Well what a wild game. The game was certainly there for the taking and I’m sure the team will look back and see all the missed opportunities they failed to capitalize on. The first half was, how would I put it, leaving a lot to be desired on offense. However the defense on the other hand did their job to keep the game close as long as they did. The missed fumble call could have been the difference in this one but that’s easy to say with hindsight. I’ll be curious if the league reviews and comments on that specific call this week. The slow start on offense though looked like the culmination of starters not playing at all during the preseason and still being rusty. Kellen Moore had an even slower start to the season last year with much more sloppy play but this felt very avoidable had the strategy been different in the preseason. Even so the Saints were only down seven at the half which felt like a miracle given the circumstance. The second half was where it all changed for the Saints. But not until the slow start on offense continued into the start of the third quarter where the Lions were finally able to capitalize on the Saints mistakes to take a twenty one point lead. You couldn’t fault the defense at that point because of the spot they were repeatedly put in because of the offense. But with their backs against the wall the offense finally shook off the rust and got to work. Shough and company stormed back to tie the game in the fourth quarter as the offense quickly down the field multiple times finishing drives in the end zone. The defense was the unsung hero in the comeback attempt as they kept the Lions offense off the field and only allowing one field goal in the fourth quarter. The Saints had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but the 62 yard field goal attempt was missed by Carlson. Onto overtime. In overtime the Lions answered first with a touchdown to St Brown which would force the Saints to respond in turn. The Saints answered with a touchdown of their own before deciding to play for the win instead of a potential tie situation. They failed on the two point conversion to fall to the Lions 31-30 in overtime. The two point conversion was right call by Kellen Moore and company in my eyes. The Saints had the momentum almost the whole second half, were playing on the road in a game where they were down multiple scores while also knowing the rest of the division had already lost. So no harm done if they didn’t convert, they’d have the same record as everyone else if it didn’t work. It was the right type of aggression you like to see as a fan even if the end result wasn’t what you wanted. Overall I thought this game was going to be a good litmus test for the Saints and after the first half I would have said they failed the test. But the second half showed me what the team is capable of moving forward. They hung tough and made plays when they needed to and almost came back against a really good Lions team who have been playoff contenders the past few years. So although they didn’t get the win the Saints passed the litmus test in my eyes. If the Saints can consistently play like they did in the second half moving forward there’s no telling what their ceiling could be this year.

The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns are now 1-1 after falling to the 14th-ranked USC Trojans 49-30 in Los Angeles. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava continued his impressive start to the season, throwing for 261 yards and five touchdowns against UL. Running back King Miller also had a big night for the Trojans, carrying the ball 18 times for 128 yards and a touchdown. That offensive production helped USC create separation from the Cajuns throughout the game. For Louisiana, the strong ground attack and short passing game that worked against Lamar carried over into Saturday’s matchup. Quarterback Lunch Winfield was a name many people across the country heard plenty of on the Big Ten Network, running the ball 14 times for 91 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also went 16-of-22 for 212 yards through the air and threw UL’s first passing touchdown of the season. Redshirt freshman slot receiver Russell Babineaux quickly became Winfield’s go-to target, catching passes on a variety of short routes and using his speed to create yards after the catch. It paid off, as Babineaux finished with 91 receiving yards and the Cajuns’ lone touchdown reception. What Went Right It might not necessarily be what the Cajuns coaching staff wanted out of him this season, but Lunch Winfield being his true self with his running capabilities was a big reason why Louisiana was able to put up 30 points against USC. He accounted for 85% of UL’s total offensive yards. Winfield had 91 yards and two touchdowns on the ground through 14 carries, one of them