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Thank you.

Well, hi, everybody.

It's great to have you with us for this edition of Postgame Notes on LP V alongside my Super Bowl champ partner, Scott Shanley.

I'm Victor Hall.

We've closed out the regular season now in college football.

I feel like it's just the things to talk about.

I feel like we should have like a big circus tent over South Louisiana right now, because you're supposed to be talking about the end of the season, the way teams play.

There's a lot going on.

As we say goodbye to the season.

Yeah, we have an our show and there's a lot of football to talk about, but there's also a lot of business side of football to talk about.

Do a lot of sought after coach, which means there's a lot of good football being played in the state of Louisiana.

When you have this many teams coming after you and pillaging your coaches out of the state.

But it's been a really good year for a lot of teams and a really good year for a lot of these coaches, and it was a lot of drama set up on Saturday for a lot of teams in our state.

So here's what we're going to talk about over the next 60 minutes here on Game Notes.

And we will start by focusing in on the raging Cajuns from you.

Well, Lafayette, they needed to get a win to make it four in a row so they could go bowling.

We'll show you the rematch, a matchup they had against Ulm.

How about the Green Wave down in New Orleans taking on Charlotte, where a win would guarantee that Tulane would host the American Conference championship?

First, we'll go to Norman, Oklahoma.

The first time the Tigers made a trip there as they closed out the regular season trying to upset and knock Oklahoma out of the playoff picture.

All of that is still to come here in the next 60 minutes on LPB.

But let's start down in the city of New Orleans for the showcase game in the HBCU.

And that's Southern and Grambling and the 52nd annual Bayou Classic.

You know, when we left the studio on Saturday after game was we were talking amongst ourselves in one of our studio photos, member of our crew said, hey, you left one game out you don't want to talk about.

And that was Southern and Grambling and my answer was, I don't want to touch it because it's a huge rivalry game and I've seen crazier things happen.

Well, crazy showed up in New Orleans on Saturday.

What a ball game we had between the Jags and the Grambling Tigers.

Let's get right to it, because it was some kind of a show, as it always is down in the dome.

Jaguars taking the field looking for their first win since week one.

Remember they played week zero.

So their second game was their one and only win.

And here come the Grambling Tigers Cameron McCoy gets the start at quarterback for the Southern Jags.

First play right side 13 yards on the gain.

Third and nine.

But the Tigers defense breaks through.

They get the sack Tyrell Raby gets.

It's a loss of nine.

Four minutes to go now in the first quarter as we fast forward to Graham Hayden Ben Wall how good has he been a quarterback for the Tigers when they needed him to step up?

He hits Andrew Frazier.

Looks like he's gone.

Great effort by the Jaguar defense to track him down from behind.

It's still a 70 yard game.

Next play though Ben what a Barron.

Miles Jr nine yards and the Tigers are on the scoreboard first it's seven nothing Bremen early second quarter Ashton Strother is now in a quarterback.

This pass is high and it's picked off by Raby the same guy that had the sack a few minutes ago.

So now he's got a big sack.

Now he's got a huge interception and takes it the other way.

Two plays later Scott watch the touch from Ben.

What a Keith Jones Jr on this 28 yard touchdown.

This is a nice job just laying the ball over the top.

And I tell you what I've seen a quarterback do this quite a few times in that Superdome.

That's a heck of a throw in the red zone right there on the corner.

14 nothing.

Grambling on top now.

Next series.

Struthers heading out of bounds and watch.

He is going to take a vicious shot late out of bounds personal foul Tory.

He could have been thrown out of the ballgame.

Two teams had to meet.

Thankfully, Strother would walk off the field.

But guess what?

That's when the fire was lit for southern Cameron McCoy.

McCoy's back in the quarterback watch and roll out left, and that hit Khalil Harris 27 yards on that dart.

He gets out of bounds.

Two plays later Trey Holley takes it into the end zone.

First touchdown of the day for the Jags.

And it's 14 seven.

Grambling on top.

Friend McNair likes what he sees.

17 seven now Grambling a minute to go into the third.

For a minute into the third quarter.

Berry, Remo bounces off of defenders and he's gone 61 yards on the touchdown.

And the Jags now trail 1714.

But the Tigers respond.

They drive right down the field Andre Cruz from three yards out.

It's 2414.

Look we've seen southern story.

This is where they fold in the second half.

They just don't have enough in the tank.

This is where they have problems.

Or do they are early fourth quarter Trey Holley untouched nine yards off the middle.

It's 2421.

Next possession.

Grambling goes for a 52 yard field goal from Josh McCormick.

Left hash.

It looks good, Mickey.

Joseph you betcha.

It's good.

2721 Grambling on top.

Next play from scrimmage Barry Ramo again up the middle, 35 yards in the Grambling territory down at the 40.

Now it's second and 16.

And McCoy to Khalil Harris again down the middle.

He gets past the defenders 34 yards.

The Jags are scoring in the second half.

And now they're up by one under four minutes to go fourth.

And for McCormick from 54 and the lead it's no good.

But wait watch what happens.

It was fourth and four.

That's a five yard penalty hitting the kicker.

Grambling keeps the ball but the defense holds.

Now it's a 43 yard field goal and it's wide left.

But 218 on the clock.

The Tigers defense holds forces southern to punt.

35 seconds to go.

You're back in field goal range first to ten but you got to hold on to the ball.

The Tigers don't.

It's a bad exchange Andre Cruz loses the ball Demetrius Walker Scott that's his one and only tackle of the game.

And Kelby Givens Mr.. Everything jumps on it.

Pandemonium on the southern sideline.

What a game.

What a ball game in the dome two teams battling it out.

And there's nothing like southern versus Grambling for it to end that way.

Disappointing on one side but elation on the other side.

And a great job by coach McNair this year to finish off the fourth straight win for the Jags in the Bayou Classic.

Here's Fred McNair afterwards.

You know, at this time point you know you're playing the Bayou Classic.

But a good Grambling football team has South Coast Mr.

Joseph in this football program an outstanding classic group of men.

They do a fine job.

But what we did, we tried to overcome all the adversities during the course of this year, and we'll put together a good, good, good game plan to come in and focus on what we had to do on the course of the Bayou Classic.

And my biggest thing was to be, young man, don't give up.

No, never give up.

If you give up on this with something that you love, you give up on life.

And he guys hung in there and they fought very hard and what they did very deserving I can't I can't speak no how did not this coaching staff that we have and what he guys hung in there each and every week with the ups and downs and the battles in the brews of the of the football program that was that was wounded and kept getting up fighting.

And the young men showed very a lot of character with the things they love to do.

They came out and played with a lot of effort.

Personally, I just, just understanding where I'm at, during the career of football and getting understand, the dynamic of coaching.

And I knew Brett coming in and being in him coaching and leading this team forward to a Bayou Classic.

You know, it means a lot to me, the way he guys hung in there and the way he played out.

