24 victory.

Crawley connected on 29-of-48 pass attempts for 286 yards and two scores — a 23-yarder to Khristopher Simmons and the scoring strike to Johnson — while also being intercepted twice.

Javon Robinson and Julien Lewis led GSU’s receiving corps with six receptions each with Robinson totaling 48 yards and Lewis was only one yard back at 47.

Andrew Jones once again led the Tigers in tackles with 11 while David Jones added an interception for the G-Men.

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri – Five games into the Blaine McCorkle era, the Northwestern State football team is still searching for true complementary football.

The Demon defense took a step toward that Saturday afternoon in Northwestern’s matchup with No. 13/14 Southeast Missouri State at Houck Stadium, slowing one of the Football Championship Subdivision’s top offenses. Despite that, the Redhawks posted a 19-0 victory as the Demons wrapped up their participation in a brief Southland Conference-Ohio Valley Conference scheduling alliance.

“You go toe-to-toe for four quarters with the No. 13 team in the country – you can’t not be proud of them,” McCorkle said. “They fought hard. They played hard. It’s kind of the same song, second verse. It seems to be the same theme every week. I’m real proud of our defense. They played their tails off. That’s one of the most potent, high-powered offenses in the country at our level right now. That quarterback is phenomenal, and to hold him to one touchdown and a pile of field goals, I’m proud of that.”

The Demons (0-5) allowed the Redhawks (4-1) to take their opening possession 37 yards on nine plays for a touchdown as quarterback Paxton DeLaurent found Cam Pedro for a 10-yard score on third down.

Even on that drive, the Demons forced SEMO to work from behind the chains, but DeLaurent was up for the challenge. The senior quarterback was 3-for-3 passing on third downs on the drive, accounting for 34 of the 37 yards.

That was the best rhythm DeLaurent and the Redhawks found against the Northwestern defense.

DeLaurent entered the game as the FCS’ No. 2 quarterback in touchdown passes, No. 7 in total passing yards and No. 10 in passing yards per game. The Demon defense limited him to the first-quarter touchdown and 237 yards passing on 21-of-43 passing.

Redshirt freshman Antonio Hall intercepted DeLaurent toward the end of the first quarter for the first interception of Hall’s career. The pick and ensuing return set the Demons up at their 43-yard line, but Northwestern could not convert three short-yardage plays following Zay Davis’ 9-yard rush on first down.

“Offensively, the story of the day is 0-for-2 on fourth down,” McCorkle said. “We got the ball moving a little bit. You’re finding a little bit of rhythm and on a fourth-and-short, you have to convert. Twice we didn’t. We tried to do it two completely different styles and neither worked. That’s something we have to get corrected in a hurry. We’ve got to have a little better situational awareness and understand what’s on the line when it’s third or fourth and short.

“If we convert those, we keep drives alive, we build momentum and it gives you a chance to put points on the board. Offensively, we’re at a bit of a loss. We’ve got to keep digging, keep searching. We did some things significantly differently with our offense this week that we have to keep building on.”

While the Demon defense stood tall in the red zone, the Northwestern offense could not gain much traction on a day that was not weather friendly for either offense.

After converting its first third-down opportunity on a 16-yard pass from Quaterius Hawkins to Travon Jones, Northwestern finished 1-for-10 on third downs and managed five total first downs as it was shut out for the second straight game – the first time that has happened to the Demons since 1975.

The second pivotal fourth down for the Demons came in the fourth quarter when a sack stymied a fourth-and-2 from the SEMO 43-yard line.

Northwestern was trying to cut into a 16-point deficit at that time thanks in part to a defense that allowed 19 points on seven red-zone chances and kept the FCS’ top touchdown-scoring receiving duo of Dorian Anderson and Mitchell Sellers – who had nine total touchdowns entering Saturday — out of the end zone.

“(Defensive coordinator) coach (Matt) Conner and the staff do a really good job emphasizing that and putting the plan together,” McCorkle said. “If I’m being really honest, one of the best things we have going for our defense is our scout-team offense. There are some guys who are really working our guys, and I give them a lot of credit. Every day we come in as a staff, the defensive staff is talking about how hard the scout-team offense is working to get them ready. It carries over here on the field.”

The Demons return to action in a week when they resume their longtime rivalry with Stephen F. Austin. Northwestern’s first visit to Nacogdoches, Texas, since 2018 kicks off at 7 p.m. inside Homer Bryce Stadium.

JOURNAL SPORTS

BATON ROUGE – LSU’s national championship gymnastics program is gold standard and in the future, the Tigers are going to add an Olympic gold medalist to their roster.

New Jersey native Hezly Rivera has announced her decision to join the LSU program, which won the NCAA championship last spring.

Rivera, 16, still has some time before she gets to college. She is 16 and a junior in high school, and will join the Tigers for the 2026-27 season.

Rivera was the youngest member of the USA team that claimed gold at the Paris Olympic Games.

She announced her decision to join coach Jay Clark’s LSU program in an Instagram post.

“I am so blessed & excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Louisiana State University on a full athletic scholarship. Thank you Jesus for this wonderful blessing! Thank you to my family, coaches, and teammates for helping me throughout this process. I also want to thank all the girls, coaches, and staff at LSU for everything. Geaux Tigers!”

Rivera did not compete in the team final, but she received a gold medal as a member of the team. Individually, she did compete in the bars and beam at the Paris Games.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU head football coach Brian Kelly has never deviated from his philosophy of building a sustainable program.

Not a one-hit wonder like previous head coach Ed Orgeron, fired effective at the end of the 2021 season just two years after the Tigers won the 20198 national championship with a 15-0 record.

Because former Notre Dame coach Kelly signed a 10-year LSU contract with an annual salary of around $9.5 million – a high figure required to make the rare hire of swiping a proven head coach from another major power – there have been unreasonable expectations from LSU’s fanbase of an immediate turnaround of a program whose roster was bankrupted by Orgeron.

When Kelly went 10-4 and 10-3 in his first two LSU seasons, the anticipation of the Tigers challenging for a playoff spot accelerated this season even though he was just three years into rebuilding a roster with just 38 scholarship players when he took over.

Yet there is still work to be done. And as the 14th-ranked Tigers (3-1, 1-0 SEC) close the non-conference portion of their schedule vs. South Alabama (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) at 6:45 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium, Kelly’s belief remains strong about constructing a championship program based on high school recruiting classes rather transfer portal signees.

His number of transfer portal signees has dropped with each recruiting class while the number of true freshmen Kelly signed who have played has increased.

Kelly played 15 true freshmen in his first season with four starting at least one game. Last year, 22 true freshmen played with four starting at least one game.

This season after just four games, 16 true freshmen have already played including 10 on defense (with three starting at least one game).

The influx of the newbies on defense is not only to get experience but to fill crucial roles such as the defensive line with three linemen taken in April’s NFL draft.

And then just in September, LSU has already lost senior starting tackle Jacobian Guillory with a season-ending torn Achilles and junior linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (torn ACL). Senior reserve tackle Jalen Lee has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Consider all that and mix in an all-new defensive coaching staff in the off-season, the defensive performance weekly progresses inches forward trying to reduce coverage busts and increase fundamental soundness.

“With first-year (defensive) coaches and new players, they’re starting to get to know who their guys are and who they can lean on in certain situations,” Kelly said. “You’re going to see more guys we’re gradually bringing along thrust into the action.”

True in-state freshman defensive linemen like Evangel product Gabe Reliford, Ahmad Breaux of Ruston and Dominick McKinley of Lafayette’s Acadiana High been moved into more prominent roles. So has safety Deshawn Spears of Denham Springs.

Breaux weighed 245 pounds when he enrolled at LSU last January, which was ideal for playing linebacker as he did in high school but undersized to play on the defensive line.