including a 32 yard run score. He also went an impressive 16/22 through the air and threw for 212 yards. On top of that, he threw the Cajuns’ first and only touchdown pass of the season, connecting with Russell Babineaux on a corner route toward the sideline in the end zone that couldn’t have been placed any better. Speaking of Babineaux, he led all receivers Saturday with 91 yards on six receptions. The slot receiver made his presence felt throughout the game as Winfield’s most reliable target. No other wide receiver finished with more than 11 receiving yards. Tight end Brock Chappell, who stepped in for the injured Caden Jensen after Jensen did not play Saturday, also had a productive game with three receptions for 47 yards. It’s also worth mentioning the interception by redshirt sophomore cornerback Avery Demery in plus territory on the opening drive of the game. Maiava threw a questionable and inaccurate pass that went directly to Demery, giving Louisiana possession at the USC 39-yard line. UL capitalized by putting the first points of the game on the board with a 47-yard field goal from Tony Sterner. That sequence gave the team an early wake-up call and helped the Cajuns keep things close for most of the first half. And finally, I would be remiss not to mention that UL came out of this game relatively healthy with very few injuries, at least as far as we know right now. That was probably one of the most important things everyone wanted to see coming out of this game. What Went Wrong Outside of Lunch Winfield’s scrambles, Louisiana’s running game was basically nonexistent. JJ Garner, Anthony Reagan Jr. and Steven Blanco combined for only 55 yards on the ground. We knew UL had a tall task going up against this USC defensive front, so that wasn’t necessarily unexpected. After last week’s win over Lamar, one of the biggest takeaways from the offense was that Louisiana would rely heavily on its running game and short screen-passing attack. With top receivers like Shelton Sampson Jr. and Trenton Chaney being out on Saturday for injury, that once again appeared to be the case. Lunch had to either rely on Babineaux, tight end Brock Chappell, or himself to gain significant yards. Then there were the quite a few opportunities that the Cajuns simply missed out on. The most notable came when Maiava threw a pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt in the end zone that went right through the hands of senior cornerback Maurion Eleam. Instead of an interception, USC came away with a touchdown and a 21-10 lead late in the second quarter. That was around the point when the Trojans began to really separate themselves. Not long after, Louisiana punted on its next possession, and multiple missed tackle opportunities allowed USC to take the return 86 yards for a touchdown that gave them a 28-10 lead going into halftime. Missed tackles became a big issue for a big part of the game for the Cajuns. Then there were the plays where Maiava threw absolute dots to his receivers in the end zone in very tight spaces, and I mean very tight that they could’ve easily been picked off. It was little mistakes and missed opportunities like those all throughout the game that made the final score look a little wider than it probably needed to be. Final Takeaways Louisiana played hard all game and, honestly, did better than most people, including myself, expected against such a high-powered USC team. Lunch Winfield played his heart out, and as he said after the game, he was willing to “lay it all on the line” for his team. Russell Babineaux also proved that he can be a big part of this offense moving forward. At 5’9” and 178 pounds, he isn’t a big receiver by any means, but he is shifty, quick and knows how to use his speed to pick up yards. Now, it becomes a matter of getting Shelton Sampson Jr. and Trenton Chaney healthy so Louisiana can have a deeper wide receiver room and start to develop more of a vertical threat in the passing game. Brock Chappell also showed that being down one tight end isn’t going to be the end of the world for this offense. The Cajuns through two games have showed that they have a deep tight end group who have proven to be one of Winfield’s most reliable options when Louisiana needs to move the ball vertically downfield. Louisiana didn’t leave Los Angeles with a win, but the Cajuns should have plenty of confidence moving forward after a hard-fought performance against one of the best teams in the country. They also went home $1.3 million richer as part of the contract between UL and USC for playing the game. The Cajuns will now turn their attention to the UAB Blazers, who come to Lafayette for a 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday. UAB enters the matchup with a win over ULM and a loss to Illinois. Louisiana is currently a 9.5-point favorite in the matchup. 