And when he coach just stood behind me and, did all the right things supposed to do, you know, the head coach of a football program, you always try to find edges and things to do to to overcome all the things that we've been through all through the course of year.

Many nights I've driven home from the stadium to the house and and just trying to think of some encouraging words for the next day, you know, comes hours of nights.

I didn't sleep, you know, just worried about this program and what's going to go, what about the young men and the things they have to do to to stay above water?

So it's been very pleasing to me to to become, the alum coach.

This football program.

Southern riding a three game win streak into the Bayou Classic.

Now make it four in a row over their biggest rival in north Louisiana, Barry Remo.

Seven rushes for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Hayden Ben Walker.

He has been outstanding for Grambling at the quarterback position since stepping in.

They've had to go through multiple quarterbacks, as have southern 16 to 32 for 221 yards and two touchdowns, but sacked four times by that Grambling defense.

And then the biggest play of the game at the end, when Demetrius Walker gets his only tackle and gets into the backfield and southern gets the win 28 to 27.

And now you know why I didn't want to talk about that game amongst us.

Because Scott it's a rivalry game.

And the scene you saw at the end in the background, the pandemonium, the chaos on the southern bench, that is a team that has been waiting for that all season long.

They got one win at Mississippi Valley to go one and one on the season.

This is a team picked to win the West in the Swac.

They did not know that it would be 90 days later before they could celebrate again.

But you could see they've been trying.

They've come up short.

They've had their struggles.

Then to get it against your biggest rival on a nationally televised stage.

What a way to end the season.

And that's the definition of you always hear people say, it's kind of a cliche.

You could throw the records out when rivals play, but but this is exactly why it doesn't matter what has happened all season long.

You've had one win against the Grambling teams, had some some, some really bright moments this year.

Went through a lot of quarterback injuries, but really a bright year for Coach Joseph.

And to go in there and win it and to fight all the way to the end and, to see Coach Kruger celebrating with his team and then listening to him talk there, he's done a heck of a job.

And those are the battles coaches go through driving home at night.

How do I keep encouraging this team?

They've won one game.

It's easy to give up and just, you know, say we'll move on to the next year.

But he had this team fighting all the way to the end.

But and it's also shows doesn't it, that sometimes you just need that little something happen to give you belief all season long, Southern's biggest struggles have been in the second half.

It's been self-inflicted wounds with turnovers.

It's been the inability to score and slow teams down.

Then all of a sudden Trey Holley gets a touchdown.

You make a big play in the second half.

Grambling comes right back down the field and scores.

But then you get that first play with Remo.

The run 35 yards.

Now you're at the 40 and all of a sudden said, wait a minute, we can do this again.

That's what Southern's been missing all season long.

And then to be able to pull it off in the final game.

Yeah.

You need everybody to want to play football.

But the guys you really need to want to play football or on the offensive line and defensive linemen.

Yesterday.

Southern over 20 yards rushing.

Sophomore running back Barry Remo seven carries for three yards and a touchdown.

Outstanding day.

So southern when you run the football like that you told everybody we showed up to the game today.

Wherever you're playing Stadium Dome, wherever we showed up with an attitude that we're going to control the line of scrimmage.

And they did that in the running game and a tough loss.

Will we go to Grambling here for a moment?

Because remember last week they lost on the road at 18 players suspended because of the fight that happened with Bethune-Cookman.

Then you get the players back and to come down riding momentum, get that quick start.

You get on the scoreboard twice early, but once again, that downfall when you look at the other side of the ball, they've been there for three years and lost for three years and the biggest game and all of a sudden it's like, oh, here they come again.

Are we going to lose it again?

There were opportunities late but two missed field goals.

And then the the unfortunate with the exchange.

Yeah it really comes down to the end of the game just not finishing the game because like we saw we saw two missed field goals.

Could have possibly won the game.

And then at the end it just looked like a simple read option play.

Not sure if the quarterback chose to give it or not, but but more of a credit to the defensive end for kind of baiting the quarterback into giving the ball and then chasing him down the line of scrimmage and creating a game changing play.

That's really what the game comes down to.

Everybody has, chalkboards, everybody has X's and O's they drop.

Now, what do those X's and O's do when after the ball snap.

And credit to southern they made the plays when they when they counted.

Both teams have battled quarterback position all season long with injuries and losses.

Both both teams having young men that stepped up.

And now for the Jaguars moving forward as we talked about on Saturday show, you carry some momentum for your potential new coach because it's been reported that as soon as Monday, we might hear an announcement on the bluff that they're getting a new head coach.

And as somebody who's got NFL experience has been spending time at Colorado and somebody I know, you know, on the personal level, you like this hire for southern dance head coach Morris Fogg.

I think it was, fitting yesterday that southern ran the ball so well.

The running backs had a great day because they got a, Pro Football Hall of Fame running back coming to be their coach.

And, I'm extremely excited about this.

Ha!

I know Marshall's excited about it.

He's he's just a student of the game.

He's going to build.

Young man.

It's gonna be interesting to see how he, he, you know what his that put his on the offense side of the ball.

He played for Mike Martz in Saint Louis with the Rams with the greatest show on turf.

Will the ball be flying around?

Will it be more run, run central?

So, you know, obviously he was on Coach Prime's, staff there in Colorado for a year, but he's going to be a leader of man and do an outstanding job in that department.

That's a Louisiana name that's coming back to Louisiana.

And you certainly have to think that there are young men who are looking at wanting to go to southern and maybe had their doubts and were questioning with the struggles the Jaguars have had.

All it takes is that one win and you get it over your biggest rival.

On top of that, you're bringing an NFL guy in to be your new head coach.

That could be some momentum that this program needs to now progress.

Yeah.

No doubt you can.

Don't ever underestimate the end of the season.

How you finish it.

Even as the last game of the year we've talked about it a couple weeks ago we talked about, McNeese and Nichols, the springboard of that last game, that last taste you have in your mouth as a player.

You either feel it or you don't go into the next season.

It changes a lot.

It changes kids from thinking about, oh, maybe I need to go to portal, maybe I need to go a different program or no, we have something established here.

We played our best football at the end of the season.

Let's ride this into 2026.

Well, that was an incredible story down in New Orleans.

There was also a big story unfolding in Lafayette on Saturday.

That's because the raging Cajuns were back home knowing they needed to get a win to make it four for four, to close out the year to make them bowl eligible for the eighth straight season.

But standing in their way and in-state rival the Warhawks from you on Monroe making the trip down I-49.

Alaska looking to play.

Spoiler.

Hey, the games kicking off afternoon is kind of look, it's no big deal if we get there 10 or 15 minutes late, or you could be there and miss this.

Jacob Green opening kickoff 96 yards.

He takes it.

We are 12 seconds into the ballgame and the Cajuns have a seven nothing lead immediately.

But guess what Ulm answers right away Aidan Armenta watch him roll and go downfield 5252 yards to Nick Trujillo.