“I played the whole spring trying to keep my weight down, but that didn’t work,” Breaux said. “So, when they (the coaches) told me to eat whatever I wanted (to gain weight), I just started eating a lot of protein.”

Breaux now weighs 282. Despite the added weight, he lost body fat even though his eating habits included frequent visits to What-a-burger and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.

Breaux, who credits veteran LSU defensive line coach Bo Davis with his transformation to tackle (“He made me a totally different player – I didn’t know how to use my hands or how to use my leverage,” Breaux said), was well-prepared mentally to play early in his college career.

Breaux’s defensive coordinator at Ruston was former LSU All-American defensive tackle Kyle Williams, a six-time Pro Bowl selection in his 13-year NFL career before the Ruston High alum retired in 2018 and moved back home with his family.

“Coach Kyle told me to do every drill full speed with your hair on fire,” Breaux said. “He taught me to have that mindset to never quit. He taught me how to work, how to play, how to be a man, everything that he had to learn growing up. He made me a way better player than what I would have been with anybody else.”

Kelly said he’s been happy with what’s seen upfront defensively from the young tackles as well as newbie Wisconsin senior transfer Gio Paez, second-year end/tackle Arizona senior transfer Paris Shane and vastly improved ends senior Sai’vion Jones and sophomore Dashawn Womack and second-year senior Oregon transfer Bradyn Swinson.

With 10 sacks in the last two weeks in wins over South Carolina and UCLA, the Tigers’ season total of 12 sacks is three ahead of last year’s pace.

“This is an important week for us as we continue to develop,” Kelly said. “After next week’s bye week, it’s welcome to the SEC with seven games in eight weeks.” 

GO FIGURE 

0: interceptions thrown by South Alabama, one of 14 FBS teams that haven’t had a pass picked 

1-6: South Alabama’s record against SEC teams 

14: LSU players have caught passes this season 

19: Straight games in which the Tigers have thrown a TD pass 

37-2: LSU’s record vs. Sun Belt Conference teams 

73.3: Percent of South Alabama’s total offense this season produced by redshirt freshmen or true freshmen

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

MARSHALL, Texas – After posting its first win in decades, the first-year Centenary football team wraps up a three-game road swing nearby Saturday evening as the Gents will face the East Texas Baptist University Tigers.

The non-conference game kicks off at 6 p.m. in ETBU’s Ornelas Stadium. The Tigers are 2-0, while the Gents are 1-2.

Centenary achieved a milestone moment last Saturday as it recorded the program’s first NCAA victory since the 1940’s with a 36-17 triumph over the Austin College ‘Roos in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest in Sherman, Texas.

But Gents’ head coach Byron Dawson expects a much stiffer challenge at ETBU.

“Coach (Calvin) Ruzicka and his staff have done a good job developing his team this season,” said Dawson. “They have several new talented players on their roster. On Saturday night, we’ll need to excel in all three phases of the game.

“It’s crucial that we continue improving each week — learning from last week’s mistakes, and building on our successes. We’re also excited that our fans will have the chance to attend a road game so close to home in Marshall.”

The Gents’ defense recorded four sacks, had six tackles for loss, and forced four fumbles, recovering three in the win over Austin College. Centenary also posted season highs in both rushing yards (246) and total offense (382).

Centenary scored three times on defense in the game, all coming in the second half.

Sophomore defensive lineman D’Qavion Lemons, a Southwood High School product, was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following an outstanding performance against Austin College.

Lemons, who was named the SCAC Player of the Week on Monday, recorded a team-leading eight total tackles and had a team-best two sacks with a team-high two tackles for loss. Lemons also forced a fumble to lead a Gents’ defense that recorded four sacks, had six tackles for loss, and forced four fumbles, recovering three.

Lemons becomes the second Gent to earn a spot on the prestigious national team this season after freshman DB Jacob Wilson, an Evangel product, made the team on Week 1. Last Saturday, Wilson forced a fumble and freshman Jacob Black picked it up and raced 90 yards for a 15-3 lead.

ETBU has started with a pair of blowout wins over LaGrange (57-12) and Hendrix (63-28).  The Tigers have finished 5-5 in each of the last three seasons.

For live stats visit https://goetbutigers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary 

Streaming video will be available at https://goetbutigers.com/watch/live

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

DALLAS — Now it gets real.

Riding a three-game win streak, the Grambling State Tigers open their 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference season when they take on Prairie View A&M at 6 p.m. Saturday in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Grambling stands at 3-1 on the season while Prairie View is 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the SWAC West. Grambling’s homefield 41-20 victory over Jackson State last Saturday did not count on the SWAC schedule.

The Tigers, who moved up for No. 4 in the BOXTOROW HBCU poll this week, lead the State Fair Classic series 28-10.

GSU head coach Mickey Joseph let defensive coordinator Jason Rollins handle the bulk of interview work this week. Joseph spent Monday in Dallas doing promotional work for the upcoming contest, but got a few words in from the Big D.

“We’re honored to be playing in this game,” Joseph said during a Dallas press conference. “We won’t get caught up in the sideshow. I’m excited and the team is excited.

“It’s a great atmosphere and a great crowd. We’re playing pretty good football right now, but that was last week. “We’re going to get ready for this one and hope we put on a good show. We’re happy, we’re excited and we’re ready to roll.”

Rollins’ crew was much of the talk Monday during the SWAC virtual press conference.

Grambling’s defense scored a pair of touchdowns against JSU with Caleb Collins returning a pick six 22 yards to paydirt and Patrick Marshall pouncing on a fumble in the JSU end zone for another TD.

Defensively, Grambling leads the FCS in defensive touchdowns with four and takeaways with 10, and is tied for second in fumbles recovered with four, and second in interceptions with four.

The G-Men also are atop FCS turnover margin statistics at 2.75 per game.

Rollins said the turnovers created by his defense haven’t been a coincidence.

“You get what you emphasize,” Rollins said about his defense. “We chart. Every strip attempt, it’s charted. Coach Joseph has certain segments of practice that are about protecting the ball and taking the ball away. So it’s kind of what you emphasize, and we’re getting a lot out of it.”

Rollins said the Tigers didn’t do anything different on defense last Saturday.

“We kept it simple and let our guys play fast and play with confidence. We didn’t do anything different from what we’d done in the past. We just kept it simple so they could get lined up and play as fast as they possibly could and as physical as they possibly could.”

Rollins said the Tigers are prepared to face a challenge against a talented Prairie View offense.

“They’re big and physical up front,” Rollins said. “They can put a body on a body and make and can move people.

“The quarterback (Cameron Peters) is very athletic and they have some explosive wideouts, so we’re going have to say on our Ps and Qs, be gap sound and play a solid game.”

Peters is averaging 177 yards passing per game and has hit on 46-of-90 attempts with four touchdowns and three interceptions while Shemar Savage leads the Panthers with 15 catches for 282 yards.

“We’ve got to work on containing him because it’s hard to totally stop a guy of that caliber,” Rollins said of Savage. “We’re going to have a lot of eyes on him, I promise you that. He’s going to have our full attention.

“If I say anything else, they’re going to game plan for it. So I’ll leave it at that.”

Grambling’s run-heavy offense features transfers Ke’Travion “Bull” Hargrove and Tre Bradford handling the bulk of the rushing chores.

Hargrove, a Ruston product who is a senior transfer from Memphis, leads the Tigers with 190 yards and three touchdowns on 44 rushing attempts while Bradford, who came to Grambling from LSU, has added 175 yards and two scores on 47 carries.

GSU quarterback Myles Crawford has connected on 65-of-122 passes (58 percent) for 762 yards and seven touchdowns while Javon Robinson leads the G-Men with 14 receptions for 136 yards and one TD.