ULM falls to 0-2 on the season

South Alabama- 24 @ Tulane Green Wave- 28 First win of the Will Hall era, a home-opener grind, and a reminder that this team can make a play when it has to. South Alabama jumped out 10-0. Tulane answered with two Johnnie Daniels short-yardage TDs to lead 14-10 at the half, then spent the second half trading haymakers. The lead changed on the last five touchdowns. Kadin Semonza’s 14-yard back-shoulder fade to Destyn Hill with 1:17 left won it. The defense then forced a three-and-out. Victory formation. 1-1. What they did well: Jaylin Lucas was the difference. Eleven carries, 214 yards, 19.5 yards per carry, an American Conference record for a qualifying load and the first 200-yard rushing game in Yulman Stadium history. He had 117 yards on five first-half touches, including a 55-yard burst that set up Daniels. His first touch of the second half was an 80-yard untouched sprint around the right side after two blocks opened a lane. That is not complementary football. That is a one-man field-flipper keeping a sloppy night from becoming a second straight loss. The big-play passing game showed up when the Wave needed it. Hill’s 61-yard catch-and-run to the 3 sparked the first scoring drive. On the winner, Semonza hit Garrett Mmahat for 13 on third-and-1, then found his brother Cash “Money” Semonza for 36 down the sideline to the 20, then dropped the fade to Hill in the corner. First career start for Semonza with Tulane (14-of-22, 212 yards, 1 TD). No pick’s. Composed on the two-minute drill. That is the version of this offense that can hang with better teams. Daniels did the dirty work: Two TDs on six carries and 8 yards. Red-zone finishing was not the problem (Perfect). Neither was ball security, zero turnovers. William Hudlow’s punting (46-yard average, including a 55-yarder that flipped field position) was a quiet plus. And Hall’s postgame was fair: the players never wavered. They made the plays late. That matters more in Week 2 of a new staff than a clean box score. Local flavor helped: Lucas (Terrebonne/Karr) and Hill (Karr) produced the two biggest moments of the night in front of a Mardi Gras-uniform crowd. What still needs work: The same issues that showed up at Duke did not get fixed. South Alabama ran 72 plays to Tulane’s 51, held the ball 37:40 to 22:20 , and piled up 25 first downs to 13. The Jaguars went 10-of-16 on third down. Bishop Davenport threw for 296 yards and two scores, added 50 rushing yards, and repeatedly escaped pressure. Brendan Jenkins had 9 catches for 119. Anthony Eager’s 43-yard TD on the first drive of the second half was another coverage/tackle breakdown. Tackling remains a problem. PJ Martin’s 16-yard TD to make it 10-0 came after missed tackles, the same theme as Nate Sheppard’s night in Durham. Davenport converted third downs with his legs after broken contain. Injury: Chris Rodgers left with a left-leg injury on the opening series and did not return. Next Man Up: Makai Williams made a couple of important plays in his place (including a fourth-and-2 stop). Defense: The unit as a whole is not playing to the standard this program needs against Kansas State next week or in the American. The start was again slow: Punt, missed 45-yarder, then a six-play USA scoring drive. Early miscommunication put Semonza in third-and-long on the first series. Tulane lived on explosives instead of consistent chains. Thirteen first downs is not a sustainable formula when the other side is converting third downs and chewing clock. A would-be go-ahead fumble return by Josh Moore after Dickson Agu’s strip of Davenport was correctly overturned (QB slide rule which I think is BS). Agu led the team with 14 tackles and was around the ball all night; the defense did stiffen when it had to on the final USA possession. That is the encouraging part. The rest of the 478 yards allowed is the concern. Bottom line: This was a win they needed more than a statement. Lucas and the late Semonza-to-Hill connection papered over a defense that still cannot get off the field and an offense that still cannot stay on it. Hall has his first win, monkey off back now let’s get rolling! The roster showed fight! Next Saturday at Kansas State will tell you whether the explosives and the fourth-quarter composure are the real identity or whether the 10-0 holes and third-down leaks are. Fix the tackling and the early-down consistency, and this group has enough playmakers to stay in the AAC conversation. Leave those holes open and the next road trip gets ugly. Stay Tuned Roll Dat Wave Pod coming with a Kansas State Preview! #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X

Colonels build a 17-point second-half lead, then survive a furious Vaqueros comeback to earn the conference victory in Thibodaux

Death Valley awaits our arrival... 