And it's down at the 25 yard line.

That combination worked so well there.

Let's do it again.

Next play.

Same combo 25 yards on the touchdown.

What an answer by the Warhawks.

The extra point is missed.

It's 76 Cajuns next Warhawk possession Zach Palmer.

Smith.

That running back room is so deep Derek Ulm it's leg day Scott it's leg day.

We're pushing them all into the end zone.

Seven yards on the touchdown and it's 13 seven.

First mistake comes mid first quarter right when the rains came in fact crowds were going underneath there at the stadium.

Eight are meant to fumbles a snap loses the ball Ashley Williams jumps on it for the cage.

It's a five play drive and Steven Blanco takes it in from four yards out.

It's 1413 cages now.

The only scoring in the second quarter came on this 55 yard field goal from Tony Sterner.

More great kick and right down the pipe it's good.

And it's 1713 Cajuns at the half.

Same score as we jump forward to the fourth quarter.

First play our mentor to Jonathan Bibbs.

He makes one move and he's gone 68 yards on the sprint to the end zone.

And the Warhawks now have the lead in the fourth quarter 20 to 17.

And we're just getting started in the fourth.

Later in the quarter on fourth and one there's our guy Bill Davis.

It's a little see him and look at him go Bill Davis.

He's been outstanding in the running game all year for the Raging Cajuns.

And right there if you don't stay in your gap on defense, this is what's going to happen to you.

76 yards and a touchdown.

It's 2420.

But we're not done next year.

All in possession five plays on third and 13.

Our man to to Trujillo again his third touchdown of the afternoon 2724 Ulm is back on top now.

It's third and eight.

Walker Howard back in the game wide.

Munch Winfield got banged up but Howard staying strong.

Rolling out finds Davis 26 yards on this conversion on third and eight.

And it's a fourth down a first down now fourth.

And for Tony Sterner from 30 it's good.

You all had a pass to go into the end zone to try to win it.

The pass was too long.

So we go to overtime and then overtime.

Hunter Herring is in a quarterback.

As good as our mentor is all day, I have to think he was in for some sort of a trick play, but instead he throws it and that's a bad idea.

He's picked off on third and seven in the end zone.

So now any scoring play for the Cajuns will win it on the first play.

Walker Howard on the keeper getting a wall of blockers.

And it's 20 yards down to the seven yard line.

Now the Warhawk defense would hold for three plays inside the five.

But remember any score wins it.

And on fourth down it's a chip shot for Turner.

And it's good.

And the Ragin Cajuns make it four in a row to become bowl eligible.

Getting the win over Ulm 3227.

Postgame comments.

They return to kick off on the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but this one play in the message to the team was, hey, stay the course, stay the course, stay the course.

Don't panic, don't blink.

And then we were able to answer, and then we were able to get right back in it.

So tells you a lot about these kids.

Man.

Tells you a lot about this program.

And really just the culture of what we've been through throughout this season.

You got to be willing to go through these seasons and not bend and not break and not get negative and not point fingers and not make excuses.

And once we get there, we won't look back.

We just we won't look back and part of it sometimes, unfortunately, is going to be times like these.

But we're not scared of and we're not backing down from it and we'll continue to build.

It's just what these guys are, man.

They scratch and they call.

And you know, I think it was really important for them to send the seniors out with a win some way, somehow.

What a group of people to be able to find a way to come back from two and six, to win four in a row and give ourselves an opportunity to hopefully get in a bowl game here.

So, I'm sitting here really humble, really grateful and, and incredibly proud of the people that, that come to work in our building every day.

I just had to lead by example.

I'm not really like a Vulcan guy off the field, so I just try to show them, come to work every day and just work no matter what happened.

I made a situation that made it.

Injuries.

No matter what you're going through, just come here and work.

So I feel like.

I mean, that's all you need to do.

Like, no matter what happens, control what you can control and just go to work.

It's overtime, but the cages get it.

What a run.

Having lost at Troy and knowing you need to get four in a row.

But the cages do it.

They get ten points off of two Warhawk turnovers in a game that was decided by three.

What a day for a norm meant a 19 to 31 for three, 11 and three touchdowns.

And Jaden Duggar, who you just heard from 16 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.

You play defense 16 tackle.

Is that a lot?

Is that good?

That is a heck of a stat line.

But you know what?

If you watched at all, you all all year and you've looked at the box score and the stats after each one of their games, Jayden Dugger is right there at the top.

He's been very highly productive player all year long.

That's what we try to mention as many times as possible because, you know, sometimes they weren't always playing the best defense, but he was doing outstanding work individual on individual basis week after week for that defense.

We talked about the Cajuns in just a moment.

Let's focus on the Warhawks real quick because it's in-state rivalry.

And look, I'm not trying to buy into the hype.

I believe by the way, he's tried to handle with phase one and phase two.

You look at the touchdown or less losses they've had this year.

They've been in a lot of games.

They've got a lot of freshmen, they've got a lot of sophomores like their quarterback who had an outstanding day.

We might be looking back on this year in a year or two and going back to when he said, remember this year because they're going to grow and they're going to learn from this because what a performance from them.

They've struggled to get in the win column.

But you go down and get your biggest rival.

You could play spoiler, and they were this close to getting it done and it was close.

So we just talked about the springboard of the last game of the year, how it can go into next year, and how that happened with southern and the Grambling game.

I know that the Warhawks lost, but you look at offensive performance.

They struggled a lot offensively this year.

But in this game, 516 yards of offense and 29 first downs again against the region.

Kids at home on Senior Day.

Last game of the year for those guys at home.

So I think if you're encouraged by anything from this Warhawks team after that game is offensive, the offensive output and how that finally came alive.

Their defense has been rather steady throughout the season, but they're young at quarterback, they're young at running backs and the best wide receiver unit.

They're all coming back.

Yeah.

So there's a lot of experience on the other side.

Now for the Cajuns.

Again you look at what they were able to do to get this win.

And what a story to have Walker Howard come back.

You talk about full circle.

It's not the best story in college football.

It's one of them to go home only to leave in the first game of the season because of injury.

Watch lunch, Winfield take this team over.

But then when he gets banged up, you go right back to Walker Howard.

44 passing yards, 33 rushing yards including some very big plays.

Scott like the third and eight and the first play in overtime that went for 20.

Yeah, he did an outstanding job stepping in.

This is the toughest thing as a football player.

The roller coaster of emotions you go through.

He's a starting quarterback.

Come home.

Feel good story.

Lunch takes over produce as well.

He doesn't know if he's going to get back on the field.

And the hardest thing as a player is to continue to prepare for your moment of opportunity.

Continue to prepare.

You don't know if they're off.

He's going to come.

The opportunity came for him yesterday to prove that he could still lead this team to a victory, got his moment and led his team to the victory.

And I think the other thing is that you don't always see when it's on the field is when you looked at him and you looked at lunch, lunch.