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri – The Northwestern State football team’s 2024 non-conference schedule concludes Saturday, giving the Demons a shot to put the lessons learned from the first four weeks of the season into action.

The challenge for the second straight week is another Football Championship Subdivision team that has burnished itself as a perennial top-25 team in 14^th-ranked Southeast Missouri State. One week after facing a Weber State team that traditionally makes its home in the national polls, the Demons will do so against a similar program on the road at 3 p.m. inside Houck Stadium on ESPN+.

“We know what quality opponents feel like,” first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “One of the best ways to get better is to play against good people, and we’ve done that. Our kids are somewhat battle tested. We’ve learned form those battles we’ve been in, and we know we have to clean up those mistakes and play cleaner football and try to turn one of these into a win.”

The Redhawks (3-1) come into Saturday’s matchup after a 38-21 win at then-No. 7 Southern Illinois that jumped them up eight spots in the FCS Top 25 presented by Hudl. The rebuilding Demons (0-4) are seeking the first win of the McCorkle era after falling 39-0 at home to Weber State a week ago.

That win moved Weber State back into the STATS Perform Top 25 at No. 25. Now, the Demons face a team that is solidly in the top 25, albeit one that does it in a much different way.

Weber State came into last week’s game with the No. 11 rushing attack in the FCS. This week, the Demons face a SEMO passing attack that ranks sixth nationally at 292 yards per game.

“They can throw the ball, and we have to be prepared for the run as well,” linebacker Blake Gotcher said. “Everyone needs to do their job, practice well and good things are going to happen.”

SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent ranks in the top 10 nationally in passing touchdowns (12, 2^nd), completions per game (25, 6^th), passing yards (1,068, 7^th) and passing yards per game (267, 10^th). His receivers Dorian Anderson and Mitchell Sellers have combined for nine touchdown catches with Anderson sharing the national lead with five.

“It’s definitely a change of pace,” McCorkle said. “Two weeks ago against Tennessee-Martin, they threw the ball 64 times and had only four or five called runs. We joked in the coaches’ office that they only have two runs in their offense – they run on the field and they run off the field. DeLaurent can make every throw. If I were a fan, I’d really love watching him. I’m not really excited about facing him this week, but he’s a fun watch. They also have a true freshman running back, Payton Brown, who’s a very talented kid, fun to watch on film. They have the ability to play several different ways.”

The challenge for the Northwestern offense is a similar one – although more introspective.

Through four games, the Demons are losing the time of possession battle by more than six minutes per contest. One key behind that stat is third-down conversions.

In its first four games, Northwestern has converted 10 of 55 third-down conversions (18.2 percent) while its opponents are 26-for-55 (47.3 percent).

“The main thing we need to do offensively is maintain drives,” running back Kennieth Lacy said. “You maintain drives you wear a defense down and give our defense a chance to stand up and make stops. That will be one of the key points Saturday we need to do to win.”

Part of that could be attributed to the youth movement that has permeated the Demons’ 2024 roster – one that McCorkle acknowledges.

“We’re young,” McCorkle said. “I think we have 19 redshirt freshmen and sophomores getting significant snaps on both sides of the ball – really in all three phases. Battle tested we are in a hurry. Long term down the road the rest of this year and years down the road, that will pay dividends because those are guys the Northwestern State fans will get used to hearing their names for a long, long time as we continue to grow the program.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

The Centenary football team made history Saturday, winning its first NCAA game since the 1940s. The volleyball and soccer teams also picked up wins and the men’s golf team made a strong showing in tournament play.

FOOTBALL

Sophomore defensive lineman D’Qavion Lemons, a Southwood alum, was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following an outstanding performance in the Gents’ 36-17 victory at Austin College on Saturday. Lemons is the second Gent to earn a spot on the prestigious national team this season after freshman DB Jacob Wilson made the team in Week One.

Lemons, who also was named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, had a stellar performance Saturday night, recording a team-leading eight tackles and a team-best two sacks, including two tackles for loss. He also forced one of four fumbles by the Gents’ defense, which recovered three.

Centenary achieved a milestone Saturday night recording their first NCAA victory since the 1940’s. The Gents (1-2, 1-1 SCAC) play this Saturday at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.

MEN’S GOLF

The men’s golf team finished in a tie for third place Tuesday in the UMHB Invitational hosted by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at Sammons Park Golf Course in Temple, Texas. The Gents shot a 22-over par 582 to finish in a three-way tie with host Mary Hardin-Baylor’s “A” and “B” teams. Centenary shot a 13-over par 293 in Tuesday’s final round after a 9-over par 289 in Monday’s opening to finish in a tie for second place at the par 70, 6,597-yard course.

Senior Andrew Bennett of Airline finished in a tie for second place at 3-under par 141 after shooting rounds of 71-70 to lead the way for the Gents. Bennett, who won the individual title at this same tournament last season, finished in a tie with Gettysburg’s Myles Cunningham III and they each finished two shots behind individual champion Patrick Kilcoyne of Gettysburg (5-under par 139).

Sophomore Aubrey Snell, a Parkway grad, rocketed up the leaderboard on Tuesday with a 6-under par 66 to finish fifth. Snell, who shot a 5-over par 78 on Monday, recorded his fourth-career top-10 finish, giving him three top-five finishes in his young career.

MEN’S SOCCER

The Centenary men’s soccer team scored a pair of goals late in the second half to break a 1-1 tie on its way to a 3-1 victory over the East Texas Baptist University Tigers in a non-conference match at Cornish Soccer Field in Marshall, Texas. The Gents (4-2-1) and Tigers (5-3) were meeting for the ninth time and Centenary now leads the all-time series 4-2-3. Senior Ron Masti, sophomore Fernando Santos, and freshman Nathan Uduojie each scored goals for the Gents and freshman keeper Sebastian Lutin recorded five saves.

Masti gave the Gents a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 32nd minute, his third goal of the season, with the assist credited to sophomore midfielder Jacob Ramsey – the first of Ramsey’s career.

ETBU tied the match at 1-1 in the 50th minute, but Santos found the net for his first goal of the season in the 72nd minute to break the tie. Uduojie padded the Gents’ lead with a score (his fourth of the season) in the 83rd minute, off an assist from midfielder Emiliano Mondragon.

The Gents will open Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play at home at 7 p.m. on Friday against the University of the Ozarks Eagles at Atkins Field.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

The Ladies got their first win of the season Sunday with a 1-0 shutout over the Wiley University Wildcats in a non-conference contest. Sophomore midfielder Shona Carlton scored her first-career goal breaking a scoreless tie in the 80th minute following a corner kick from sophomore midfielder Sarah Crenshaw.

Sophomore goalkeeper Zoe Keller went the distance and had four saves in the goal for her first career shutout and the Ladies’ (1-4-1) first since a 1-0 win last season over Belhaven.

The Ladies and Wildcats will meet in a rematch at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Marshall, Texas.

VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team got its first win of the season Tuesday, taking a 3-0 sweep of the Wiley University Wildcats in a non-conference match Tuesday in the Gold Dome.

Centenary (1-10) won the match 25-20, 25-22, 25-16 and their top offensive effort of the season tallied season highs in assists (30), aces (14), digs (60), and tied their season high in kills (34).

Statistical Leaders: Aces — Reign McArthur (4, career best); Assists: Kristi Hinze (17); Digs: Daly Nagot (15, tied season high); Kills: Aaliyah Barnett (9, season high).

The Ladies, 0-2 in conference play, will host Austin College (9-6, 2-0 SCAC) in their first conference match at noon Saturday in the Gold Dome.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu  

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – There’s eight weeks between LSU’s women’s basketball team opening preseason practice on Monday and the Nov. 4 season-opener here vs. Eastern Kentucky.

For Tigers’ fourth-year head coach Kim Mulkey, starting her 40th season as a college basketball coach – her 25th as a head coach – it’s always one of her most enjoyable times of the year.