It is week one folks, we made it to the 2026 season! This is the first season in a while where personally I feel optimistic going into the season thanks to Tyler Shough and what the Saints were able to show at the end of the 2025 season. Coupled with what the Saints did in the offseason in free agency and the draft the Saints and Saints fans should feel like the team has a real shot at winning the division and making the playoffs. Their first obstacle they will have to overcome on their path to accomplishing the goal is the Detroit Lions. The Lions will prove to be a good litmus test for the Saints in week one. The Lions have been a championship contender the last few years under the stewardship of Dan Campbell and will look to continue their fortune by taking care of business at home against the Saints. The Saints however are not facing the Lions at their peak as they finished last season with a 9-8 win loss record after being a double digit win team the two prior seasons. The Lions will also not have at least two key players in their secondary as both Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are on injured reserve while two of their corners are on the injury report albeit listed as full participants as I am writing this. So the Saints will look to capitalize through the passing game with those key players out for this matchup. I expect Chris Olave to be targeted early and often in this game and for the role players around him to come up big on some key plays throughout the game. Speaking of role players I am curious to see if either or both of the rookie receivers in Barion Brown and Bryce Lance have any big moments in the game after having a great offseason and preseason. Outside of the rookie receivers I am curious to see if Juwan Johnson will be able to build on the productive season he had last year. With the absence of Jordyn Tyson to begin the season there should be plenty of opportunity for targets in the passing game outside of Chris Olave’s share. In regards to the running game I expect the Saints to give Etienne a heavy workload against the Lions if Kamara is not active for the game but there is optimism Kamara is ahead of schedule and could play against the Lions. I will be very interested to see how Etienne does in his debut with the team and how he will be utilized in the offense. There was talk during training camp the Saints have a package with both Etienne and Kamara on the field so if both are active I will be keeping an eye out for that personnel package. The Saints will look to start off the season strong on the ground after being one of the least effective teams running the ball last season. Hopefully the addition of David Edwards and Etienne combined with Kellen Moore along with most of the players being in year two of Kellen Moore’s system will aid them in running the ball better this season. Adin Hutchinson will look to be the main challenge the offensive line will face against the Lions defensive line as he had a standout 2025 campaign with 14.5 sacks along with an interception. If the Saints young tackles in Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga are able to hold up well against Hutchinson they should be able to hold up well against the best edge rushers for the rest of the season. On the defensive side of the ball this will be very much a good challenge for them as the Lions have some marquee players on offense the defense will be tasked with slowing down. Amon Ra St. Brown and Jhamyr Gibbs are the two skill position players to key in on for the Saints in this game but role players like Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams can absolutely be a difference maker for the Lions on any given Sunday. I think my two favorite matchups on this side of the ball will be watching Chase Young against Penei Sewell and the Saints young secondary against Amon Ra St. Brown. Chase Young had ten sacks in twelve games last season and will look to continue this success against one of the league’s best tackles in Penei Sewell. Unfortunately his running mate in Cameron Jordan will be unavailable in this game so look for a steady rotation at edge opposite of Chase Young throughout the game. Amon Ra St. Brown is the type of receiver Jared Goff looks for early and often throughout the game and can be moved around their offensive formations even though he plays primarily in the slot. How the Saints plan to contain or slow down Amon Ra will be fascinating to watch. Overall, I expect this to be a close game between the Saints and Lions where both teams should have ample opportunities to put up points against each other. There are so many little story lines to follow as the Saints start the regular season and in this game I can’t wait to follow. Week one usually has a fair amount of chaos to the games so you can never discount a crazy outcome here or elsewhere throughout the league. There should be plenty to discuss coming out of week one. Alright enough from me, talk to you all on the other side and geaux Saints! Injury Designations Lions DB - Christian Izien - Questionable Saints TE - Oscar Delp - OUT Edge - Cameron Jordan - OUT RB - Audric Estime - OUT RB - Alvin Kamara - Questionable