Winfield.

Success.

Walker.

Howard hard right there.

He was never sulking like, well, there goes my opportunity.

Once again.

I'm not going to play.

He was always there supporting the guy that picked the team up.

Then when he needed to be picked up, Walker came right back to do it.

Yeah, positive out too.

I think it all starts with the head coach.

Coach Desmond does an outstanding job, just that leadership ability to resonate throughout the rest of your team.

That the attitude affects effort and effort affects the outcome of how we do this year.

And it's always tough.

It's easy to tell players over and over again.

You need to have the positive attitude.

You need to believe you're the guy.

But I think that's just an example that they have the right culture in that locker room.

Here's a look at their schedule and what they were able to do.

Because again, we take it back one month ago.

You go on the road and you lose at Troy.

You now know you have four games in a bye week and you have two wins.

Two of those games are on the road.

You went right back to Alabama outside of mobile to get the win against South Alabama, then that tough one against Texas State.

Then you go to Arkansas State last week week one out.

And then you eke one out at home against a big rival in state.

And you on Monroe.

What a way to finish the decimal.

It would have been very easy Scott, and understandable between having to go through three quarterbacks to injuries that they've had all season long, your pick to win the West, you're nowhere close to it.

You know what, white flag it.

We're just waiting this off.

And here they are now bowl eligible for the eighth straight season.

Yeah speaks a lot about the leadership of coach Desmond.

Speaks a lot about the character the guys he has in that locker room.

Because to your point they had they had a goal.

They want to make a bowl game.

They want to have certain amount of games.

They weren't won four games in a row, two on the road in a rivalry game.

So the end of the season, they're on the upswing and you want to carry that into next season to an outstanding effort by them and outstanding close to the season for the Warhawks with the cages.

Congratulations.

Four in a row and for the eighth straight season, bowl eligible.

One week ago, the Bulldogs from Louisiana Tech became bowl eligible.

And look what they went to play in.

That looks like fun, doesn't it?

They were on the road at Missouri State.

And how about this four minutes into the game.

That is Andrew Burnett who has five touchdowns in his last two games.

And that is a 98 yard touchdown run, the second in school history over 90 yards.

And Louisiana Tech has a seven nothing lead.

And congratulations to the Bulldog fans who made the trip to go sit in that weather.

Trey Kuka getting the start again at quarterback, rolling out, looking for help goes back the other way.

Nice little screen pass and we've got ourselves a wall.

Nice break play turning.

Next pick up a huge pickup for the Bulldogs in the bad weather.

We go to the second quarter cook it with the little handoff.

And just like that the Bulldogs are up 14.

Nothing as Burnett once again gets it into the end zone.

But Missouri State they're going to come back 14 three.

Now almost the end of the first half.

Big pass down the middle to give them really good field field position not great weather to be throwing the ball.

But they were chucking it around on this drive and eventually get it into the end zone.

It's 1410 after Ronnie Robinson hits Jacob.

Jacob Clark hits Robinson and it's 1410 now.

Missouri State tries the fake punt.

Oh look at the pop right there.

He was going to come up about four yards short.

But the fumble sets up Louisiana Tech.

When they tried to pull the fake.

All the Bulldogs are gone the other direction.

But it wasn't good enough.

And Louisiana Tech was able to make the stop.

Then it's back to the ground game.

And boy, Louisiana Tech on the ground Saturday afternoon shows you how to do it in bad weather.

Kuka makes the cut.

Cuts back across the grain.

Gets it down inside the ten yard line.

No problem.

Bulldogs getting close.

And then on first and goal.

Puga keeps it and it's now 21 to 10.

Louisiana Tech is on top.

Midway through the third quarter back for Missouri State a little slip, then a little move and then a sprint to the end zone.

And that's going to be Good Samaritan Lawrence takes it 56 yards up the middle.

And that makes it 2117 as good as tech was on the ground.

Missouri State was hanging in there.

But Tech's going to score it again because Cooper is going to score again.

Wraps up a 16 play 78 yard drive to make it 28 to 17.

That's that's what you would call a blown coverage.

That is definitely that is the definition of blown coverage.

There's got to be somebody in the screenshot of a cover receiver Jaren Askren goes 75 yards on the blown coverage.

And it's Missouri State's right back in at 2823.

But they have to kick it off.

And that was a mistake because they went to Devin Gandy.

And he while he's gone 93 yards he takes a kick right back.

So no sooner does the story state make it a five point game.

But right back on top of the scoreboard as Gandy gets into the end zone to make it 35 to 23.

That is still the score when Missouri State gets it in on the right side to make it 3530.

That's Ramone Green from 12 yards out.

But for Louisiana Tech you go to your start of the game and that's your quarterback and that's Trey Cooper.

Watch him keep fakes out.

Everybody.

And now he's gone.

That's a 58 yard touchdown for your quarterback.

Getting the job done and putting this thing away to give Louisiana Tech seven wins on the season in miserable conditions 42 to 30 is your final score as the Bulldogs end the season with back to back wins.

Here's Sonny Cumbie on the field after the game.

The great job of the game.

Offensive line dominated.

He did a phenomenal job with his eyes finish plays and he has the heart of the champion man and a guy that got benched early in the year and comes back and does like he does.

I'm just fired up for him.

You can throw all the stats out the window.

Our guys got an average day.

Our guys fought their tails off all season long.

They battle, came out in these conditions and physically dominated the football team on their home turf.

Because that's the type of football team that we are.

Yeah.

Coach Cummins fires.

He's fired up with that win at Missouri State 42 to 30.

Look at the rushing yards.

388 for Louisiana Tech overall.

But look at your quarterback.

Trey Kuka has 16 carries for a buck 72.

He ran by himself for 50 more yards and Missouri State ran as a team.

He also threw in 87 passing yards in miserable conditions.

So congratulations to Louisiana Tech for getting the 12 point win.

Next TBA they will await a bowl invitation.

But look, it goes back to what we talked about at the beginning of the season on our first edition of Game Notes.

When we heard from Sonny Cumbie last year, they went to the Independence Bowl by default.

Independence Bowl needed a team.

They were close.

They had five wins.

They invited them.

They lost big in that ballgame.

But remember what he said?

We went to this bowl game and our players now know what it takes to get there.

You went from that to now winning seven wins and being bowl over on your own for the first time since 2019.

And thank goodness they accept that bowl invitation.

I've seen teams not accept bowl invitations at the end of the year, and it's absolutely crazy as an entire month to evaluate the evaluate your players for them to get more experience in your program.

And they took advantage of that moment.

Yes.

Didn't win the game, but I think coming into this year, the preseason, listen to coach Cumbie talk.

We want to defend our home field.

They certainly did that, had some road struggles, lost some close games.

But this is how you finish on the road.

I think the most impressive stat to me in that game besides the rushing yards was outstanding.

No turnovers, no turnovers in that time, no one.