If there’s anything that keeps the 62-year-old Mulkey’s competitive juices flowing, even with four national titles (3 at Baylor, 1 at LSU) and 723 coaching victories on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductee’s resume, it’s the annual challenge of piecing together a new team.

“I just have a lot of energy,” Mulkey said in a press conference before Monday’s practice and reveal of a 13-player roster boosted by four experienced transfers including three guards. “If you have the energy, if you’re putting a product on the floor, that’s competitive, and your health is good, what else am I going to do in life?

“It’s fun for me to get up every day and still feel like contributing something to this game. I feel like I’m probably one of the old dinosaurs that’s been able to adapt (to college sports changes such as the transfer portal and NIL deals). I’ve been able to adapt without changing my philosophies on the floor, with discipline, with defense, with rebounding and those things.”

LSU returns four starters from its 2023-24 team that finished 31-6 and lost to Iowa in a regional final, ending its defense of the Tigers’ 2023 national title.

It’s somewhat a reset since forward Angel Reese, the SEC’s scoring and rebounding leader in each of her LSU seasons the last two years and one of the most dynamic yet polarizing athletes in the women’s game, moved on to the WNBA.

Besides Reese’s early season drama sidelining her via an alleged suspension by Mulkey, LSU came up just short last season of a second straight trip to the Final Four because of a season-ending injury in November to sophomore forward Sa’Mayah Smith and inconsistent point guard play at a position that lacked depth.

While returning starters shooting guards junior Flau’jae Johnson (14.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and sophomore Mikaylah Williams (14.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and senior forward Aneesah Morrow (16.4 ppg, 10.4 RPG) are the heartbeat of the team, it’s Mulkey’s transfer portal shopping that may make the Tigers again a Final Four contender.

Mulkey lost three players to the transfer portal – struggling starting point guard Hailey Van Lith and little-used freshmen Angelica Velz and Janae Kent – and replaced them with a foursome of transfers with a combined 198 college appearances and 117 starts.

Three are guards – senior Shayeann Day-Wilson (Miami/Duke), junior Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona) and sophomore Mjacle Sheppard (Mississippi State) – and junior forward Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas) who Mulkey recruited in her previous head coaching stop for Baylor.

Also, LSU’s lone true freshman is guard Jada Richard, a 5-7 scoring, playmaking whiz from four-time state champion Lafayette Christian Academy where she was the 2024 Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year and LSWA Miss Basketball, just like Bossier City’s Williams was a year earlier at Parkway High.

“You’re going to notice there are good guards, quickness, kids that can get up and down the floor,” Mulkey said. “We have more depth at the guard spots.”

LSU’s inside game, featuring Smith, returning starting center 6-6 Aalyah Del Rosario, is in a bit of disarray to start the preseason. Smith is coming off knee surgery and Del Rosario is recovering from bone spur surgery in her ankle.

For leadership, Mulkey will be leaning on the fearless and tireless Johnson (“I don’t think she ever gets tired,” Mulkey said) and Williams, who was last season’s SEC Freshman of the Year.

“I’m challenging her (Williams) to take it to take it to the next level and become more of a leader,” said Mulkey, who scheduled a Dec. 8 date vs. Grambling in Bossier City’s Brookshire Grocery Arena as a homecoming game for Williams. “That’s probably not fair, because she’s just a sophomore, but under the circumstances of what we have on our team, she may have to do more of that at an earlier age.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – If favored LSU wins Saturday night in Tiger Stadium vs. South Alabama, it will enter its first open date with a 4-1 overall record.

It’s only one win short of most preseason predictions and expectations. The Tigers are currently ranked No. 13 in the AP poll and No. 14 in the coaches poll after starting the season No. 13 in the AP and No. 12 in the coaches.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Hardly.

LSU has yet to play well for an entire game on both sides. The Tigers have been favored vs. their first four opponents but have trailed in three games because of slow offensive starts and fundamental defensive lapses.

Also, defensive starters linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (torn ACL) and tackle Jacobian Guillory (torn Achilles) are out for the year as is reserve running back John Emery Jr. (torn ACL).

Nobody will mistake LSU as a College Football playoff contender, but Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly has been content with his team’s baby steps.

“This has really been about building our team, getting to know our team, know our strengths and our weaknesses, the things that we have to be better at in all phases of the game,” Kelly said at his weekly in-season Monday press conference. “But at the same time, we’re developing some of those younger players so that when we have to call on them, we can get the kind of play necessary to win SEC games.”

Junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and senior defensive end Bradyn Swinson, the Tigers’ most consistent players on both sides of the ball, were named the SEC’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week respectively after they led LSU to a 34-17 victory over UCLA last Saturday.

Nussmeier’s 352 passing yards and three TDs and Swinson’s two sacks and a forced fumble were performances that have been the norm for that duo.

Offensively, the Tigers scored on the first possession against the Bruins but couldn’t maintain its fast start.

Defensively, LSU allowed UCLA to convert 4 of 7 third-down situations, including a third-and-goal game-tying 11-yard TD pass with eight seconds left in the first half.

In the second half, the Tigers’ offense had two 90-yard plus TD drives and the defense held UCLA to 64 yards total offense.

A positive step for new defensive coordinator Blake Baker was not allowing long-distance plays.

Nicholls State’s Collin Guggenheim and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers ran through the heart of LSU’s defense on 67 and 75-yard quarterback keeper TDs on successive weekends and the Gamecocks’ Raheim Sanders scored on a 66-yard run around left end against a misaligned defense.

“The ones that you don’t accept at any level are the big play runs right where you don’t have structure to your defense and you don’t have the levels,” Kelly said. “They can’t happen.”

LSU’s challenge this weekend is making defensive adjustments to replace Perkins, who Kelly said made opposing offenses have to account for his whereabouts.

“You’re playing against a guy (Perkins) that can wreck your day,” Kelly said, “so you lose that piece right away. But there’s 10 other players that make that thing happen, and I think it really helps now that our guys understand all 11 have to work harder and have to work together to be the kind of defense we want to be.” 

KNOW YOUR ENEMY 

No. 14 LSU (3-1, 1-0 SEC) vs. South Alabama (2-2 1-0 Sun Belt), Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Saturday, 6:45 p.m., SEC Network 

Last game for Jaguars: Beat Appalachian State 48-14 last Friday in Boone, N.C. The Jags rushed for 320 yards and scored on their first four of five possessions. 

Series record and last meeting: First meeting between the Jaguars and Tigers 

South Alabama head coach: Major Applewhite (17-13 overall in 3 seasons, 2-1 in his first season at South Alabama) 

THIS AND THAT 

Appearance fee paid by LSU to South Alabama per game contract: $1.65 million and 400 complimentary tickets 

Early betting line: LSU by 21 

Number of Louisiana natives on South Alabama roster: 7 

Number of Alabama natives on LSU roster: 0 

Number of transfers on South Alabama roster from 4-year schools: 36 players from 29 schools including 17 players from 11 Power 4 Conference schools 

SOUTH ALABAMA PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB Gio Lopez (57 of 92 for 843 passing yards, 9 TDs, 0 interceptions, RB Fluff Bothwell (359 rushing yards and 6 TDs on 37 carries, WR Jamaal Pritchett (26 catches for 354 receiving yards, 4 TDs, LB Blayne Myrick (34 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBU), CB Amarion Fortenberry (13 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 interception, 3 PBU), PK Laith Marjan (5 of 6 FG, 17 of 18 PAT), P Aleski Pulkkinen (9 for 38 yards per punt, 3 fair catches, 5 inside the 20). 

THREE AND OUT

1. Where does South Alabama play its home games?

A. Ladd-Peebles Stadium

B. The Florabama Dome

C. Hancock Whitney Stadium

D. Tommy Hicks Memorial Coliseum

2. How long has South Alabama been an FBS (Division 1-A) football member?

A. Since 2012

B. Since 2016

C. Since 2009

D. Since 2019

3. What Baton Rouge high school did South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite graduate from where he was also a star quarterback?

A. Glen Oaks

B. Catholic

C. Broadmoor

D. Belaire

ANSWERS: 1. C. 2. A 3. B

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

BATON ROUGE – There were numerous reports of fans feeling faint in Tiger Stadium during LSU’s 34-17 victory over UCLA here Saturday afternoon.

In the first half, the reason was that 92-degree heat baked everything that wasn’t in the shade.

In the second half, it was because the Tigers’ defense, after their typically uneven first half, held one of college football’s worst offenses scoreless. Then, LSU’s offense cranked out consecutive touchdown drives of a season-high 14 plays for 96 yards and 11 plays for 92 yards followed by an 8-play, 32-yard drive for a field goal.

That’s a combined 33 plays for 220 yards, 2 TDs (one rushing, one passing) eating 15:15 of game clock, or possessing the ball for just more than a quarter.

Dare you say it, LSU third-year head coach Brian Kelly? Your team played. . .

“Complementary football,” Kelly said.

All on one field from the same team for two consecutive quarters. Feel free to call 911 and lose consciousness. No sun required.

On Sunday, the Tigers (3-1) moved two spots to No. 14 in the Associated Press and jumped three spaces to No. 13 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. You could say with little argument that LSU is overrated at this point considering none of its wins against a weak early schedule haven’t been four-quarter masterpieces.

What is difficult to remember – probably even at times for Kelly who is almost at a loss for words about his team’s inconsistent play-to-play execution – is that his squad is a work in progress.

Last year’s 10-3 Tigers had Heisman Trophy-winning QB Jayden Daniels, the nation’s best dual signal caller with four seasons of experience as a starter (the first two at Arizona State, the last two at LSU).

After the first four games a year ago, LSU was 3-1 with Daniels accounting for 372.3 of the Tigers’ 530.1 yards (338.3 passing, 191.8 rushing) total offense per game. Armed with veteran wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, LSU had already made 29 plays gaining 20 or more yards with 15 plays over 30 yards including 8 TDs.

Daniels’ running ability spread defenses from sideline to sideline. The Tigers could score in a blink.

This season, new offensive coordinator Joe Sloan (who was LSU’s QB coach last season) re-tooled the offensive scheme to fit the skill set of new starting QB Garrett Nussmeier, who only leaves the pass pocket to escape pressure.

With four of five offensive line starters from last season, LSU’s offensive personnel reflects its stats – 418.5 yards total offense (314.8, 103.8 rushing) — with a patient and probing scheme, lots of shorter pass routes and running backs who often have more receiving yards than rushing yards.

Nussmeier is tied for second nationally in TD passes (13), ranks second in completions per game (28.25) and seventh in passing yards per game (311.75 ypg).

LSU’s rushing attack, dead last in the 16-team SEC and 102nd nationally averaging 103.8 yards, will likely not be better than any team remaining on the Tigers’ schedule. LSU’s next five opponents (including next Saturday’s Tiger Stadium visitor South Alabama) are all ranked in the top 20 nationally in rushing.

Though the Tigers have just 19 plays so far of 20 yards or more with just five 30 yards or more and 5 TDs, the offense aside from some blue zone (inside the opponents’ 5-yard line) failures, has been mostly on-schedule.

“Coach Sloan does an unbelievable job of putting us in the right position to make plays,” Nussmeier said. “He does an outstanding job of understanding how teams are trying to attack us.”

Defensively under new coordinator Blake Baker, whose strong suit is masking coverages and blitzing, the Tigers are getting closer to becoming a constant stonewall.

But for the moment, it’s not usual for LSU’s defense to make two consecutive plays and then an awful one on third and/or fourth down to keep opposing drives alive. UCLA forged a 17-17 halftime tie by converting 4 of 7 third downs and 1 of 1 fourth downs.

“The mistakes are maddening,” Kelly said.

It’s not like LSU defenders aren’t being coached.

“What’s maddening is we have the players, the skill and the talent,” Tigers’ linebacker Whit Weeks said. “You have to get your feet and eyes right, put yourself in the right position and do your job. You don’t have to do somebody else’s job. You’ve got 10 other dudes besides yourself out there on the field that can make plays.”

LSU’s defense is increasingly countering its handful of bonehead, asleep-at-the-wheel busts with effective blitzes from every direction. It’s resulted in much-welcomed tackles for loss (23 for minus 120), sacks (12 for minus 91), QB hurries (15) and turnovers gained (6 with 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions).

Senior defensive end Bradyn Swinson, who’s second in the SEC and tied for fifth nationally with five sacks, likes the complementary football the Tigers have played in their decisive second halves the last two weeks in wins.

“The more that we (the LSU offense and defense) are connected, that’s just feeding off each other energy,” Swinson said. “I feel that’s what we’ve been missing for a long time.”

The first four games have clearly established the 2024 Tigers’ identity. Few, if any victories, will come easy in a league that has teamed ranked in five of the top six spots in the national polls.

Kelly hopes incremental improvement on both sides of the ball will offset occasional mental mistakes. He knows exactly what he has on his roster. No miracles are waiting in the wings.

“Nobody is getting traded,” Kelly said playfully in his UCLA postgame press conference. “Those are the guys we’re going to work with, and we’re going to just keep coaching them, we’re going to keep working with them, and they’re going to turn the corner in terms of listening and trusting, and we’re going to keep working on how to put them in a better position as coaches.”

Buckle up. There’s plenty of exhilaration and aggravation left in the season.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU’s next man up” mantra will be severely tested.

It was confirmed Sunday night that Tigers’ junior linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., a projected first-round pick in the NFL’s 2025 draft, tore an anterior cruciate knee ligament in Saturday’s win over UCLA and is out for the season.

He’s the third LSU player this month to sustain a season-ending injury, joining reserve running back John Emery Jr. (torn ACL) and starting defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory (Achilles tear).

Perkins, who had 17 tackles and 1½ tackles for loss for the 3-1 Tigers, started the first two games this season at weakside linebacker which is his projected position in the pros.

In the last two games, he started at strongside linebacker as new defensive coordinator Blake Baker sought to put Perkins in various spots where he could rush the passer.

A 5-star recruit who was rated as the fourth-best high school player in the Class of 2022 by ESPN, Perkins burst into the national spotlight as a true freshman for his pass rushing that wrecked offenses.

During three weeks, he earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors vs. Ole Miss and followed with back-to-back SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors vs. Alabama and Arkansas.

Starting just eight games, he was named All-SEC first team and a freshman All-American. He finished the year with 72 tackles and led LSU in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (7½).

Last season as a sophomore, then-LSU defense coordinator Matt House had Perkins start the season at middle linebacker. He struggled dealing with offensive linemen outweighing him by 100 pounds and House quickly moved him to different spots to take advantage of his speed on the edge of defenses.

Still, he led the team in tackles for loss (13) for the second straight year and finished with 75 tackles and 5½ sacks.

Just before the start of this season, he was awarded by the LSU coaching staff the coveted No. 7 jersey, which annually goes to the best playmaker on the team.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly, not knowing the extent of Perkins’ injury immediately after the 34-17 victory over the Bruins, speculated what the Tigers would do if Perkins had to miss playing time.

“We can still stay in our buffalo package,” Kelly said. “We can go back into our dime package, dropping (safety) Major (Burns) down. So, we’ve got a lot of options there.”

LSU starting linebacker Whit Weeks said after the win that losing Perkins would be a blow.

“We’re definitely gonna have to step up, because he has become a very vocal leader this year,” Weeks said. “He’s the guy that’s firing us up in the huddle and getting everything right.