There is a heck of a job by this team.

Well, and they also didn't put the ball in the air a lot so speaks highly this year.

Point about running backs in your quarterback holding onto the ball.

They didn't throw it a lot, but they pounded.

And what a game for Trey Cook.

Here's another quarterback story we just talked about one right down had a lot of shots.

Yeah Kukoc has the chance to start the season.

But then Blake Baker makes his way in.

And then he starts.

Then he goes down.

So you bring in another quarterback who the next week he goes down.

So Kukoc you start here.

You came down here, now you're back up.

You know what he's done in back to back games.

Set quarterback rushing record for Louisiana Tech.

Because here's a look at what he did yesterday.

And again in those miserable conditions.

But just leading the charge Scotty showed patience.

He showed his ability to run.

So now when you have two outstanding running backs already and now your quarterback can do this kind of a challenge, the pressure does that put on defense knowing you have to defend a running quarterback?

Oh, it's tough playing defense against a running quarterback.

You have to now it's truly 11 on 11 defense.

Usually you like those pocket passing guys.

You can sit back there.

But when the quarterback can utilize their legs, it changes everything you're doing.

From a defensive standpoint, you can't really keep two safeties deep.

You have to crowd the box.

And yesterday, even though they were crowned the Bucs, Louisiana Tech still did a good job running.

Another thing.

You know, this young man came over from a junior college out of California.

Sometimes it takes time for a staff to learn what you're what you can do well.

And he showed in the last two games yesterday, the conditions were ideal for him to run the ball, but he's shown I can use my legs, utilize me in some form or fashion.

He's here next year.

Maybe he's not starting quarterback, I don't know.

There's got to be a package for a guy who can run the football.

And Andrew Burnett also had 134 yards rushing.

Remember he had the big game one week ago, including the game winning touchdown in overtime to seal six wins yesterday.

He runs for 134 and two touchdowns.

And Kukoc runs for 172 and three touchdowns to five touchdowns, all on the ground.

Between your quarterback and now a young man who's emerging as one of your top hasn't even been the best running back all year.

Yeah, he's got five touchdowns in two games.

Yeah.

But I think you can talk about the running game but you can't forget to talk about I think we said it earlier this year.

Coach Cumbie has done an outstanding job.

He's from the high flying Texas Tech offense.

Throwing the ball is what's in his DNA.

He has formulated this team around.

The defense was playing well early.

Let's run the football.

Credit to the offensive line.

The offensive line did an outstanding job.

It doesn't matter who you have back there to pull up those type of running yards.

You have to control the line of scrimmage.

So outstanding job by the offensive line coach and the offensive linemen.

Here's a look at their schedule and what Louisiana Tech has done.

And again down the stretch remember they had many opportunities to get that sixth win.

But you go to Delaware.

You lose on a late field goal after that a ridiculous onside kick.

The next week you go to the Great Northwest where you had a tough outing, a loss there.

So now you're still sitting on five wins, but you get the win at home.

For your best record at home since 2019, you become bowl eligible for the first time since 2019, and then you wrap it up with a very impressive win on the road and before we wrap things up on Louisiana Tech and you just touched on it.

Special teams has been outstanding.

The punt returns and the kick returns.

But that defense has been one of the best and we have focused on them for much of the season.

What they have done, they have led conference USA for much of the year.

But the defensive play, even when you lost your best defender back in El Paso, what end of September?

The defense has really played well.

Yeah.

They went through a couple games of learning how to adjust to life without your best player on defense.

Just like most teams where you lose, it's like losing a quarterback on offense.

You have to find a different way to utilize different guys on the defense.

So a little bit of a lull after that, but really ramped up again at the end of the season.

We're playing some of their best football, taking the football away and holding offenses down.

The first game in the state of Louisiana for our teams that was played on Saturday was actually a playoff game.

It was a noon kickoff at Strawberry Stadium because we're talking FCS playoffs.

The Lions or Southeastern got the number 16 seed, and they played a team very familiar with postseason, the Redbirds from Illinois State.

They came in as the number 17 seed, not an official seed, but they came in looking to pull the upset in Hammond, Louisiana and Hammond, America, as I like to say.

So here we go to the campus of southeastern.

First play of the game.

Tommy Rittenhouse was an outstanding quarterback for Illinois State.

Hits Dylan Laude 26 yards up the middle.

And Illinois State show they were coming to play early.

Big gain for him.

Then three plays later, Rittenhouse to center Daniel Sock with 37 yards here.

And now the Redbirds just like that are inside the ten yard line.

Next play, Rittenhouse fakes the handoff.

Looks, waits, runs six yards for the touchdown.

Six plays, 80 yards and two minutes of seven seconds to open up the ballgame.

Here comes southeastern.

How low at quarterback.

So Dietrich Jackson a little swing out left.

And Jackson good for 11 yards.

And he gets the first down for the Lions.

Fourth and six early in the ballgame.

Going for it on a fourth.

And six.

But they do.

And low waits keeps us what he does so well.

He runs and he gets 26 yards on the fourth and six inside the 20 for the Lions first play of the second quarter the Alamo.

Garcia Rodriguez caps the drive with a 40 yard field goal.

It was 16 plays 69 yards at eight up over seven minutes.

Well you really could have used a touchdown.

But they'll take the three points down just seven three.

Second quarter Carson Kemp in a quarterback to Cade Collier.

That's good for 12 yards across the middle.

Then camp up the middle to Lonnie Shane Jr and the Lions once again on the move.

Third and fourth Jayden Henry from around midfield breaks one tackle, cuts up the middle.

That's good for ten yards.

But the problem for the Lions as much offense as they were getting, they couldn't convert when they needed the most.

Like here.

Fourth and three Kyle Lowe keeps it but the pressure is there.

By the red version it's stop a lot of yards gain.

Once it got inside the 20 things fell apart for the Lions early third.

Now Kemp would like this one back.

It's still seven three but he throws off his back foot and he's picked off by Chadwell Noble.

Returns it 28 yards for the Redbirds.

The Lions stop the Redbirds on three goal line plays.

So on fourth down, instead of settling for a field goal, they go trick play and they throw it back to their quarterback and Rittenhouse, who catches it for the touchdown.

It's a play, the coach said afterwards.

We've been sitting on that one waiting.

Mom was like, that's my boy, and it's 14 three Redbirds.

But here come the Lions once again.

Braden Hayes takes it to the sideline, almost breaks it.

But no, the official says he stepped out of bounds for Brandon Hayes three plays later.

Camp to deny Joseph.

But this pass is picked off by Mr.

Everything all everything.

Linebacker Ty kneecap breaks the breaks it for the Lions all as he gets the the interception.

But the defense holds and it's still 14 three.

Can't get back to pass this one.

Deflected and picked off again looking okay.

He can't believe it.

We got that.

It was one of those days for the Lions.

It would lead to a seventh flat touchdown.

It takes it in from one yard out.