“We’re gonna have to rely on somebody else to do that for us, but we’ve got a bunch of leaders on defense.”

LSU plays its last of four non-conference games this Saturday at 6:45 p.m. in Tiger Stadium vs. South Alabama. After an open date, the Tigers play their last seven SEC games in eight weeks starting by hosting unbeaten No. 5 Ole Miss on Oct. 12.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE—Every football Saturday, LSU head coach Brian Kelly hopes his team solves lingering problems without creating new ones.

He also knows he’s running out of time. The 16th-ranked Tigers (2-1 overall, 1-0 SEC) are three weeks away from playing No. 5 Ole Miss on Oct. 12 here to start a gauntlet of the Tigers’ final seven SEC games in eight weeks.

It’s why in the next two games (both at home) against UCLA (1-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and South Alabama next Saturday at 6:45 p.m. before an open date, it’s imperative LSU plays up to the role as a sizeable favorite.

And that means solving the Tigers’ bugaboo of excruciating slow starts. In 10 of LSU’s 30 games under Kelly, they’ve trailed by double digits in the first half.

They are 6-4 digging out of such holes, and Kelly certainly isn’t blind to the problem.

“We have `start fast’ signs in our (practice facilities) hallways” he said. “We talk every day about starting fast. So, it’s one of those things you have to look at what does our practice preparation look like? Do we start fast in practice and preparation?

“For the last two weeks, we have gone 11-on-11, ones versus ones (starting offense vs. starting defense) in the first 15 minutes of practice. We’re backing up all those things with actionable items relative to what we’re doing. Last Saturday, we got to the stadium 30 minutes earlier than usual.

“We’re going to keep finding ways to put our guys in that position, but at the end of the day, we got to play at a higher level, and we got to coach our guys at a higher level. That’s going to get us off to a better start.”

Though the Tigers had to battle back for a 36-33 road win at South Carolina in LSU’s SEC opener last Saturday, there were some improvements in two noticeably weak areas.

Despite allowing two huge TD runs of 75 and 66 yards that accounted for over a third of South Carolina’s 398 total offense, LSU’s defense was disruptive for the first time this season.

With different defenders blitzing from all directions, LSU had a season-high nine tackles for loss including five sacks, forced four fumbles and recovered two, and got its first interception of the year.

“I love how we’ve got a lot of different blitzes, different looks and different packages,” said LSU senior edge rusher Bradyn Swinson, who had three sacks vs. South Carolina and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. “You just got a whole bunch of guys that are just dogs on the field that are (lined up) in different spots on different plays. When the other team sees that, it’s like “I ain’t seen that before.’ ”

Kelly knows the next step in the Tigers’ defensive evolution is the elimination of big plays.

“We’ve done a good job in so many other areas that it gets glossed over by (allowing) the explosive plays, and rightly so,” he said.

“What we haven’t had is consistency. We do a good job for a number of plays, and then we don’t. We need consistency play in and play out where every play you do your job and not somebody else’s.”

LSU’s rushing attack, which averaged 90.5 yards and just 3.9 per attempt in the first two games, got a boost from hard-running true freshman Caden “Bull” Durham. He ran for 98 yards and two TDs on 11 attempts vs. South Carolina getting most of his yardage after making tacklers miss at the line of scrimmage before breaking more tackles downfield.

Durham became the first LSU true freshman to rush for two TDs in an SEC game since Leonard Fournette vs. Florida in 2014. He’s also the first LSU true freshman to rush for two TDs in his SEC debut since Charles Scott vs. Mississippi State in 2006.

“It’s amazing for him to come into his first SEC game and perform the way he did,” LSU sixth-year senior starting running back Josh Williams said of Durham. “He was a big spark plug for the offense. He picked up the energy on our sideline.”

LSU’s offense should get another energy injection vs. UCLA because Kelly said junior wide receiver Chris Hilton will make his season debut after being sidelined the first two games with a bone bruise.

Hilton, considered the Tigers’ best deep threat, was a starter before he got hurt.

“You can’t be out almost a month, and then just and here’s Chris Hilton tearing it up,” Kelly said. “He can’t come in and pick up where he left off. It’s going to take a few weeks for him to get back into action. But he’s going to help us, and he’s going to be a main player in what we do before the season’s over.” 

GO FIGURE 

0: Games played by UCLA in the state of Louisiana 

2-0-1: LSU’s Tiger Stadium record vs. Big Ten Conference teams 

4: First-time visiting teams this year to Tiger Stadium (Nicholls State, UCLA, South Alabama, Oklahoma) 

14: UCLA’s road games lifetime against five SEC teams (excluding new members Texas and Oklahoma) with a record of 4-8-2 

1987: The last season LSU played a Big Ten team in Tiger Stadium, battling Ohio State to a 13-13 tie 

91: Career receptions for LSU’s Mason Taylor, the most any tight end in Tigers’ history

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

GRAMBLING — Grambling State football coach Mickey Jackson expects an electric atmosphere when Jackson State visits for a 6 p.m. kickoff on Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

It’s always that way when these nearby rivals meet. With Grambling kicking off the Southwestern Athletic Conference season at home on a two-game win streak, it’s expected that home fans will turn out in droves and Jackson State’s following will be significant.

GSU enters the game at 2-1 and is riding a two-game win streak while Jackson State also stands at 2-1 with wins over Lane and SWAC rival Southern following a season-opening loss at ULM.

The teams didn’t meet last year, but JSU has won two straight over the G-Men since falling to Grambling 44-21 in 2019.

“We understand what kind of atmosphere we’re getting into,” Joseph said. “We’re playing a good Jackson State team. A well-coached football team with good players and a great tradition, so we’re happy to have them here. Everybody’s going to have to do their job.”

Grambling is coming off a hard-fought 35-28 overtime win at Texas A&M-Commerce last weekend. Grambling rallied for a final-minute score in regulation and won in the first OT with a TD and a game-ending interception one play later.

“Any time you take a team on the road — I don’t care if it’s middle school, high school college or NFL —  it’s difficult because they’re not in their normal surroundings,” Joseph said. “So to take our young team — our transfer portal and high school team — and take them on the road in a tough environment to play in, is tough.”

Joseph hopes that winning two straight games, including that tough one last week when starting quarterback Myles Crawley was benched for a series early in the second half before leading his team to the comeback victory, will provide some momentum for his G-Men heading into Saturday’s game against Jackson State.

“We asked them to play 60 minutes and they had to play more than 60 minutes because the game went into overtime,” said Joseph, who will be coaching his first SWAC contest. “At halftime we told them not to look at the clock or the scoreboard but just play, and they did. We’ve got to clean some things up, but it’s always a tough situation when you take a team on the road and play one of the Southland (Conference) schools.

“It was time to show some grit. It was time to show it’s not over until there’s nothing but zeros on the clock. They played hard and I was proud of the way Myles came back in, but we have to come out better after the half. I’ve got to do a better job of preparing them to do that.”

One thing Joseph will be looking for other than a win is fewer penalties called against the G-Men. Through three games, Grambling has been flagged 35 times for 257 lost yards, including 10 penalties for 66 yards last week at TAMC.

“We’re never going to be happy with penalties but sometimes you have to take the aggressive ones,” Joseph said. “It’s the non-moving ones that are the ones that hurt the most, and we have seven of those (against TAMC). So we can’t line up offsides, we can’t have illegal procedure penalties and those kinds of things.

“So we’re just going to keep working on those things as we’ve been doing in practice. So we’re got to do a better job of getting the defensive line to stay back (before the ball is snapped. We had seven or eight (penalties in the first half and only two or three in the second. There’s never going to be a perfect game, especially when it’s on the road and they’re not your (conference) officials.”