That makes it 21 to 3.

That's it.

And that's all of the Redbirds.

Come on the road and get the win.

21 to 3 over southeastern.

As the Lions end the season at nine.

And for Illinois State improves to nine and four.

The Lions had more total yards.

But it was the penalties and the mistakes 14 points off lion turnovers for the Redbirds.

They now advance to take on the number one overall seed and a conference opponent, and North Dakota State.

That game will be played Saturday.

Afterwards, here's comments from southeastern head coach Frank Soto.

You turn the football over like it, just not going to get to at bat.

You're not going to when you give them those opportunities.

On our defense really play well today.

We gave up the seven points early and then after that it was about five.

Right.

Come on back and forth.

Couldn't get anything more on offense.

And we turned the football over.

And we can all use these moments as teachable moments moving forward to say, you got to take care of the football that's so critical.

And whatever we're doing, you know, this game, we're not going to measure our team on this game.

You know, you hear the outside noise and maybe some of you guys will create the outside guys.

But this team was man it's just 2025 was a little run for us.

We really to him was it was this is a great bunch of human beings that I was working with these men worked at tails all every day.

From January on or even before we found out we wasn't making the playoffs last year.

But what they did, what they've done and how they've handled themselves throughout the course of the season and the ups and downs and mostly ups.

When you have a team like that.

Just so proud.

Just it was it was fun.

As a head coach, these are the guys you want to surround yourself with, and they set the foundation for this entire program moving forward.

And, it's just it's not it really is to be able to be a part of this, organization, 26 seniors on this Lions squad to his point about setting a foundation.

You had the defensive player of the year.

You had the overall conference player of the year.

Both of them came from defense.

But Scott, it's one of those things where you can accept the loss but in it easier to accept the loss knowing you took everything you shot all the bullets you had out of the chamber, they just beat you because that was an offensive performance we really haven't seen all season long by the Lions to lose like that.

Yeah, they were struggle a little bit late in the year.

Offensively this team was really kind of carried by the defense all year long.

Special teams was playing great.

So offensively they're all there are a few concerns.

But you didn't see this team shoot themselves in the foot and create their own problems.

Turn the football over four times yesterday four interceptions.

That was really the story of the game.

And we talked about Illinois State is a heck of a road team.

So if you give a road team that's coming into people's buildings and they're not scared to play on the road, obviously based on their record, plus you give them the football that's tough to overcome.

And take a look at some of the miscues, because there are some other things besides the interceptions.

Obviously those were obvious when you have those four, but this is one thing that Frank self was telling me earlier this week when he and I had a chance to talk.

He can handle a holding or a facemask if it happens, but it's this you're inside the 20 and you get a procedure.

This is the very next play.

So you had a delay a game.

You've got a procedure.

You've lost ten yards in the same series.

You're inside the 20 now you're almost to the 30.

You have to settle for a field goal.

The penalties got to him with those.

And then it was the interceptions again to your point it's we just haven't seen him have this many mistakes overcome.

It's a talented team but it just it it hurts to know that you didn't give it your best shot.

Because we have seen this offense on fire and they are fun to watch.

Yesterday that fire just wasn't there.

No it wasn't.

And you demoralize a little bit when you turn the football over because it's one less opportunity.

Now you're back watching your defense out on the field.

You're sitting on the sideline.

I think there's a lot of upside for this program.

I think going into next year both both quarterbacks they play this year both underclassmen they're both backs continue to do the two quarterback system.

But I think there are a lot of big plays this year.

They have mismatches that they like offensively.

I think they just ran into a really good football team that much like go back to the Patriots, says they're going to force you to beat them.

And if you beat yourself, it's gonna be a long day for you.

Yeah Illinois State came in on the road and loss.

They felt like they should have been hosting because they played in the toughest conference in the country in FCS.

And they came on the road.

They got the job done.

That's why they advanced to take on number one North Dakota State for the Lions.

It was an excellent year.

That just fell up short, but a lot to build on as they start moving into next season.

Down in New Orleans Saturday night, one win separated the Tulane Greenway from hosting the American Conference championship down at Yeoman Stadium, taking on one win.

Charlotte, you saw John Summerall getting his team pumped up early, Jamari McClure up the middle for 25 yards in a game like they leg, they leg day dragging bodies seven extra yards when they're trying to bring him down.

Then Jake Retzlaff to Amari Hayes watch this.

Spins around.

Watch Retzlaff follow me follow me.

Here we go.

Come this way.

He tries to set a block.

And he does right there.

Gets it all the way down to the one yard line.

After all that work handed off to Javon Gore.

He gets it in seven plays 65 yards 226 off the clock Tulane has an early lead.

Next drive it's Gordon.

Left side turns it up the middle.

That's good for 21 yards Jake Retzlaff catch this one off I tell you what if you want almost a lock.

If you can bet on individuals Retzlaff scoring a touchdown.

Is it every week he seems to find the end zone I think it's eight out of 11.

It's every week he gets in the endzone 14 nothing.

That's his 14th rushing touchdown by the way.

That sets a quarterback record at Tulane.

Second quarter about to make it 21.

Nothing but Retzlaff is picked off in the back of the end zone Cain Schmitz gets it.

He brings it out for Charlotte gets it out past the 20 yard line.

So you're about to make it 21.

Nothing now it's still 14.

Nothing after the turnover.

But Charlotte's offense couldn't do anything.

So next possession Tulane gets it tomorrow.

McClure calls it up Thailand Baldwin recovers it.

He brings it back 33 yards.

But again Charlotte's offense not very good.

Retzlaff with the tackle inside the 15.

They don't score third quarter.

Now it's 21 nothing Tulane.

Jamari McClure he will get it this time.

He will hold on to it.

And he goes right side for 25 yards to get Tulane away from the shadows of its own end zone.

This drive goes all the way into the fourth quarter.

And that's when Patrick Durkin, who, by the way, missed his second field goal of the season.

It was from around 50.

He makes this one good from 36.

And it's 24 to nothing Tulane in the fourth quarter near midfield Retzlaff to Trice Shackelford.

This is going to go 17 yards.

Left side good field position here.

The drive stall.

So let's go ahead and bring in Mr.. Almost automatic.

And that's Dirk.

And this time it's from 52.

And it is good.

And you don't think John Summerall appreciate appreciation even though he tried to downplay it.

Here comes Summerall chest baby chest bump pumping his kicker Tulane wins it and they will host a title game.

But the post game from this one with Tulane winning 27.

Nothing.

Look at this rushing yards Charlotte on the game.

Negative three.

You Retzlaff throws for 291 two interceptions no touchdowns.

They will play North Texas at Yeomans Stadium instead of a 7:00 Friday Night in America championship.

So a nice win and you're advancing to the championship.

But the post game was all about John Summerall and his future.

And what tonight should be about this team.

You know, talk to David Harris a little bit tonight.

And and my wife and I will talk in the morning and, you know, any opportunities I ever have, it's really got a lot to do with so many other people other than myself.

I love this place.

I love to, I mean, you know, I want to coach this team no matter what.

Because this, you know, this is this team.

And, like, the goofy part of these opportunities that present these days, anything you entertain, you're entertaining for coaching a team next year.

Not this year.

And so I don't like how it all lays out, but, yeah, like, I want to coach this team.

The rest of it, like we're playing for a championship, which we are I want to coach.

I love these guys.

I love what we're doing.

I want to coach this thing out no matter what comes next.

That means the most.

And we're blessed as a team.

I'm blessed to have a coach like Coach Summerall.

Yeah.

I'm just.

Just real blessed.

We're all blessed.

You know, you just.

We are side by host, conversation, show coach, and we just.

You worry about us, you know, we just worry about championship game when not.

And then the worry about that lady.

You could tell on Saturday night listening to John Summerall, that was a different coach from what we heard a month ago or a month ago.

It was almost interesting and stuff.

I love the city.

I love where I coach, I want to stay, I have no other interest.

Last night you could tell that was a coach who was leaving.

Yeah.

Why?

Because money can talk and the big schools came a calling.

Since that was recorded on Saturday night after the game and us sitting here now, it's now reported that John Summerall has agreed to leave Tulane.

He will be going to the University of Florida and joining the SEC as a new head coach of the Gators, reportedly a six year deal worth about seven, $7.5 million per year.

You can like it all you want, but sometimes when the big schools come, Scottie, they've got unlimited to this.

You can change your mind in a hurry.

And it did for John Summer.

Certainly.

I don't think anybody can blame Coach Summerall for taking advantage.

The opportunity that was presented to him and and going to the SEC and coaching one of the premier football programs in the country.

It's just a disappointing part of this job is and, you know, you can see it in Coach Summerall face there like he's he's preached since the time he's got here to do the things that he wants to, to get done to the Swiss players, the type of culture he wants to have and then the opportunity like this presents itself and it messes all that up before the season's over.

I hate the timing of a lot of this.

We're seeing it with LSU as well.

These kids, they do everything that these coaches ask for them to do, and they're trying to win a championship and trying to go undefeated, and they're trying to do all the things the right way.

And then the timing of everything just throws a wrench in it.

It looks like as of now, he will coach the team for transfer.

Let's let's look ahead for just a second because they do have a conference championship.

Here's the matchup for what's going to be taking place Friday night at Yeomans Stadium.

Because they earn the right to be at home for North Texas Scott.

They can move the ball all over the field.

They're 11 and one on the season now their head coach is leaving.

Also he's going to Oklahoma State.

But they've already made the agreement.

He will keep coaching North Texas until they're done.

It looks like Tulane might do the same thing with John.

Some of their hosting the third title game in four seasons.

Mr.

Maker, 3800 passing yards.

He leads the NCAA.

That game will be on ABC.

So you come off of where you have your first home conference shutout with that win against Charlotte.

First home shutout.

You ready for this 1954 when they played Alabama, when they were in a different league.

You know, all together you're six zero at home for the first time.

You are for Tulane since 1998.

And then the last four seasons, Willie Fritz, Willie Fritz, John Summerall, John Trammell, 29 and three, that's a 90.6 winning percentage.

No.

Who's better?

Georgia 90.9 tells you about what Tulane has going on.

And to Tulane's credit, they put it out there and said, we know people are looking at a coach.

We have made a good offer.

But let's be fair.

Tulane in the American is not SEC money.

It just isn't.

They let them know we're trying to make an offer, but the bigger schools called the opportunity calls.

I would love to see some.

I'll get them if they can get the win.

Stay with team.

It might be tough to do because of recruiting, but this team has earned it.

They have put themselves in position to to move forward.

Yeah, absolutely.

And I think you look at this game, it's a matchup of two teams whose head coaches are parting ways.

Eric Morris is going to Oklahoma State coach summer I'll be at Florida.

So no excuses there.

Both teams have to find a way to focus.

But if I'm if I'm Tulane looking at this game, the first thing I'm doing and I'm sure North Texas is doing is they're going to look at that UTSA game because Tulane had a hard time stopping UTSA in that passing offense.

Oh, McCown that night I think he lost 32 of 34 passing and North Texas and put the ball up with the best of them.

The ball is going to fly all around like So two outstanding coaches who have earned their right for their next position in big time college football.

But this is gonna be a great game.

It's going to be one of the best matchups of the weekend, but we'll see what happens at Tulane.

Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, welcome to the circus that is LSU football.

Let's get to the game first.

That was played on Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma.

LSU has beaten Oklahoma the last three times last season and the regular season in Baton Rouge.

They also want a remember for the 2019 playoffs and then they beat them in the national championship.

But let's move for LSU highlights against Oklahoma and show you what they were able to do in Norman against the Sooners for the first time.

Playing up there where Oklahoma.

Hey look they are in position right now for the playoffs.

So LSU could play spoiler if they could get the win.

But we know how LSU has struggled three plays into the game for O. U's opening drive.

How about Harold Perkins with the interception and a great return 44 yards and the defense sets LSU up at the five yard line.

So here comes LSU offense first play.

Oh Homer takes it right back Michael Van Buren throws it into the end zone.

And he's picked off by Peyton Ball.

Why LSU doesn't run is beyond me Scott.

And we don't have enough time on the show to talk about why they're keep relying on this.

But they did.

So Oklahoma gets it right back.

But here now to Giovanni Gibson 27 yards.

And the Sooners are moving.

It leads to a 38 yard Tate Sandell field goal.

And it's three nothing Oklahoma early second quarter Damian Ramos who's been outstanding in his career for the Tigers.

He makes this little chip shot from 25 yards out.

And it's three three.

Third quarter it's the SEC Scott.

It means more.

It's still three three in the third.

We pick it up for the offensive juggernaut that is Oklahoma LSU.

Mattia looking long picked off by AJ Hulsey.

And he brings it back 42 yards to set up LSU.

Great return LSU offense now on the field.

And Van Buren this time keeps it.

Picks up a key block.

And there he goes.

Right side gets it all the way down to the one yard line.

He dives for the pylon but he's out at the one.

So LSU now has it the goal line.

So what do they do.

Of course it's a quick pass but this time it works.

Xavion Thomas takes it in.

It's ten three LSU up on the road.

Brett Venable is chewing someone out on the headphones end of the third quarter.

But here the quick hit to Deon Burks and Burks.

Hello.

Where's everybody.

He's gone 45 yards and we're tied at ten.

Fourth quarter.

Now Tigers.

We're going to try to get a little tricky.

And it's not going to work because I'm going to try to toss it back.

But the Oklahoma defense is there to mess things up.

It's a fumble and a loss of 17.

So Ramos comes in from 4445 yards out.

He's good.

And it's a three nothing lead for the Tigers.

But under five minutes to play.