Joseph has been looking for more rushing yardage from his Tigers but knows those might be hard to get against a Jackson State defense that held Southern to under 50 yards on the ground last weekend.

“They play good football in Jackson,” Joseph said. “They’ve been playing good football there for a long time. I remember when I came into the conference in 1998, and they’ve always had a really good defense.

“So we’ve got to find some things that we can do and take advantage of. But mainly we’ve got to execute. We’ve got to block and we’ve got to execute. We haven’t done that in the last two games for 60 minutes. So we’re looking to come out and do that for 60 minutes. The kids know (Jackson State) is going to be a tough defense, so we have to get them prepared as coaches, get a good game plan and smooth it out as the game goes on.”

Joseph also knows Grambling’s defense will have to be prepared to face a JSU offense that is well-balanced and does many things well.

“I think you’ve got to play hard and do your job,” Joseph said. “That’s what they do over there, but if we come out and do our job, then I think we’re going to be good. You’ve got to do what the scheme asks you to do. 

“We understand that they’re a very talented offensive team with the backs, the receivers, the quarterbacks and the line. They’re equipped across the board, so we’re going to have to be on our A-game. We understand they’re skill-heavy with really good football players.”

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

NATCHITOCHES – The compliments came for the Northwestern State football team following its most recent home game – a six-point loss to Prairie View A&M on Sept. 7.

Two weeks later, as the Demons return home in Turpin Stadium to face Weber State at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+, first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle is looking for a homonym – specifically a complement.

“We’ve got to help each other out in all three phases,” McCorkle said. “That’s one thing last Thursday night in Mobile (against South Alabama) we had to force ourselves to do. The offense had to get away from its game plan a bit to slow the game down, and we had to adjust some things in the kick game to protect our returns. One of the things we have to do as we grow and mature as a program is learn to play complementary football, help each other out and put together a true four-quarter team effort.

“If the defense gets a turnover, we have to capitalize. If the offense gets in a bind, the defense has to find a way to flip the field position. Those are all things that are really important. We’re making progress, and we’ll get there. That’s part of the growth process as you build a program.”

In the Demons’ Week 3 loss at South Alabama, Northwestern failed to force a turnover for the first time this season while committing four turnovers themselves. In the first two games, the Demons (0-3) were a plus-3 in turnover margin and had scored 21 points off their four forced turnovers.

Winning the turnover battle against Weber State (1-2) would aid the Demons in slowing down the No. 11 rushing offense in the Football Championship Subdivision.

The Wildcats average 206 yards per game on the ground, playing to type for a Big Sky Conference team. With nine days to prepare for Weber State following a loss at South Alabama, the Demons have kept their focus on complementing one another.

“(McCorkle) brings it up in almost every meeting and practice,” linebacker Danny Sears said. “He brought it up after the (South Alabama) game. That’s a huge part of the game – going from scoring to having a three-and-out to having a touchback on special teams. It all comes together. You’re only as good as your other side of the ball. It’s an important part of the game, and he’s made it a pretty big point.”

Stopping the run will be a pivotal point for the Demons, who limited Prairie View to 98 rushing yards in their lone FCS vs. FCS game of the first three weeks.

Meanwhile, Northwestern allowed more than 300 yards rushing in each of their two games against FBS opponents, including 363 at South Alabama in an 87-10 loss.

“We have a chip on our shoulders now, as we should,” Sears said. “If you’re not angry about what happened last week, you’re not doing this for the right reasons. Coach McCorkle has a great Bible quote for us. You’re allowed to be angry, but you can’t sin with that angriness. You should be angry. You’re allowed to be. Now, we have to go play with that angriness.”

In the Demons’ first home game, they played in front of the largest Turpin Stadium crowd since 2021, providing a homefield advantage.

A repeat of that atmosphere would provide yet another complement for which McCorkle has searched.

“Two of our first three games have been in FBS stadiums with a little bigger crowd and atmosphere, but the game we had against Prairie View two weeks ago was just as loud and exciting a homefield advantage as the two FBS stadiums we played in,” he said. “I challenge the people – if you came to the game two weeks ago and had a good time and you like watching good football – come back again this week. These kids still need you in their corner.”

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information

SHERMAN, Texas — The Centenary football team collides with another 0-2 team but must do it on the road Saturday as the Gents will face the Austin College ‘Roos in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest set for 6 p.m. at Jerry E. Apple Stadium.

The Gents (0-2, 0-1 SCAC) are playing their second-consecutive road game after falling 31-8 at Texas Lutheran University last Saturday in Seguin, Texas.

The ‘Roos (0-2, 0-0 SCAC) lost at home to Rhodes College by a score of 49-13 last weekend after opening the season with a 26-20 loss at Kalamazoo on Sept. 7. AC  will be opening league play on Saturday. Centenary fell 43-20 to Hendrix College in its season opener at home.

“We are diligently preparing to face an Austin College team that brings back 14 starters from last season,” said Centenary head coach Byron Dawson.

“Our focus must remain entirely on improving week by week. The goal remains unchanged: to master the fundamentals and play together as a cohesive team. We need to learn from our past mistakes and continue improving week by week.”

The Gents are averaging 251.0 yards per game of total offense have not found the end zone frequently yet.

Freshman quarterback Kody Fuentes sparks the Gents. He has completed 48 of 84 for 458 yards and a touchdown. Transfer receiver Kobe Chambers, a junior from Mississippi Valley State, has 14 catches for 173 yards.

Defensively, freshman linebacker Ronald Findley tops the Gents with 12 total tackles (11 solo). Sophomore Bryan Washington had an interception at Texas Lutheran which he returned 62 yards and finished with four solo tackles and six total tackles, good for second-most on the team.

Sophomore defensive tackle Kris Mesloh from Parkway High School also had a solid all-around performance for the Gents as he recorded six total tackles, blocked a field-goal attempt, and forced a fumble last week. Mesloh had four solo tackles and two assisted tackles, and a half-sack.

Freshman Delarrious Marshall from Green Oaks recovered a fumble and Haughton junior Demetrus Gladney Jr. made seven solo tackles, two for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks.

Austin College was picked to finish fourth in the preseason SCAC poll, only ahead of Lyon College. Centenary was third in the coaches’ preseason poll.

Live stats and live video are available for the game at the links below:

STATS: https://austin.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/boxscores/20240921_z7kb.xml 

VIDEO: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/tx/sherman/organization/6357/austin-college

By RON “MAD DOG” HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE — I turned on my laptop Monday morning to find a suspicious file.

It read, “Skippywear.doc.”

I opened it to find a proposed line of merchandise, complete with sketches and descriptions promoting Skippy the Wonder Bichon.

There were Skippy sleep shirts with a picture of him snoozing that read “I love to nap on any day that ends in `y.’

There was a Skippy picture T-shirt of him picking games. The pic tagline read, “The Whizzzzz-zard of Odds.”

There was a Skippy dog walking vest that read “Release the Hound.”

There was a Skippy cap with a smirking logo of him with the inscription, “When in doubt, lift a leg!”

There was a talking Skippy fire hydrant for dogs training to relieve themselves. If a dog aimed correctly and hit the hydrant, a sensor played Skippy’s voice with self-affirmations like “You’re a whiz kid” or “You didn’t cry wee wee wee all the way home.”

“SKIPPY, where are you?” I yelled. “Get your little bichon butt in my office right now. WHAT IS THIS?”

“That’s my new line of merch called `Live Like Skippy,’” Skipper said sauntering to my doorway. “My creative team found my lifestyle – sleeping, eating, walking, whizzing, pooping, having my belly scratched and giving my older brother Buddy hell for being a suck-up lovable lap dog – is appealing to the masses.”

“Who arranged it?” I said “And who’s financing it?”