Scott again the definition of a blown coverage.

Hello.

There isn't a defender between Norman and Stillwater.

It looks like there's a hard time covering the seam route.

And I don't understand why these people are running so wide open.

58 yards and a touchdown pass.

That's for the two.

You can't settle for a field goal.

You've got to get a first down.

Keep this thing going.

But Van Buren's pass is knocked out.

Oklahoma celebrates because they stay at number eight.

They're not going to the SEC Championship which pretty much means they're all locked for the playoffs.

I'll just wait and see what happens to everybody else.

1713 at your final score LSU throws for 13.

Oklahoma 318.

Third down conversions again a struggle for LSU.

Just two of 14 Oklahoma goes four for 15.

You got to say it.

You didn't want to say this.

I never thought we'd see this on the scoreboard Scott.

But it's true against opponents this season.

LSU offense did not get north of 25 in a single game.

Interim head coach Frank Wilson talking about the distractions in the coaching position after the game.

The human right and that device they carry with them Jack, all the time.

And so, I don't know, they don't necessarily bring it to us, but but certainly, there's probably not a person involved in sports, that hasn't seen the topic, if you will, of what's going to happen with the LSU, job.

I don't I don't think they're immune to it.

Although I don't think it's taken their undivided attention.

But those are the distractions of and some of the things that we continually had to deal with, fight with, manage as we prepare for this game as well.

I love LSU, in this as, as, as long as LSU will have me, I'd love to be a part of what we're doing here.

We'll get to top of the coaching here in just a moment.

But, Scott, I'm not sure when Brian Kelly left last season saying we're taking receipts.

We'll see you in the national championship.

I'm not sure any of us knew we'd be sitting here at the end of November with a team that can't score 25 points, a Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback that was more than 2000 yards short of what it was a year ago, a team that went seven and five.

Now looking for a head coach.

I don't know where to start with it, but there's just a lot that needs to be fixed.

You know, there there are a lot of questions after the season because I think there are high hopes for everybody and everybody expect this team, especially when you go back to look at game one against Clemson on the road, big time win.

The defense looked outstanding and everybody was writing LSU, LSU into the College Football Playoff and possibly the national championship.

The quarterback play in US was banged up all year.

We don't know the extent of his injuries he was playing through.

Wasn't able to get the running game going.

You and I sat here, you've had the two most highly touted recruiting running backs in the last two classes, Harlan Berry and Kim Durham.

You don't run the football.

You can't run the football.

But I think what what you can't lose sight of is for LSU, no matter who is standing on the sideline to get back to being what they they need to be.

Yes.

The quarterback position, the o line in the D line need to get much better to compete in the SEC and compete for national title.

I don't think there's enough focus put on the offensive line when three of your players from last year are playing on Sundays and getting paid in the NFL, that's a big loss to try to help your quarterbacks.

You also found out Michael Van Buren can fill in, but passing wise to keep that game going.

I'm not sure if he's the guy moving forward with the numbers and what he was able to do.

As much as Garrett knows, Meyer has been struggling, but of course, all the focus for LSU has been in Oxford, Mississippi, where the Ole Miss Rebels won on Friday in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.

That has launched them into a lock for being in the playoffs, and they are currently sitting as the number five seed.

Lane Kiffin has been the target for LSU.

The question was was he can be able to coach the team in the Egg Bowl.

They let him do that.

Now he wants to coach the team throughout.

It has been a wild 24 hours and Saturday night to where we are here on Sunday, and the latest reports are.

He was set to have a team meeting on Sunday morning at 10:00 that got pushed back.

Lane Kiffin reportedly has told his staff if you're coming with me, you're getting on a plane right now.

If not, you're not coming to Baton Rouge.

When I get there, he's coming to Baton Rouge.

We don't know what kind of staff he's going to have with them.

Scott and Ole Miss is playing hardball.

They don't want him to go to LSU, but still coach Ole Miss and coach.

But he's going to be poaching anyway.

Which let's be honest, the biggest loser in this.

The rebels from Ole Miss, were having an unbelievable season that now might not even know who's on their staff to coaching the players.

Yeah, it's disappointing, especially when you look at it from a timeline perspective.

What these guys have been able to accomplish going into the College Football Playoff and possibly not having their head coach and other coaches there, it's not fair to them and the timing, this whole thing needs to get worked out.

But again, you're dealing with class start, fall classes and spring class, so you can't just keep pushing everything back.

That's the disappointing part of it, but it doesn't seem like it was just yesterday.

We're sitting here talking about, these college coaching contracts and how crazy they are.

But when you don't score more than 25 points against an opponent all year, you'll do crazy things and hire an offensive mastermind.

And that's certainly what Lane Kiffin is.

Well, we'll see how many people from Louisiana, whether it's the university or government politics overall since they jumped into this fray about a month and a half ago.

I will sign off on it.

But the reports are for Lane Kiffin, seven years, $90 million with incentives.

So you just fired a coach ten years, $100 million to bring in a coach, seven years, $90 million and a reported guarantee of being North of 20 to 25 million in nil, which takes us back to this year.

You spent 18 million on this year's roster.

You went seven and five.

So what's the timeline and the patience for Lane Kiffin to come in here with this salary and that kind of money?

Is it two years.

Is it three years.

Do you go nine and three.

Is it a failure I mean that that's where this that's where this is all going.

Yeah I think you're one.

You give a little bit of a buffer.

But there's no doubt when you're making that much money and you are sought after the way he's being sought after a year or two, it's College Football Playoff robust.

And it's not like they're going to fire Lane Kiffin after year or two.

But it'd be a disappointment if you don't see LSU in the College Football Playoff in year two.

I just think that's where the whole thing is going.

And if I'm Ole Miss, I'm saying whatever else, who's paying you?

What will pay it to you?

Because you know what?

You're not going to get your name on their field or their stadium.

You have an opportunity, Ole Miss to do that here.

So it kind of surprises me that that push wasn't made.

Or maybe it's just Lane saying, hey, I want to go coach down there.

And at end, I think in my opinion, I think a lot of it has to do with recruiting too, because I want what's come down to recruit.

If you're at the flagship school and university of 100,000 in the stadium, maybe you feel like you can get the kids and get it done.

But here's the deal.

You win 9 or 10 at Oxford.

You're doing great.

You win 11 or 12, you get a statue.

You come to LSU in nine ways, nine wins.

You're going to say next year if you don't do better, we're gonna get you fired.

That's exactly.

So we'll find out.

All we can tell you is stay tuned.

We might see a press conference on Monday for some of the new head coach, LSU with a new head coach.

We'll see what happens.

But bottom line, don't forget these Tigers are going bowling.

We just have to wait a week and see how it's going to turn out.

So hey look it has been a great year.

We thank you for joining us for Game Notes here on OPB.

We'll be back for a postseason show later on, but for Scott Charney and Victor Hall.

Goodbye, everybody.

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