“My agent is your friend Doug E. Fresh in Natchitoches,” the Skipster said. “He’s a veteran public relations legend and one my biggest fans. He also arranged with the Journal bookkeeper to deposit your paychecks into my account. So, you are paying for this.”

“Well, your brand may be hot, but your picks went cold last week,” I said. “You were 4-6 and now 18-12 on the year. I was 9-1 and I’m now 24-6.”

“I don’t care,” the Skipperoo said. “I’m making bank off you.”

On to Week 4:

No. 16 LSU (2-1, 1-0 SEC) vs. UCLA (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten), Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Saturday, 2:40 p.m. (ESPN) 

Betting line: LSU favored by 23½ 

The skinny: Time is running out for the Tigers to get their act together before SEC play resumes at home on Oct. 12 vs. No. 5 Ole Miss. LSU needs a resounding win this weekend. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Ti-gahs Afternoon Delight 48, California Dreamin’ 17 

Skippy’s pick: LSU 

No. 6 Tennessee (3-0, 0-0 SEC) at No. 15 Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0 SEC), Memorial Stadium, Norman, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (ABC) 

Betting line: Tennessee favored by 7 

The skinny: The Vols have a chance to make a national statement in OU’s first-ever SEC league battle. The Sooners have played average so far. Have they been sandbagging? 

Mad Dog’s pick: Too Legit to Quit Vols 34, Later Sooners 30 

Skippy’s pick: Tennessee 

Arkansas (2-1, 0-0 SEC) at Auburn 2-1, 0-0 SEC), Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ESPN 

Betting line: Auburn favored by 4

The skinny: For the last 12 football seasons spanning three coaches, Arkansas has won more than one SEC road just once. Auburn has lost to the only legit competition (Cal) on its exceedingly weak conference schedule. Against my better judgment. . . 

Mad Dog’s pick: Mr. Freeze’s Plainsmen 37, Six-Pack Sam’s Hogs 30 

Skippy’s pick: Arkansas 

Vanderbilt (2-1, 0-0 SEC) at No. 6 Missouri (3-0, 0-0 SEC), Memorial Stadium, Columbia, Saturday, 3:15 p.m. (SEC Network) 

Betting line: Missouri by 21 

The skinny: It’s the annual battle of two of America’s best journalism schools. Last week, then-unbeaten Vanderbilt’s (something rarely said after week two) effort was nothing to write home about. It had improved so much it actually took an opponent lightly (Georgia State) and got beat. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Mizzou J-School 51 (its number of Pulitzer Prize winners), Vanderbilt J-School Journalism 6 (allegedly its number of Pulitzer winners) 

Skippy’s pick: Vanderbilt 

Florida (1-2, 0-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (1-2, 0-0 SEC), Davis-Wade Stadium, Starkville, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPN) 

Betting line: Florida favored by 6 

The skinny: Florida third-year head coach Billy Napier is supposedly a dead man walking, no matter this weekend’s outcome. Let’s send him packing with a win. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Billy Napier’s $26 Million Buyout 31, Cowbell Clangers 21 

Skippy’s pick: Mississippi State

In other games: 

No. 11 USC (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) at No. 17 Michigan (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten), Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (CBS) 

Betting line: Michigan favored by 5½

Mad Dog’s pick: City of Angels Trojan Hosses 35, Team Teen Wolf 28 

Skippy’s pick: Michigan 

North Carolina State (2-1, 0-0 ACC) at No. 22 Clemson (1-1, 0-0 ACC), Memorial Stadium, Clemson, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ABC) 

Betting line: Clemson by 8½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Climpson Tigs 34, Raleigh Wolfies 24 

Skippy’s pick: Clemson 

No. 12 Utah (3-0, 0-0 Big 12) at No. 13 Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12), T. Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Saturday, 3 p.m. (FOX) 

Betting line: Utah favored by 1½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Utah Salt Flats 35, Magic Mikes of Stillwater 31 

Skippy’s pick: Oklahoma State 

Illinois (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) at No. 23 Nebraska (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Friday, 7 p.m. (FOX) 

 Betting line: Nebraska by 8½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Corn-Fed and Bred Huskers 30, Illi-noise 21 

Skippy’s pick: Illinois 

Tulane (1-2, 0-0 AAC) at UL Lafayette (2-0, 0-0 Sun Belt West), Cajun Field, Lafayette, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPNU) 

Betting line: Tulane by 3½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Willie Fritz’s Leftovers 42, Looziana 21 

Skippy’s pick:  ULL

Contact “Mad Dog” and Skippy at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director 

Centenary’s first official football season continues on the road for the rest of the month, with a Saturday visit to Austin College, and all other fall sports are also competing away from home.

MEN’S GOLF:  Centenary finished seventh in the 2024 SCAC Preview to open its 2024 fall season on Tuesday at the White Bluff Golf Course in Whitney, Texas. 

The Gents, who were in eighth place after the opening round of the event on Monday were back at a familiar site where they competed last season in the SCAC Championships. Centenary finished at 51-over par 627 for the tournament after shooting a 26-over par 314 on Tuesday which was preceded by a 25-over 313 on Monday.

Senior Andrew Bennett, a native of Bossier City, paced the Gents as he tied for sixth place at 4-over par 148. Bennett shot a 5-over par 77 on Tuesday after a 1-under par 71 in Monday’s opening round.

Bennett claimed the 2024 individual conference title last season on the very course last April, becoming the first Centenary men’s golfer in the Division III era to win an individual conference title as he finished at 4-under par 212. Bennett finished in a tie with Texas Lutheran University’s Tobey Willis to earn his 10^th-career top 10 finish.

Sophomore Aubrey Snell, a Shreveport native, finished in a tie for eighth place, shooting a 6-over par 150 with consecutive rounds of 75 and recorded his third-career top-10 finish.

The Gents will next be in action in the UMHB Invitational at Sammons Park Golf Club in Temple, Texas this weekend.

WOMEN’S GOLF: The Ladies finished fifth at the 2024 SCAC Preview on Tuesday at plus 188 (764) on Tuesday in their season-opening tournament at White Bluff Golf Course.

The Ladies shot a team score of 379 and moved up from seventh place after Monday’s first round in which they shot a 385.

Freshman Haylee Crowder, a Haughton native, earned the Ladies’ top finish of the tournament at 15^th place as she shot a 21-over 93 on Tuesday to finish 37-over par 181. Crowder, in her collegiate debut on Monday, shot a 16-over par 88 and was tied for 12^th place.

The Ladies return to action next month as they will face Southern University in a dual match at Oakwing Golf Club in Alexandria on Oct. 14.

WOMEN’S SOCCER:  Centenary plays the Millsaps College Majors in a non-conference contest this afternoon at 5 at Harper Davis Field in Jackson, Miss. 

The Ladies (0-2-1) are coming off of a 3-3 tie against the Huntingdon College Hawks on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference match in Montgomery, Ala. The Majors (1-5-1) are 1-2-1 at home this season and crushed Tougaloo by a score of 12-0 at home on Sunday. Centenary and Millsaps met last season in Shreveport and finished in a scoreless tie.

The Ladies’ three goals scored on Sunday is the most by the Ladies since a 5-1 win over Austin College at home on Oct. 7, 2022.

Sophomore Zoe Keller made her first-career start in goal for the Ladies and went the distance, recording eight saves in her 90 minutes. 

VOLLEYBALL: The Ladies fell 3-0 to the University of Texas-Dallas Comets on Tuesday evening in a non-conference contest in Richardson, Texas.

The Ladies (0-8) will return to action on Saturday to open Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play against McMurry in Abilene, Texas at 1 p.m.

The Comets won the first set by a score of 25-15, took set two 25-11, and closed out the sweep with a 25-12 win in set three. The Ladies finished with 26 digs, 14 kills, 12 assists, and one solo block while the Comets tallied 36 digs, 53 kills, 49 assists, and eight service aces.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu