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A few weeks ago, I suggested a number of possible sports soap opera names for the ongoing drama involving this year’s LSU football program.

Possible names floated included “Search for Tomorrow’s Coach”, “Lane – Is a Many Spendored Thing”, and “The Young and the Ruthless.”

One title, though, stood out among the others.

I chose “As the Tigers Turn” as the winner.  It seems to fit all of the wild and crazy stories which are surrounding this season’s Bayou Bengals from Baton Rouge.

We’ve got another tasty dish of LSU jambalaya ready to serve-up, che’re. 

It’s time to roll this show’s opening credits!

In our last episode…

Two weeks ago, LSU had not played its first college football game of the season.

The opening game against long-time ACC powerhouse Clemson was coming up on Saturday, September 5 in LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on national television.

Former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was taking the field that night for the first time as LSU’s new coach.  Ex-LSU coach Brian Kelly was long gone after receiving his expensive $54 million contract payout to vamoose.

Lane Kiffin’s first game as coach of LSU was enough drama for Tigers fans.  The NCAA then inadvertently created some legal issues which added even more suspense to LSU’s opening game of the football season.

The NCAA (it’s OK to boo the villain here) fumbled the ball again.

They waited until June to implement a new rule affecting the eligibility of college athletes.  The overseer of college sports had previously allowed a maximum of four years of athletic eligibility.

A June, 2026 NCAA rule gives athletes five years of college eligibility as long as it is completed within five years after leaving high school.  The previous rule had hundreds of athletes petitioning the NCAA for a fifth or sixth year of athletic eligibility due to injuries. medical issues, and/or other extenuating circumstances.

A small group of athletes who had utilized their four years of college eligibility over four consecutive years filed a lawsuit in a Louisiana state court.

They wanted the right to return to play a fifth year of college football this fall if they were released by an NFL team during the summer preseason.

Two of those players in the lawsuit just happened to be former Ole Miss players who played for coach Lane Kiffin in 2025.

The Southeastern Conference was furious that LSU was (perhaps) going to sign and play some ex-professional athletes. 

SEC school presidents joined with Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 Conferences to prohibit member schools from playing any former professional athletes beginning this fall.

As you may have heard, the Louisiana state court judge held a hearing two days prior to the LSU/Clemson game – in his Baton Rouge courtroom, of course.

Making matters worse, the SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey (it’s OK to boo or cheer here – your preference) was required to fly to Baton Rouge to testify in the matter.  After three hours on the witness stand, Commissioner Sankey left town and later learned that the judge had ruled in favor of the players.

Can you imagine how “hot” Commissioner Sankey might have been after learning that?

Would LSU actually go against the wishes of the SEC Commissioner and the 15 other university presidents and play a couple of college players who earned $2,000/week for several weeks in an NFL preseason camp?

Would the SEC dare to either suspend LSU coach Lane Kiffin for six games and/or assess a $50 million penalty on the Tigers?

Worst of all, would the SEC expel one of its original founding members and toss LSU completely out of the conference?

Act 2: LSU did not add any pro players, and the SEC backed down on its threats

The LSU Tigers had legal clearance to add those briefly-employed ex-NFL players.  They purposefully chose not to.  LSU went on to crush Clemson 51-10 in their season opener without the legally-cleared-to-play “pro” players.

Early the following week, LSU added two final players to complete its roster.  Neither name was one of the so-called “pro” players.

It’s likely that the two young men who came from the NFL summer camps will receive their promised NIL payments from LSU without ever playing a down of football this season.

We can only hope these gentlemen will be as successful in the classroom in Baton Rouge this fall.

Taking a cue from LSU’s more positive and conciliatory actions, the league’s presidents also met again last week.  The angry mob of academic leaders finally put down their pitchforks and torches. 

Instead, they decided to slow things down and re-think expelling one of the SEC’s most powerful brand names called LSU.

As predicted here, cooler heads seem to have prevailed on both sides.  Somewhere, ESPN is likely to have intervened to remind all parties that the SEC and LSU are stronger with each other.

LSU played its second game of the season last Saturday night and defeated a tough Louisiana Tech Bulldogs squad 45-14.

Act 3 – Ole Miss began a full-scale offensive against LSU ahead of Saturday’s game

The date which Ole Miss fans (and, more recently, LSU haters) have marked on their calendars finally arrives Saturday in Oxford.

At about 6:45PM CDT this Saturday night, Coach Lane Kiffin is expected to return to the field at Ole Miss!

The man who left his 11-1 squad last season to take the open job at LSU will be greeted with a deafening cacophony of booing and R-rated jeers from Ole Miss fans.

ESPN will (of course) be there to promote this hatred serenade with its Saturday morning College GameDay program.  For once, coach Nick Saban will not be the primary object of negative attention from Rebels football fans.

Ole Miss and LSU are both 2-0.  The Tigers are ranked #7 and Ole Miss #8 this week.

On Monday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suggested (jokingly, perhaps) that LSU Coach Lane Kiffin and his Tigers football team may need National Guard protection from any Ole Miss fans harboring bad intentions.

Ole Miss officials promise that there will be ample security on hand before, during, and after this game to keep the peace.

I joked with a long-time friend yesterday that, perhaps, Coach Kiffin and the entire LSU coaching staff should don “ZZ Top” disguises Saturday night.

Having more than a dozen coaches wearing long overcoats and fake beards with the name “Kiffin” on the back would be a good way to diffuse all of the hate and turn it into laughter.

Another idea would be for Lane Kiffin to hire a lookalike (carrying a lot of insurance) to stand on the sidelines next to several very large Louisiana state troopers.  Meanwhile, the actual coach Kiffin could sit in an undisclosed location in the press box to oversee the game for LSU.

Act 4 – General Hospital – Former Ole Miss and LSU coach Ed Orgeron’s health update

Coach “O” (spelled “Eaux” in Louisiana) has been hired as the head football coach and fired by both Ole Miss (2005-2007) and LSU (2016-2021).

The 65-year old Ed Orgeron and current LSU coach Lane Kiffin are longtime friends.  They coached together at the University of Tennessee and Southern Cal.

Kiffin hired his Louisiana-born and bred coaching friend to become a special assistant to recruiting and defense at LSU earlier this year.  Coach “O” has always been one of college football’s top recruiters – especially within the state of Louisiana.

Monday’s LSU press conference featured Coach Kiffin fielding a reporter’s question as to whether Ed Orgeron had been away from the team due to a undisclosed medical issue. 

Lane Kiffin danced around the question a little bit and finally said, “He’s doing better.  It was little scary.  He’s still not all the way back.  He just means a lot to me.  We’ve been through a lot.”

Late Tuesday, a long-time New Orleans-area media personality posted on his X.com account that Ed Orgeron had been hospitalized recently for sepsis related to an infection.  His report confirmed that the coach was now out of the hospital and at home.

A friend of mine died a few years ago from a similar (and extremely serious) condition. 

Our prayers are with Coach Orgeron to make a full recovery soon!

Geaux Tigah!

Act 5 – Nuts and bolts, two former Ole Miss players just got sued!

Finally, Tuesday’s LSU football practice concluded with a couple of its Ole Miss transfer players being served lawsuits demanding repayment of money owed to their former school.

Defensive tackle Princewell Umanmeilen and offensive lineman Devin Harper hit the transfer portal to join Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin down at LSU.  Unfortunately, both players had already signed NIL agreements with Ole Miss covering this 2026 football season with the combined amount totaling nearly $1 million.

Ole Miss claims that previous attempts over the past few months to get repayment have failed.  LSU officials responded that any payments due Ole Miss from the two transfers players were not the responsibility of their new school.

The timing of being served with a lawsuit during game week was not a coincidence.

Expect these two new LSU football players to be highly motivated to bring a different form of payback to Ole Miss come Saturday night.

Kick-off is at 6:45PM this Saturday night on ABC.

Get your popcorn ready!

And come back soon for another episode of…”As the Tigers Turn!”

The post “As the Tigers Turn” – Get Your Popcorn Ready! appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Welcome to the new week! 

College football’s second week featured a few upsets and some late game rallies (nicely done, University of Texas!).  The NFL’s Week #1 finally got underway with a few surprises.  In golf, America’s best female players were defeated by Team Europe in Sunday’s Solheim Cup final matches.

But first…

Remember those scrolling football scores at the bottom of your TV screen?

That never-ending ribbon of both college and NFL scores seems to have vanished from ESPN’s family of companies beginning this football season.

Why?

ESPN recently said, “By removing the BottomLine during live action, we’re creating a cleaner presentation that keeps the focus where it belongs – on the field.”

Sorry, Pinocchio.  I’m not buying that one.

It is my opinion that the sports giant ditched the popular score ribbon so that TV viewers would not be able to easily locate a more compelling game to watch (especially if that other game is being carried on a competitor’s network).

My own Saturday night proved that point.  I watched much of the Louisiana Tech vs LSU game from Baton Rouge. LSU emerged from a narrow 10-7 halftime lead to post an easy 45-14 victory as the Tigers’ offense caught fire in the final two quarters.

In years gone by, I would have been following the ESPN score ticker along the bottom of my TV screen in search of a more compelling game.  Fortunately for me, I checked in on the Ohio State vs. Texas game at the end of three quarters.

The #4 Longhorns trailed by 20 points against #1 Ohio State entering the final quarter.  Texas caught fire offensively to score the game’s final 21 points and take a thrilling 24-23 win on a touchdown with just 25 seconds remaining.

What is the real reason that ESPN dropped the on-screen sports ticker?

Money, of course.

They are trying to get viewers to stay with one football game as long as possible.  The sales teams for the ESPN family of companies has likely heard complaints from its major advertisers – especially those buying ads in the second half of games.  The network’s viewer-friendly sports ticker has accidentally created viewer defections toward more competitive match-ups.

Viewers could change to watch a more compelling game being carried by a competitor such as FOX Sports, NBC, or even the CW Network. 

If the self-proclaimed sports leader had not received negative feedback from its advertisers, the sports score ticker/ribbon would still be on your screen during football games.

The departure of ESPN’s score ticker at the bottom of your television screen will have another desirable effect for ESPN.  Millions of frustrated viewers will visit the ESPN.com website to receive their score updates.

ESPN’s website traffic will balloon on game days and, of course, represent a new advertising vehicle.

But keep this in mind.  ESPN’s television advertisers may find that fans will become more likely to neglect watching their very pricey ads.  Viewers will now utilize more time during ESPN’s lengthy three-to-four minute commercial breaks to search online for other scores.

I turned on ESPN and the SEC Network earlier today (Monday).  I was a bit surprised to find that (gasp!) the bottom line sport ticker was still in use on weekdays!

Yes, ESPN is utilizing it primarily to, among other things, promote their own slate of shows and upcoming football games.

I’m not falling for the excuse that “It’s cleaner for viewers to enjoy the game experience”.

If true, why not remove it from all of your shows during the rest of the week, too?

College Football – Week #2’s game of the week

Fans of wrestling legend “The Undertaker” could appreciate how the Texas Longhorns came to life after nearly being pronounced dead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Austin, Texas reached a scorching 101 degrees on Saturday.  The heat and the pressure finally got to #1 Ohio State late in this game.  Ohio State surrendered a 23-3 fourth quarter lead to give the rejuvenated Horns a 24-23 come from behind victory on Saturday night.

Texas was able to exact a little revenge after Ohio State’s 14-7 win last season in Columbus. 

Texas (2-0) just replaced the Buckeyes as #1 in the AP’s way-to-early Poll released on Monday.  Ohio State (1-1) dropped to #6.

Duck hunting season began in Stillwater Saturday afternoon!

As mentioned here last week, the much ballyhooed Oregon Ducks did not look like national title contenders after barely taking down Boise State in Week #1.

The Ducks flew eastward to Stillwater, Oklahoma last Saturday and were attacked by swarms of Oklahoma State hunters.  OSU was embarrassed by regional rival Tulsa 24-10 in its first game.  The Cowboys came into Saturday’s match-up with Oregon having lost 21 straight games to FBS (large division) schools.

Okie State dominated this game from start to finish.

They rolled-up 554 yards of total offense compared to Oregon’s 281.

Oklahoma State has a new head coach (Eric Morris from N. Texas) who signed dozens of his former Mean Green players from last year’s 12-2 team to join him.

James Madison tied an NCAA record

Sun Belt Conference member James Madison trounced Wagner from the FCS 87-3 on Saturday in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  The 84-point win erased Louisiana Tech’s 80-6 win over Northwestern State in Week #1 as the largest rout of the 2026 season.

Did you know that the JMU Dukes scored three of its touchdowns on punt returns?

Two came via the conventional route as Michael Scott fielded two punts and returned them for scores.  A third punt-related touchdown came after the visiting Seahawks from Staten Island, New York had a punt blocked by JMU.  The loose ball was picked-up by special teamer Michael Halbert who ran it in for a touchdown.

This trifecta of touchdowns scored by James Madison off the opposing team’s punts tied an NCAA record. Southern Cal was the last FBS team to accomplish this feat in 2013.

The NFL’s Week #1 featured few surprises but…

If you are a fan of the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, or Cleveland Browns, it’s time to create an appropriate paper bag to wear while watching your team this fall.

They stink – again.

A Super Bowl rematch featuring Seattle and New England produced a 13-10 win for the Seahawks as Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye tossed an ugly interception deep in Seattle territory to end the game.

Minnesota Vikings new starting quarterback Kyler Murray went down in the first quarter with a concussion.  The Vikings opted to turn to veteran Carson Wentz and not former first round pick J.J. McCarthy.  This turned out to be a good move as the Vikes reeled-off 22 straight points in the final quarter to down hated rival Green Bay 39-22.

Didn’t you expect the Dallas Cowboys’ defense to be a little better this year?  They were 32nd out of 32 teams last year.

Alas, the visitors from Texas allowed 29 first downs and nearly 400 yards of total offense as the New York Giants claimed a 28-20 win over the Cowboys.

A bigger concern for Dallas fans was the puny 244 yards of total offense generated by its highly paid offense.  The $60 million dink-passing quarterback Dak Prescott completed 22 of 34 passes for only 175 yards.

The biggest surprise from Week #1 for me was the Los Angeles Rams’ 27-7 loss to NFC West rival San Francisco.  This game was played in front of 100,000 fans in Melbourne, Australia.  Los Angeles’ vaunted offense tallied just 290 total yards as the 49ers controlled this game from start to finish.

The Rams have said this season is considered “Super Bowl or Bust”.  They now have a flat tire to repair after Week #1.

Golf news – Europe smashed US women to reclaim the Solheim Cup

Team Europe apparently took offense after USA’s Jennifer Kupcho rolled in a 93-foot birdie putt on hole #17 and then added a 25-footer on #18 Saturday to win her Solheim Cup match. 

Kupcho roared “Vamos – Let’s Go!” and taunted the crowd as the day ended with the Solheim Cup matches tied at eight points apiece.

The team competition was over.  Sunday’s singles matches would decide the winner.

Team Europe came out Sunday wearing their “Do Not Adjust your TV Set” vibrant blue and yellow golf apparel.

Thousands of Netherlands golf fans helped to try and unravel the American golfers.  Speakers around the course blared loud music much like at a LIV Golf event.  Local fans even chanted the refrain from The Beatles’ “Hey, Jude” for several minutes.

It worked as Team Europe earned a 15-13 victory Sunday.  The final point which was clinched after Jennifer Kupcho of the US lost in her singles match.

Europe won the Solheim Cup to honor their recently retired 39-year old Swedish team captain Anna Nordqvist.  It was the fourth European win in the past five of these biennial golf matches.

The 2028 Solheim Cup comes to Louisville, Kentucky’s Valhalla Golf Club.  There will be plenty of enthusiastic American golf fans, music, and, of course, some colorful golf apparel on display.

In the men’s Ryder Cup and the women’s Solheim competitions, Europe has dominated the past few decades by focusing on teamwork.  The US needs to foster more camaraderie long before these matches begin.

The post Where did ESPN’s scrolling football scores go? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Troubled LIV Golf finally filed its long-awaited Chapter 11 bankruptcy paperwork on Tuesday in a New Jersey court.

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy attempts to restructure the company’s debts but also allows the entity to continue operations.  Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings usually signal the white flag of financial surrender.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) spent upwards of $6 billion to sign PGA golf stars and then bankroll dozens of worldwide golf events over the past five years.  Saudi’s PIF finally decided to turn-off the money-printing machine operated by LIV Golf at the end of August.

This upstart golf league is now desperately shaking the financial bushes in search of new sources of financing. They want to re-launch the golf league in 2027 as LIV Golf 2.0.

After the Saudi PIF announced it was pulling the financial plug in late August, LIV Golf appointed some new executives to its board.  Their resumes are filled with corporate restructuring experience.

They truly have their work cut out for them.

Eugene Davis is one of the new leaders.  He is CEO of privately-held Pirinate Consulting Group which specializes in corporate turnarounds.

LIV Golf named the 71-year old Davis as its Chairman of the Independent Directors Committee a few months ago.  You will find his name listed all over this week’s LIV Golf Chapter 11 filing.

Davis said in April, 2026, “LIV Golf…has built a global league with passionate fans, world-class talent, and demonstrated commercial momentum.”

His new management team is intent on launching LIV 2.0 in 2027.  Maybe.

In order to begin LIV 2.0, “Classic” LIV Golf has a lot of debtors to settle-up with

Tuesday’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing (click here to read the actual document) listed LIV Golf’s assets of “more than $100 million but less than $500 million.”  Liabilities showed “more than $500 million but less than $1 billion” due its creditors.

Let’s take the worst case.  Assume LIV Golf has $100 million in assets but nearly $1 billion in liabilities.

That means that creditors might receive (perhaps) 10 cents on the dollar in value.  That value won’t necessarily be in cash, either.  Some creditors may receive a proportionate share of the ownership in a newly emerging golf entity.

Nearly half of the top 30 creditors owed the most money by LIV Golf are, indeed, the golfers.  All seven of the top names on the IOU list are LIV golfers:

Other golfers owed big money by “Classic” LIV are:

Abraham Ancer (9) – $2.7 million

Ben An (10) – $1.8 million

Brooks Koepka (12) – $1.7 million

Caleb Surratt (17) – $1.3 million

Joaquin Niemann (18) – $1.3 million

Lucas Herbert (24) – $1 million

Tom McKibbin (27) – $1 million

These IOU’s for these 14 golfers appeared under the heading “Player Participation Agreement.”

LIV Golf signed most of its pro golfers from either the PGA Tour or the DP (European) Tour.  Their individual contracts are quite private.

The “Player Participation Agreement” likely requires each LIV golfer to tee it up in each of LIV Golf’s events during the season.

Brooks Keopka (#12 on the IOU list at $1.7 mm) negotiated an exit from LIV Golf after the 2025 golf season and returned to the PGA Tour in 2026.

Perhaps Koepka’s exit agreement from LIV Golf may have included some form of deferred compensation which was to be paid in 2026 or a future year.

For Jon Rahm (who signed with LIV Golf for $300 million) and Bryson DeChambeau ($125 million), the remaining money owed to each of them in this bankruptcy filing (though significant) is a relatively small percentage of their original packages.

Not all golfers signed by LIV Golf became filthy rich

For some like Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin ($1 million due), that amount owned by LIV Golf is a significant percentage of his estimated $5 million contract.  McKibbin told reporters recently that he remains under his LIV Golf contract “for a few more years.”

Tom McKibbin and several other LIV golfers have begun participating on the DP World Tour this fall while waiting on LIV Golf’s restructuring.

He (and several other LIV golfers including former World #1 ranked Jon Rahm) will be forced to make a decision soon.

The DP World Tour announced that it will not allow LIV Golf players to play on both tours beginning in 2027. Golfers must choose one league and stick with it for the entire season.

LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing may nudge some players like Tom McKibbin to cut their losses and return to the lower-paying but more financially secure DP World Tour in 2027.

Where was Phil Mickelson’s name in this filing?

The list of top 30 creditors in LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing did not mention Phil Mickelson.  He became LIV’s first big name star to bolt from the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf in 2022.  His contract with the new golf league was reportedly worth $200 million.

Lefty participated on the LIV Golf Tour for the league’s first four seasons ending in 2025.  Phil Mickelson’s contractual obligations to LIV Golf may have ended at that time.  He did not play in LIV Golf events during 2026 due to an ongoing medical issue involving a close family member.

Welcome to the LIV Golf bankruptcy filing, Louisiana!

Another notable party owed a significant amount of money is the State of Louisiana (#20 at $1.22 million).

LIV Golf was originally slated to play a golf tournament beginning June 25 at the newly renovated City Park golf course in New Orleans.  A local television station reported that City Park had received $2 million in state government funding to upgrade its golf course and facilities ahead of the proposed LIV Golf event.  Another $1 million was reportedly advanced to LIV Golf by the state as part of the deal.

The New Orleans LIV Golf event was postponed in late April with no reasons given.  There had been speculation that LIV Golf was attempting to reschedule the tournament for this fall.

After Tuesday’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, there is a zero percent chance that LIV Golf will be hosting an event in New Orleans this fall.

What else was contained in the LIV Golf Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing?

Tuesday’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing told a lot about LIV Golf’s financial pickle.

I was surprised to see that the Saudi PIF was willing to loan nearly $50 million to LIV Golf (as Debtor in Possession).  That money should be used to help LIV Golf stay afloat for a few more months as the entity tries to acquire and implement new sources of funding.

According to bankruptcy rules, the “Debtor in Possession” is expected to be paid back first.

There were an amazing 56 different LIV Golf corporate entities listed on the bankruptcy filing.

Those names included seven which began with the term “LIV Golf” (such as LIV Golf Inc., Holdings, Ltd., Investments, and Events).  Another group of eight entities began with the golf term “Wedge” (clever, eh?).

Then there were 13 different consecutively-numbered entities such as “FAIRWAY TM BLOCKER 1, LLC”.  Another 13 LIV entities used consecutively-numbered names such as “FAIRWAY TM INTERMEDIATE 1, LLC” on the bankruptcy filing.

Speaking of the number 13, LIV Golf conducted exactly 13 tournaments in 2026.  Does each tournament have its own separate corporate entities to account for tournament revenues and expenses?

LIV Golf’s corporate structure made me wonder if they had planned for a possible future financial failure (bankruptcy) from the very beginning.

What’s next for LIV Golf?

Tuesday’s LIV Golf bankruptcy filing also contained information confirming the identity of at least one new source of future funding.

Private equity company BC Partners is willing to invest up to $300 million if LIV Golf 2.0 gets off the ground in 2027.

Keep in mind that the Saudi Public Investment Fund lost about $1 billion per year with LIV Golf.

LIV 2.0 will need to drastically cut its tournament payouts and other operating expenses by more than 50% for the new investor(s) to have a chance of becoming successful.

LIV Golf’s ever-optimistic CEO Scott O’Neil wrote on Tuesday, “The next phase of LIV Golf will be built around a sustainable business model and deeper alignment between the players and the League, with team golf at its core.”

His press release mentioned LIV 2.0 would expand to 75 players next year and introduce a cut line during each event.  Expect to hear the same on-course thumping music blaring again in 2027, too.

Party on, Garth!

The CEO is proud that LIV Golf’s average audience is about 20 years younger than the PGA Tour’s Medicare-aged viewers.  LIV Golf deserves credit for admitting children under 12 years of age free of charge into its golf tournaments.

Scott O’Neil is paid handsomely to speak lovingly about his golf product.

File this away

The truth remains that LIV’s worldwide golf events played across vastly different time zones makes for a very difficult television sell to US-based advertisers.

LIV Golf’s lack of a consistent weekly TV starting time and weekly TV channel in the US (yes, I’m talking to you, FOX Sports) makes it hard to imagine how this league will earn enough revenue to turn the financial corner.

As mentioned in a previous post, keep your eye on top LIV golfer Jon Rahm this fall.  If he bolts to play in the DP World Tour in 2027, a massive exodus of top LIV Golf talent will follow.

LIV “lives” – at least for now!

The post LIV Golf Files Chapter 11 – The End or the Next Chapter? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

A new type of Labor Day telethon is underway in South Carolina.  Clemson fans are collecting their hard earned money to help raise the $57 million needed to buyout the contract of two-time national championship football coach Dabo Swinney.

LSU virtually assured the end is near for 56-year old Coach Swinney after a 51-10 beatdown on national television Saturday night in Baton Rouge.  The Bayou Bengals spotted Clemson an early 3-0 lead after LSU was intercepted on the game’s first series.

LSU then roared back to score 51 consecutive points to take a 51-3 lead in the fourth quarter.  The Louisiana Tigers registered 309 rushing yards to go with 335 passing yards while utilizing three different quarterbacks.

Clemson could manage only 145 yards in total offense and a measly eight first downs in the game.  Most of those totals came in the fourth quarter.

It was the worst loss of Coach Dabo Swinney’s 18+ year career at Clemson.

The Clemson coach (for now) said afterwards, “The best thing about that game is that it’s over.”

Yes, and so is your time at Clemson, coach.  This new telethon just hasn’t reached its goal – yet.

The first game in the Lane Kiffin era at LSU was a rousing success

LSU fans were confident that former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin would be able to improve the team’s offense.  No one likely expected this amount of improvement, though.

A school record 38 first downs were recorded during LSU’s 51-10 thrashing of Clemson in front of 102,000 rain-soaked Tigers fans in Baton Rouge.

LSU’s transfer portal brigade of 44 new players led the way. 

Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt passed for 230 yards and ran for another 113 on 13 carries as he accounted for three scores.

Back-up quarterback Landen Clark (from FCS power Elon in Greensboro, NC) also looked sharp going 5-for-7 with another touchdown pass for LSU.

It was Wisconsin transfer running back Dillin Jones who stole the show for LSU versus Clemson.  The former high school wrestler lowered his shoulders and bullied his way for 113 yards against what had been expected to be a tough Clemson defense.

LSU’s 644 yards in total offense against a nationally-respected ACC team like Clemson opened a lot of eyes on Saturday night.

The Tigers’ next opponent scored even more points – in just the first half!

Is Louisiana Tech really that good (probably not) or was Northwestern State really that bad (yes)

While LSU was thrashing Clemson, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs scored a school record 63 points in the first half against long-time foe Northwestern State University in Ruston Saturday night.

Exactly like Clemson did against LSU, Northwestern State took a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter against the Bulldogs.

Louisiana Tech then reeled-off a school record 80 consecutive points to demolish their north Louisiana FCS rivals.

Final score – Louisiana Tech 80, Northwestern State 6.

The Demons from Natchitoches are now 0-2 after losing their home opener 42-37 to surprising NAIA member Louisiana Christian (Pineville) last weekend.

Third-year head coach Blaine McCorkle came to Northwestern State with high hopes after he had turned-around the football program at Belhaven College in Mississippi.

Coach McCorkle told the press after Saturday’s loss, “These games can get sideways on you in a hurry!”

Indeed, Coach!

His Demons football teams are now 1-25.  Coach Blaine McCorkle’s lone win came in 2025 as Northwestern State scored a 20-10 home victory last season against Alcorn State.

Meanwhile, the Ruston-based Bulldogs travel to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers this Saturday.  Last year, Tech made LSU work hard to earn a 23-7 home win.

With LSU scoring 51 points against Clemson and Louisiana Tech ringing-up 80 on Northwestern State, don’t expect another low scoring affair this Saturday in Baton Rouge.

Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts, Western Michigan got…

NBC’s television cameras showed that the game clock was at 0:00 after Michigan’s last-gasp Hail Mary pass went incomplete against 27-point underdog Western Michigan.  The Broncos from the Mid-American Conference had just defeated #16 Michigan 12-7 in front of 107,000 stunned Wolverines fans in Ann Arbor Saturday afternoon!

But wait!

The referees huddled for a few minutes and told the stadium crowd and home television audience that there was one second left on the clock.  Michigan would get one more chance.

A well conceived second heave-ho by Michigan’s vastly overpaid NIL quarterback Bryce Underwood landed in the hands of wide receiver JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard score in the game’s second “final” play.

Afterwards, thousands of jubilant Michigan fans stormed the field to celebrate the home team’s unlikely 13-12 win.

Western Michigan fans and a nationwide television audience were up in arms after watching the referees grant another chance to the Wolverines. 

The refs claimed that the clock being kept on the field by the officials was different from what the stadium and home viewers were seeing.

R-i-i-i-ght!

Impressed by:

Both #9 Ole Miss and #24 Louisville – The Rebels won last night’s 41-38 thriller on a last second field goal in Nashville.  These two teams looked very sharp – especially in the second half.

We already knew that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambiss was good.  It was Louisville’s Lincoln Keinholz who surprised a national television audience with 309 yards of passing and 69 yards rushing to account for three Cardinals’ touchdowns.  How about a rematch of these two teams in the playoffs!

Pittsburgh – If you’re looking for an early Heisman Trophy surprise candidate, look no further than true sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel of Pitt.

The Panthers’ QB passed for seven (correct) touchdowns and 434 yards in Pitt’s season opening 59-14 trouncing of Miami (Ohio).  Watch out, ACC!

Virginia – The University of Virginia has one of the most experienced and oldest college rosters in the country.  This group of “senior” citizens from Charlottesville opened the season with a 34-8 rout of ACC rival North Carolina State a week ago.  Virginia’s Wahoos play an incredibly easy schedule in 2026.  It includes just only one current Top 25 team (at #19 SMU on October 17).  Did someone say “Playoffs?”

Tarleton State – This fast-rising FCS school located southwest of Fort Worth, Texas improved to 2-0 after beating FBS Mid-American conference member Bowling Green 20-13 in Kentucky Saturday.

How ’bout those Texans?!!

U-Mass – The Minutemen have been one of the worst major college football teams for more than a decade.  U-Mass had just 18 wins against 94 losses over the past ten football seasons.  On Thursday night, the University of Massachusetts went to New Jersey and defeated Big Ten member Rutgers 37-21 as Scarlet Knights fans sat in stunned silence.

Too early to tell:

Season-opening cupcakes are fattening and don’t sharpen your squads for the games ahead. Let’s give a rain check to the following teams until they actually play a worthy opponent:

#1 Ohio State 56, Ball State 3

#3 Georgia 63, Tennessee State 3

#5 Texas 59, Texas State 7

#6 Indiana 52, North Texas 16

#7 Miami 45, Stanford 6

#8 Texas A&M 50, Missouri State 0

#10 Oklahoma 51, UTEP 0

#12 Texas Tech 33, Abilene Christian 10

#13 Alabama 48, East Carolina 10

#14 BYU 63, Utah Tech 7

#18 Penn State 45, Marshall 0

#20 Tennessee 56, Furman 9

#21 Utah 66, Idaho 14

#22 Iowa 40, Northern Illinois 0

#25 Missouri 54, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 14

Not impressed by:

#2 Oregon – The Ducks were tied with unranked Boise State 27-27 midway through the final quarter at home Saturday afternoon.

A late touchdown pass gave Oregon a 34-27 lead. It took a final defensive stand to end Boise State’s upset bid and keep Oregon from being embarrassed on national television.  Oregon’s #2 ranking should drop.

#4 Notre Dame – The halftime score of Sunday night’s game in Green Bay was “Notre Dame 13, Wisconsin 10.”  That’s when the Fighting Irish woke up in the second half to score 28 more points in a 41-13 win.  Notre Dame does not have the same talent as last year’s team.  However, the Irish do have a lightweight schedule which will keep this team as a likely playoff contender.  America’s most over-hyped team was not impressive in Week #1.

#16 Michigan – We have already covered that lucky win over Western Michigan.  Forget the playoffs, Wolverines fans. Your team may be fortunate just to finish 7-5.

Auburn – The “other” SEC Tigers got a break when Baylor went for a two-point conversion in the closing seconds.

The Bears were stopped inches short of the goal line and a possible winning conversion.  Auburn took this 17-16 “Siesta Bowl” victory in one of the most boring televised games in recent memory.  Baylor is no slouch, but Auburn’s offense still stinks.

Relieved by:

LSU – Coach Lane Kiffin did not place his former NFL preseason football players onto Saturday night’s roster against Clemson.  That was a wise move and left a lot of legal options open.

LSU will travel to Kiffin’s former employer at Ole Miss in two weeks.  Free idea – the most hated coach in the state of Mississippi might want to consider coaching his new team from the press box (behind some well-tested safety glass) for that game in Oxford.

Oh, no!  Here we go again…

Oklahoma State – The Cowboys fired longtime football coach Mike Gundy and finished 1-11 in 2025.

The Pokes then hired rising young football coach Eric Morris from North Texas.  Coach Morris brought a truckload of his former Mean Green football players along with him to Stillwater.  Alas, his orange-clad Cowboys were trounced 24-10 on the road by Tulsa Saturday.

This week, #2 ranked Oregon (which beat Okie State 69-3 last year) is coming to Stillwater.  Uh-oh.

Charlotte – The 49ers have been a bad college football team for years.  The team formerly known as UNC-Charlotte has posted just one winning season (2019) in the past 13 years.

Their Week #1 home game saw FCS member The Citadel take a 43-41 triple overtime win over the home 49ers.  It’s going to be another long season in Charlotte.

UL-Monroe – I wanted to believe that this year’s Warhawks might be able to break the school’s 13-year streak of not having a winning football season.

Alas, ULM is already 0-1 after losing 62-13 at Mississippi State on Saturday.  The Warhawks’ defense (?) gave up a calculator-busting 762 yards as the Bulldogs racked-up 35 first downs.  ULM placekicker Abram Murray (from C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport) kicked a 52-yard field goal and 40-yarder to give ULM a ray of hope should this team play in a close game later in the season.   

This was a fun first week of the college football season. 

I can’t wait for Week #2!

The post College Football Week 1 – Pass the Hat for Dabo Swinney appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

The start of the National Football League regular season begins late next week.

Those of us who play fantasy football and care about winning should hunker down quickly and get ready for your annual player draft in the coming days.

Statistically speaking, I am considered an average fantasy football player.

This will be the 15th year of participating in a league run by my former boss along with several of his college friends.  Fortunately, our league is 100% for fun with no money involved.

My first and last experience in a for-profit league definitely did not go very well.

Decades ago, a team “owned” by me and a couple of co-workers lost “only” $60 ($20 apiece) at the end of the season.  However, the last place team in league netted a shocking loss of more than $200.

I had no idea before the season started that teams could win or lose that much money.

Live and learn.

That long-ago season nearly ruined how I watched NFL games.  While formerly a casual observer of televised football games on Sunday, my brain began to race like a calculator while watching the NFL that season.

For example, I remember cringing after Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White (the other fantasy team’s starting quarterback) completed a lengthy 65-yard touchdown pass.

Ouch!  That was a 12-point play for Danny White – six points for the TD pass plus another point for each ten yards gained on that touchdown play.  

Every TV “game break” NFL scoring highlight caused more temporary anxiety each Sunday.

That television break could yield exceptional joy (a player on our fantasy team just scored!) or sadness (the other team’s player had scored).

My wife quickly noticed my change in demeanor and suggested it was time to end the misery after one season. She was absolutely right.

I stayed away from the fantasy football scene for a long time. A former boss was nice enough to offer a spot in his “for fun only” Fantasy Football league 15 years ago.  His group prefers to take online jabs at one another rather than raiding each other’s wallets at the end of the season.

My current team (named “SwampGas”) has won 51% of its games with 131 wins and 128 losses over the years.

That makes me about as average at Fantasy Football as anyone can possibly get.

Oh, no!  I accidentally missed this year’s draft!  The computer just selected my players?!!

I am in a bit of shock today.  For the first time, I was not present at my computer to make my own player selections for our league’s annual Yahoo! Sports fantasy football player draft.

OK, I openly admit to being a “control” type of personality.

Sink or swim, I prefer doing my own research and selecting the players for my fantasy football team on draft night.

When you’re not at your computer on draft night, you lose the right to complain.

In your absence, the Yahoo! Sports computer will select a player in each round once it is your turn.  In true Wile E. Coyote Super Genius fashion, the computer selects what it believes to be the best player available in each round.

After this year’s draft ended, that same $#@! Yahoo computer then assigned my team a “C-” score!

I reviewed my 2026 computer-selected team today and now understand why I received such a lousy grade.  After seeing my team’s draft picks for the first time, I have two words for that Yahoo! Sports computer.

You’re fired!

We will now get to see if the computer’s picks produce better results than my own measly 51% career winning percentage.

Why was I so unhappy with the computer’s draft picks?

My fantasy football team received the infamous #10 pick in our ten-team league.  That meant that I picked last during the first round but then first in the second round.  There are just 30 seconds to make each selection.  That doesn’t leave much time to think. 

Then again, aren’t today’s AI computers supposed to be faster and smarter than us?

After making two quick early picks, you must wait again until making the final draft pick of Round 3 and the first pick in Round 4.

Statistically speaking, the winners in most ten-team fantasy football leagues generally come from team owners picking from the #4, 5, or 6 draft position.  That allows a little bit of time to review your next pick and observe any developing trends.

I could almost feel sorry for the Yahoo! Sports computer.

But I don’t, though.  It made a number of really questionable selections.

My third draft guideline (see below) was to draft players on top NFL teams which, generally speaking, also score the most points over the course of a season.

The Yahoo! Sports computer picked not one but two Washington Commanders players.

Washington was horrible last season and finished with a 5-12 record.  They aren’t expected to be much better in 2026, either.

The computer also selected one player from the woeful 3-14 New York Jets and another from the wayward 5-12 Cleveland Browns.

It selected zero players from either the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks or runner-up New England Patriots.  My team had no players from high scoring teams like the Detroit Lions or the Los Angeles Rams, either.

Time to get to work on repairing this year’s Fantasy Football team!

Today, I made a couple of roster moves to add 38-year old quarterback Mathew Stafford from the Los Angeles Rams as a back-up (behind Jalen Hurts – the computer’s selection for my starting quarterback).

I then added Detroit’s booming field goal specialist Jake Bates to replace Minnesota kicker Will Reichard.  Nothing against the Vikings kicker.  I simply wanted at least one player representing the Detroit Lions on my fantasy team roster this season.

My third move today was exceptionally questionable, but I have my reasons.

Pittsburgh Steelers 7th round selection Eli Heidenreich grew up in the Steel City.

He accepted an offer from the US Naval Academy to play college football.  Heidenreich’s versatility at Navy to run, catch passes coming out of the backfield, and return punts and kick-offs made him a standout college football player.

Eli Heidenreich will be required to report to the US Marine Corps to fulfill his military obligations after his NFL career ends. Let’s hope that won’t happen for a number of years.

I dropped Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs in order to make room for Eli Heidenreich on my roster today.  The Steelers listed him as a third-string running back.  Unless both of the other running backs get hurt, Eli Heidenreich is unlikely to play a lot this season.

That’s OK with me.  I simply liked his story and wanted a guy like that on my roster for good vibes.

More Fantasy Football tips from ol’ SwampSwami

Let’s roll-out my annual Top Ten suggestions to help you enjoy this upcoming NFL fantasy football season:

Best of luck this season with your Fantasy Football League team!

The post Your 2026 NFL Fantasy Football Guide appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

My dearly departed Mom was a big fan of daytime television soap operas. 

She got up early each morning and made breakfast for us four boys.  Then she sent us off to school and said goodbye to Dad as he drove downtown to work at his retail job.

Mom still had a sink full of the morning dishes plus loads of yesterday’s dirty clothes to wash, hang out to dry, and, later, iron.  My 4’10” mother stayed quite busy but found a way to keep up with her friends on weekdays.

She spent a portion of her day watching a few cheesy daytime television soap operas on her little black-and-white portable television.

Mom often referred to these characters (mostly the good characters) as her “friends.”

Declining ratings and increased production costs has seen a reduction in several long-time television “friends” which Mom once viewed.

Today, sports fans are glued to a new fast moving soap opera based in Baton Rouge!

There is less than one week before the LSU Tigers kick-off the 2026 football season against the ACC’s Clemson Tigers on Saturday night (6:30PM CDT on ABC) in Baton Rouge.  Both teams’ head coaches have a lot riding on making a good first impression.

Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is under growing pressure after a few disappointing (by recent Clemson standards) seasons.  The two-time national championship coach has been able to quell most of the “Fire the coach!” grumblings by reminding the press how much they all loved him a few years ago.  Coach Swinney is officially on the hot seat this season.

LSU’s new head football coach and his program have been making a lot of headlines since the end of last season.  Coach Lane Kiffin (whether purposeful or not) is a human headline machine.  Kiffin’s on-field success and frequent job changes have kept him in the media spotlight.

Tigers fans care only whether Kiffin can mastermind a way to help LSU capture its fifth national title in college football.  Coach Kiffin quickly hit the ground running with his new job.  LSU’s new coach is trying to do everything possible to make the championship dream happen for himself and the Tigers faithful.

The sports media has been working 24/7 jumping aboard the “Lane Train” as news out of Baton Rouge continues to play like a never-ending LSU-based soap opera.

“As the Tigers Turn”

Has it really been seven years since the 2019 LSU Tigers football team obliterated all comers in a 15-0 national championship season?

Much has changed since Louisiana’s own Ed Orgeron ruled the bayous as the head football coach of LSU’s fourth national champions of college football.

Heisman quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase have become highly paid NFL stars.

Other LSU players from that team are also enjoying nice NFL paychecks today.

That 2019 championship season came during the early days of the NCAA’s infamous Transfer Portal.   When coupled with the now-legal (but not in its intended form) Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), a virtual Wild West Show of athletes has been taking place as more players enter and leave programs annually.  

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron struggled during the ensuing years.

LSU’s record slipped to 5-5 in the 2020 COVID-plagued season and fell to 6-7 in 2021.

The likable but sometimes unfocused Coach O was shown the door following the 2021 season.  Orgeron laughed all the way to the bank to deposit his $17 million going away present courtesy of the wealthy LSU athletic supporters.

“Search for Tomorrow”’s Coach

LSU turned to Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly beginning in 2022.  The veteran coach immediately instilled more discipline to his football team.  Kelly’s 10-4 opening season in 2022 gave LSU fans a glimmer of hope for the future. It was followed by 10-3 in 2023 and 9-4 in 2024.

Brian Kelly set lofty expectations for LSU in 2025.  However, he pigeonholed problems behind the scenes (especially information about lingering injury issues with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier).  After posting a modest 3-5 SEC mark and a 7-6 overall record, LSU wrote a $54 million exit check for Brian Kelly to skedaddle after last fall.

Lane – is a Many Splendored Thing

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has a history of short stays with his former employers.  The Rebels coach remained in Oxford for six years (a personal record!) before Kiffin shocked his team and the entire state of Mississippi by accepting the top job at SEC rival LSU.

The 2025 Rebels had just finished their best regular season ever (11-1).  They were heading into the College Football Playoffs for the first time in school history.  That’s when their coach admitted that he had accepted the vacant LSU job.

Upon arriving in Baton Rouge, Lane Kiffin immediately got to work on upgrading LSU’s football talent – especially on offense.  He went dialing for dollars utilizing the NCAA transfer portal combined with a very large ($40+ million) wallet filled with NIL bucks to sign dozens of new players.

In fact, Coach Kiffin just signed a few additional players over the past week which has created a new chapter to our growing soap opera story.

The Young and the…Ruthless?

Coach Lane Kiffin is just 51 years of age.  He exudes a boyish twinkle in his eyes along the sidelines as he watches his football team confound opponents with yet another timely and well-conceived offensive play call.

LSU’s new head football coach was hired to transform the Tigers’ offense into the upper echelon of the SEC.  The Tigers’ defense has been expected to remain top caliber again this season.

Saturday night’s first game in the Coach Lane Kiffin era will feature least 44 new LSU players taking the field against Clemson.  This year’s LSU football team looks like an assemblage of Frankenstein-styled parts.

The multitude of new players have been bought and paid for by LSU’s $13 million/year mad scientist/coach Lane Kiffin.

You’re going to need time to learn the names of your new players, LSU fans!

You will find a new transfer quarterback #10 Sam Leavitt (Arizona State) tossing passes downfield to new wide receivers #3 Eugene Wilson III (Florida) and #4 Jackson Harris (Hawaii).

Holy courtroom drama, Batman!  The SEC lawyers are joining the action in Baton Rouge on Thursday

LSU made more national news last week by signing several former college football players recently cut by their NFL employers during the preseason.

This spring, the NCAA ruled that, beginning this fall, college athletes will be granted five years of athletics eligibility over a five year period following their high school graduation.

However, a group of 16 former college football players (who had exhausted all four of their years of eligibility under the previous NCAA standard) filed a lawsuit in Louisiana.  They demanded the right to play a fifth season of college football this fall should their NFL employers release them following the final preseason games.

One of those players is former LSU linebacker Jack Pyburn.

He played at the University of Florida for three years but transferred to Baton Rouge for his final year in 2025.  Pyburn was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has been released after the final preseason roster cuts.  He now wants to return to play football at LSU this fall.

So do former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quon Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, among others.  They were former standouts for coach Lane Kiffin last season in Oxford.

Like Jack Pyburn, the two former Ole Miss players signed NFL contracts but have been cut by their teams.  They could quickly learn the playbook of their former coach – now at LSU.  

The SEC is furious about the new LSU football coach’s decision to add several former college players who signed and participated with professional teams over the summer.

Last week, the Southeastern Conference joined hands with the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 Conferences in a rare move of solidarity.

The four major college football conferences want to prohibit former players from the freshman class of 2022 from returning to school this fall to play football after they signed contracts to play for a professional sports league team. 

The ramifications for LSU could be massive.

The SEC’s proposed punishment could involve suspending coach Lane Kiffin for half of the current season.  Worse, LSU’s athletics program could be fined 50% of its $200 million annual athletics budget.

Ouch.

On Sunday, the SEC announced that the conference plans to abide with the court’s current decision (allowing the former NFL players to participate).  However, an additional hearing of this matter will occur this Thursday in the judge’s courtroom in Baton Rouge.

The SEC has retained a powerful legal concern based in New Orleans to vigorously attempt to get the judge to reverse positions in this matter on Thursday.

Wow!  This could become a high drama legal showdown taking place just two days before LSU hosts Clemson on national television Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the SEC head coaches and administrators are fuming mad.  They are pounding the war drums and sound as if they are ready to toss LSU completely out of the SEC if they don’t forget about playing those ex-pro athletes this fall.

Louisiana State University has been part of the Southeastern Conference since its founding in 1932.

I can picture thousands of hands waving “Pick me, SEC!” in North Carolina, Clemson, and Florida State today!

Before ACC fans of those schools get too giddy, keep in mind that Disney’s ESPN and ABC own the television rights to SEC football.

If LSU were to (shudder) get booted from the SEC over this issue, the Big Ten or the Big 12 Conference (both televised by competitor FOX Sports) would quickly make an offer to the Tigers.

LSU might even consider going independent and negotiate its own national television contract like Notre Dame.  Why share the loot when you can keep it all for yourself, right?

I fully expect ESPN/ABC to intervene to tamp down the growing SEC anger in short order.

This year’s LSU “Black Hat” Tigers will the hottest college football commodity on television.  ESPN cannot afford to lose LSU anytime soon.

A good TV soap opera usually contains just a few small weekly plot twists.

By contrast, this new sports soap opera based in Baton Rouge has been making-up its own script from week to week.  Who knows where all of this will lead next?

Our next episode of “As the Tigers Turn!” should be a dandy.   Stay tuned!

The post New Plot Twists in the LSU Football Soap Opera! appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

I am continuing efforts to persuade my lovely wife that she REALLY wants to accompany me and watch the new “Coyote vs. Acme” movie at theaters beginning Friday.

Like the cartoon duo, we are nearly opposites.  She (similar to the Roadrunner) always seems to find a way to defeat her creatively overthinking and occasionally overconfident spouse.

I have upgraded the offer to include a dinner bribe if she will accompany me to an afternoon showing of the movie this weekend.  She is still mulling the offer as of press time. Expect the location for dinner to be renegotiated soon.

Is that the sound of me going over the proverbial cliff again?  Poof!

Let’s celebrate the large number of “Wile E.” personalities in sports!

Those of us with “Wile E.” personality types share a common passion.

We chuckle as we come up with yet another absolutely genius idea.  Then we will spend an incredible amount of time and resources to develop our fabulous plan.

Finally, we hatch that idea and often end-up with yet another epic fail.

The other party seems to come out of the confrontation unscathed and happy to match wits with us again.  Beep-beep!

It is now time to honor this year’s nominees and winners of the SwampSwamiSports.com Wile E. Awards!

Drum roll, please…

Category 1: “Acme Credit Card” Award – for spending billions of dollars and still finding creative ways to fail

Nominees:

New York Yankees – Major League Baseball

Dallas Cowboys – NFL

Los Angeles Clippers – NBA

LIV Golf – Professional Golf

Background:

New York Yankees – The Bronx Bombers are frequent visitors to the baseball playoffs.  Alas, their last World Series title came 17 years ago in 2009 when the Yankees downed Philadelphia.  Tampa Bay (with a payroll of $111 million) sits in first place in the American League East today.  The New York Yankees have spent three times that amount ($334 million) for their second place position.

Dallas Cowboys – “The Curse of Tom Landry” still lingers over team owner Jerry Jones and his football team.  It has been 31 years and counting since Dallas made its last Super Bowl appearance.  Jerry Jones was the man who fired beloved Cowboys coach Tom Landry.  Landry passed away in 2000.  Dallas has yet to play in an NFC title game since the coach’s passing.  Hmm…

Los Angeles Clippers – This NBA franchise was purchased by former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer in 2014 for $2 billion.  The Clippers’ “windows” for winning NBA titles have been stuck in the “clouds” since the year 1970.

This team has never appeared in an NBA Finals since the franchise began as the Buffalo Braves 56 years ago.

LIV Golf – The Saudi Public Investment Fund rolled out $1.5 billion just to buy enough pro golfers to start this new league five years ago.  LIV Golf has then lost an additional $1 billion every year since the league began playing in 2022.  They are now searching for new investors willing to lose hundreds of millions of dollars with them in 2027.

And the winner is…

LIV Golf!  This league’s arch-enemy is the stodgy PGA Tour.  The PGA has cleverly avoided nearly every trap which was set for them by upstart LIV Golf.  Never fear, LIV 2.0 is now on Wile E’s drawing board.  The golf league is rumored to be negotiating with “Acme” to provide new financing (a lot of it) if LIV Golf 2.0 returns in 2027.

Category 2: “Failure to Launch” Coaching Award – for getting their fans excited about winning a championship but failing to deliver results

Nominees:

Brian Kelly – former LSU football coach

Lane Kiffin – current LSU football coach

Lincoln Riley – current USC football coach

Bruce Pearl – former Tennessee and Auburn basketball coach

Brian Kelly – Kelly has been a very successful college football coach (primarily north of the Mason-Dixon line).  He was never able to get his football teams (Cincinnati, Notre Dame or LSU) into the FBS title game, though.  Brian Kelly (who received $54 million in a contract buyout to leave LSU last year) has become a broadcaster for CBS Sports this fall.

Lane Kiffin – Kiffin’s father (Monte) was a very successful NFL defensive coordinator.  The younger Kiffin became the offensive guru of the family.  Lane Kiffin’s teams usually win a lot of games, but he has yet to lead a team into a title game yet.  LSU fans will give him a couple of years – maybe.

Lincoln Riley – Much like Lane Kiffin, the sportswriters dubbed Riley as one of the most talented offensive minds in all of college football.  The 42-year old Lincoln Riley has been a big winner at both Oklahoma and USC.  Expectations have remained high for Coach Riley, but his teams haven’t been able to climb that mountain yet.   A better defense would help.

Bruce Pearl – This rather animated former college basketball coach won 70% of his games at Tennessee and, later, Auburn.  Known for his colorful clothing choices and “Super Genius” bravado, Bruce Pearl projected a very “Wile E. Coyote” confidence and style.  He retired a year ago without having coached in a national title game. Bruce Pearl now works as a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports.

And the winner is…

Brian Kelly!  BK has impeccable credentials.  He dressed and looked the part of a successful coach.  However, he also never tamped-down expectations and rarely gave a straight answer about the deficiencies of his LSU football teams.  Brian Kelly’s prickly personality failed to connect with LSU fans or the media.  He is not missed around the Baton Rouge area.

Category 3: “Thud” Award – Professional sports team which always seems to go over the cliff every season

Nominees:

Detroit Lions – NFL

Pittsburgh Pirates – Major League Baseball

New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets/Jazz – NBA

Buffalo Bills – NFL

Detroit Lions – This franchise came tantalizingly close to earning a trip to the Super Bowl a few years ago.  However, Lions fans knew (deep down in their breaking hearts) that the proverbial rug would likely be pulled from underneath them.  The Lions are now a perfect 0-60.  They have never played in a Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Remember the 1970’s hit song “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge?  If you do, then you also remember the 1979 World Series title for Steel City’s baseball team.  They haven’t returned to the top since then (47 years and counting).

New Orleans Pelicans – New Orleans has never seen any of its three NBA franchises play for a title. The New Orleans Jazz (1974-1979) moved to Utah.  Years later, the Hornets (2002-2013) buzzed back to Charlotte.  Even the New Orleans Pelicans (2013-present) have never placed a team into the NBA Finals.

Buffalo Bills – This proud NFL franchise earned its way into the Super Bowl in four straight years (1990, 91, 92, and 93).  Alas, they lost each time.  Much like our friend Wile E. Coyote, the Buffalo Bills are resilient.  This team has earned its way into the AFC playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.  The Bills reached the AFC title game on two occasions in 2020 and 2024.  As you might remember, Buffalo lost both times – to the Kansas City Chiefs (meep, meep!).

And the winner is…

The Buffalo Bills!  The Bills just keep coming back for more every season.  You’ve really got to admire this franchise for its dogged determination.  In September, Buffalo begins its first season of play in a new football stadium. 

Based on the team’s history, perhaps the stadium should have been named “Acme Field.”

Category 4: Wile E. “Super Genius” Award – National sports media personality who believes that he absolutely positively knows more about sports than the rest of us

Nominees:

Stephen A. Smith

Pat McAfee

Colin Cowherd

Tony Romo

Stephen A. Smith – Remember George Jefferson from the television show “The Jeffersons?”  Listen to Smith and tell me they aren’t related!  Stephen A. Smith is frequently on-point, but it takes him a long time to get there.

Pat McAfee – ESPN has been busy laying off staff recently while giving this talented blowhard even more cash.  McAfee (a former NFL punter) comes across like a pro wrestler delivering a promo to get people to come to tonight’s local matches.  He smartly built-up a massive YouTube audience of younger followers prior to joining ESPN.  Pro tip – Watch coach Nick Saban’s face contort whenever McAfee is speaking. It is pure Saturday morning TV gold.

Colin Cowherd – Pound for pound, he may be the biggest sports bloviator on television.  Cowherd does his homework, though.  He is on point with most of his commentaries.  It would be nice if Cowherd (and Stephen A. Smith) dialed down the volume a bit.

Tony Romo – The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback-turned-CBS analyst earns about $20 million per year (about $1 million per game).  His early years at CBS were fun and insightful.  Alas, Romo’s recent years have him sounding rather unprepared and out of sync with his broadcast partner.  Jim Nantz is one of the few TV professionals who can cover for Tony Romo’s increasing number of miscues every week.

And the winner is…

Tony Romo!  This particular award is intended for someone whose ideas and comments usually go awry and lead to a crash landing.  Tony Romo’s on-air performances in the last few years at CBS have been about as “Wile E.” as you can possibly get.

“Poof!”

The post SwampSwamiSports.com “Wile E.” Awards appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

It may be hard to believe, but it has been 16 ½ years since Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints captured their one and only Super Bowl title.

February 7, 2010 marked the greatest day in Saints history.

The New Orleans Saints began play as an NFL expansion team in Tulane Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams on September 17, 1967.  The opening kick-off was returned by Saints wide receiver John Gilliam for a touchdown as 80,000 fans roared their approval.

Sadly, the Saints lost Game #1 27-13 and finished their initial NFL season with a 3-11 record.

Twenty years later, the New Orleans Saints had yet to post a winning season.  Successful former USFL coach Jim Mora was hired to lead the team.  Coach Mora turned around this franchise and posted five winning seasons over the next seven years.

They finally made the playoffs for the first time in 1987.

WhoDat Nation was born in the mid 1980’s!

Fans gleefully chanted “Who Dat say they gonna beat ‘dem Saints?” as New Orleans had finally became a regular contender in the NFC.

Until they weren’t.

The 1992 NFL playoffs marked the final post-season appearance for the Saints for another eight seasons.  A surprising 2000 New Orleans Saints team finished 10-6 and finally won the first playoff game in the history of this long-suffering franchise.

In 2006, it was new head coach Sean Payton and newly acquired quarterback Drew Brees teamed-up to rebuild the Saints into a long-time NFC powerhouse over the next 15 seasons.

Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season.  He was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Coach Sean Payton “retired” a year later. He opted for the television booth with FOX Sports.  The Denver Broncos coaxed him to return to coaching with an eye-popping contract offer in 2022.

Sean Payton has turned-around another NFL franchise. 

His Broncos have become top playoff contenders in the AFC after only three seasons as the team’s head coach.

Those two legends are no longer part of the NFL franchise in New Orleans.  Saints fans still love their football team, but the playoffs seem like a distant memory.

Successive years of 5-12 in 2024 and 6-11 in 2025 are making many Saints fans wax nostalgic about “the good old days” of two decades ago.

Is Kellen Moore a miracle worker or will he become just another short term coach?

The Saints hired and later fired former defensive coordinator Dennis Allen after 2 ½ seasons following the departure of head coach Sean Payton.

The 2025 season saw New Orleans hand the coaching baton to Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with the top job.  Moore was a dynamic quarterback in college with Boise State during the Broncos’ ascension in major college football twenty years ago.

Kellen Moore then played five seasons in the NFL before becoming the quarterbacks coach in Dallas.  He would be elevated to the team’s offensive coordinator for three seasons.  Moore earned a Super Bowl ring as the OC for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.

Ironically, that Super Bowl victory came in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

Kellen Moore became the new head coach for the New Orleans Saints less than one week later.

Moore’s offensive knowledge did not seem to help the Saints’ putrid offense last season.  New Orleans scored only 18 points per game to finish in 28th place in the NFL.

Saints fans saw a glimmer of hope after second-round rookie draft pick Tyler Shough (pronounced “Shuck”) was inserted into the line-up for the second half of the season.

The Saints offense immediately caught fire as New Orleans won four of its last five games to finish 6-11.

An underappreciated Saints defense finished in the middle of the NFL pack (16th) and allowed only 22 points per game for the 2025 season.

Off-season moves have firmed-up the Saints offense

The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh saw the New Orleans Saints select:

Round 1 – Jordyn Tyson, wide receiver, Arizona State

Round 2 – Christen Miller, defensive tackle, Georgia

Round 3 – Oscar Delp, tight end, Georgia

Round 4 – Jeremiah Wright, offensive guard, Auburn

Round 4 – Bryce Lance, wide receiver, North Dakota State

Round 5 – Lorenzo Styles, defensive back, Ohio State

Round 6 – Barion Brown, wide receiver/return specialist, LSU

Round 7 – T.J. Hall, defensive back, Iowa

That made three wide receivers and a talented tight end taken with the eight draft picks.

Fifth year wide receiver Chris Olave has grabbed passes for more than 1,000 yards in three of his four years with the Saints. 

He and quarterback Tyler Shough got their wish in the NFL draft.  There are significant new weapons with this impressive trio of wide receiver draft selections plus a top tight end prospect in Oscar Delp.

It’s hard to believe that running back Alvin Kamara is entering his tenth NFL season.

The 2017 Rookie of the Year has been slowed by injuries over his career.  Kamara has not played a full regular season since that initial 2017 campaign.

The team’s all-time leading rusher will be joined in the backfield this season by newly acquired running back Travis Etienne.  He comes to the Saints from the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Etienne (like Alvin Kamara) is exceptional at catching the ball coming out of the backfield.

This tandem should give NFC South defenses plenty to be concerned about.

The New Orleans Saints lost long-time offensive standout Taysom Hill to retirement at the end of last season.  This versatile former BYU quarterback had played back-up quarterback, tight end, and running back over his nine seasons with the Saints.  The oft-injured Hill became a fan favorite in New Orleans.

Can the Saints defense do it again in 2026?

A quick look at this year’s Saints draft picks showed that defense was definitely not a priority for the team.

Consider how ineffective the New Orleans Saints offense was in 2025.  The team’s inability to score points kept the Saints defense on the field for longer than the NFL average.  New Orleans’ 16th rated defense may show further improvement this season if the team’s offense stays on the field longer and give the defense more rest.

Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley (the former head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers) put together an opportunistic and relatively young defensive unit for the Saints in 2025.  The team collected 20 turnovers last season.  It was also ranked #3 in the NFL at shutting down the opposing offense on third down.

Former Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry and former Washington first round defensive end selection Chase Young led a hungry New Orleans Saints defensive unit in 2025.

New Orleans’ popular and eight-time Pro Bowl selection Cameron Jordan was drafted in 2011.  Now age 37, he remains a force at the other defensive end position for New Orleans.

A lack of depth may unravel the Saints this season

Injuries happen – especially in the NFL.  For as optimistic as things look for the Saints first team units, a lack of quality depth (especially at quarterback) could sink the Saints chances in 2026.

Preseason games generally feature back-ups so that the coaches can determine which players deserve a spot on the team’s regular season roster.

The Saints 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend in the second preseason game showed just how weak this team’s back-ups seem to be.  They were skunked by the reserves from a Rams team which went 12-5 last year.

Seeing the other team’s reserves blank the Saints back-ups raised some warning flags about the upcoming season.

Speaking of back-ups, New Orleans is attempting to transform another top first round draft selection into a future weapon at quarterback.

Former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (the #3 overall pick in 2021 out of BYU) threw more interceptions (25) than touchdowns (23) during his three years with New York.  Wilson was then shipped to Denver in 2024 and moved again last season to Miami as a reserve QB for the Dolphins.

Will head coach Kellen Moore (a former NFL quarterback) be able to restore the confidence of Zach Wilson and turn him into productive offensive weapon for the Saints?

Prediction time!

The first seven games in 2026 will tell us a lot about this year’s New Orleans Saints team.

New Orleans opens with two tough road games – at the Detroit Lions and at Baltimore to play the Ravens. They’re likely to be 0-2.

However, the next five games are all winnable (home for Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Minnesota), on the road at the New York Giants, and a (fake) home game in Paris against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If the Saints are 5-2 or even 4-3 heading into the second half of the season, they have a realistic chance of going 9-8 this year.  That record might be good enough to win a very balanced (but weak) NFC South.

I predict the Saints will finish 8-9 this season.

Anything better than 8-9 this season will have all Saints fans (me, included) downright giddy about the future of this football team.

Put away those paper bags (at least for now), Saints fans.

It’s “Who Dat!?” time once again in N’awlins!

The post Hype or Hope for this year’s New Orleans Saints? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Perhaps the searing August heat has begun to take its toll. 

We have just emerged from yet another weird weekend in sports with an assortment of strange things occurring.

Let’s (briefly) venture outside to review a few more odd August sports stories.

LSU expected to sign a tight end who was just cut by the Cleveland Browns?

Ole Miss football fans were already incensed about former head coach Lane Kiffin’s departure at the end of last season.  The Rebels will host Kiffin’s LSU Tigers in Oxford on Saturday, September 19 in a nationally televised made-for-media marquis match-up.

America’s most popular coach (to hate or to love) not only left Ole Miss before last year’s College Football Playoffs. 

He brought along a handful of his Ole Miss players and a few dozen of his assistant coaches and staffers to Baton Rouge, too.

On Sunday, we learned that Coach Kiffin is about to add a talented former Ole Miss tight end to the Tigers’ roster.  This particular tight end had been spending his summer practicing and playing for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

How can a player who has been playing (even for a few months) with a professional football team be allowed return to play college football?

The NCAA recently changed its rules.  Beginning this year, college athletes will now be allowed five years of eligibility over a five year period. 

What about college athletes who participated last year assuming they were in their fourth and final year of eligibility?  They left school in the spring believing they had used-up all of their college sports eligibility. 

Oops!  Did the NCAA just overlook them in their new rule?

In general, there are not a lot of top college football players who started and played for four consecutive years now willing to return to college football this fall for a fifth season.  

Some have found paying jobs in the NFL.  Others are finding work outside of football.

As you might have guessed, lawsuits have been filed by some of last season’s college athletes arguing that the NCAA’s new rules should allow them the right to return to college to play in a fifth year this season.

Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright played for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin the past two seasons.

He finished his fourth year of eligibility last fall and spent the summer trying to make the final roster of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

Dae’Quan Wright did not get to play in any of the Browns’ preseason games.  He was just waived by Cleveland. Once he clears waivers early this week (and no other NFL team signs him), Brown plans to return to college to play for his former college coach who now works in Baton Rouge.

But wait – doesn’t LSU already have a talented 6’7” tight end on their team?

Indeed, they do!

Junior tight end Trey’Dez Green was one of LSU’s top receivers last season. 

The south Louisiana product became a second team All-SEC tight end after his sophomore season last fall.

Green isn’t just 6’7” tall.  He is a talented basketball player who averaged 27 points per game as a center on his high school roundball team.  Green’s unique skills have many professional scouts drooling as he returns for his junior season in Baton Rouge this fall.

Why would LSU football coach Lane Kiffin want to add another tight end only two weeks before the Tigers kick-off the new season at home against Clemson?

Perhaps another way to look at this is why would Kiffin NOT want to sign another talented tight end right before the season begins.

Dae’Quan Wright (the former Ole Miss player) is already familiar with Coach Kiffin’s playbook.  LSU’s acquisition of a second talented tight end would also prevent the former Ole Miss football player from heading back to Oxford (or to Tuscaloosa, Austin, Auburn, etc.)

Let’s not fool ourselves.  This isn’t about Dae’Quan Wright’s loyalty to Lane Kiffin.

He is likely coming to LSU, because the price is right.

Oregon football coach Dan Lanning (like many of us) doesn’t like the court’s decision

This year’s AP preseason #2 Oregon Ducks are expected to make a run at the national championship.  Coach Dan Lanning does not care for the court’s ruling which would allow some football players to return to college after being cut by an NFL team this month.

Over the weekend, Lanning said, “Once you go to the NFL, I mean, you’re in the NFL.  You don’t get the opportunity to come back (to college football).  So, if you invite somebody back to your team, that means your kicking somebody else off your team, right?”

Indeed, it does!  That’s a very noble stance, Coach Lanning!

On the other hand, I wonder what the Oregon coach would do if his starting tight end from last year’s team wanted to return after being cut by an NFL team last week?

LIV Golf Season 5 ended with a Cinderella story winner!

Did you watch the FOX Sports Sunday afternoon coverage of (perhaps) the final round ever to be played by LIV Golf?

The upstart golf league has lost $6 billion in five years.  Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund pulled the plug on the money tree after yesterday’s final event of the 2026 season in Indianapolis.  The league’s future is shaky at best.

I watched as LIV Golf’s $300 million bonus baby Jon Rahm and $125 million bonus signee Bryson DeChambeau battled back and forth for the lead.  Rahm fired a nifty 63 on Sunday to edge DeChambeau’s bogey-free 64.

While those two very wealthy golfers traded blows Sunday afternoon, a 22-year old golfer on the verge of losing his spot on the LIV Golf tour quietly zoomed past both titans to claim the title.

Michael La Sasso won the US Amateur in 2025 after a great collegiate season at Ole Miss.  Winning the US Amateur title last summer earned La Sasso the right to play at The Masters and in this summer’s US Open – as long as he remained an amateur golfer.

La Sasso decided to forego his chance to play Augusta National and Shinnecock Hills and turned professional.  He joined LIV Golf to become part of absentee captain Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers golf team.

Michael La Sasso struggled this spring and summer in his rookie season as a professional golfer.

He was mired in 53rd place in the LIV Golf standings heading into this weekend’s season ending event.  The young golfer was on the LIV Golf chopping block (called “relegation”) if he was unable to earn enough money to move into the top 48 golfers.  He would have been out of a job – regardless of whether LIV Golf returns again in 2027.

La Sasso is definitely safe now!

He fired a sizzling 10-under par 60 in Round 2 and took a slim lead over tour veterans Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau entering Sunday’s big finale.

The climactic 72nd hole saw the rookie golfer calmly loft a nifty 20-yard pitch shot onto the green.  His ball rolled downhill and came to rest within one foot of the cup to insure Michael La Sasso’s one shot victory over Jon Rahm.

His 18-under par total carried a first place check worth more than $2 million.

Most importantly, the rookie golfer zoomed up to #14 in the final LIV Golf rankings for 2026.

Well played, Michael La Sasso!

The WNBA has learned well from professional wrestling

I will spare you the details concerning a few recent events featuring the Women’s NBA (WNBA), its fans, and several of the players this season.  You have likely read and heard enough.

Like professional wrestling, the WNBA has learned that any publicity (generally) beats no publicity.

Recent controversies have kept the league front and center in the sports headlines.

Quick – Can you tell me which team leads the WNBA today? (Answer – the Minnesota Lynx is 31-7 and leads the league by five games coming down the stretch)

The good news has been that WNBA attendance is growing.  Pay for players has been rising.  New teams have been added in the past few years with more new franchises on the horizon.

For all of the good news, some of the WNBA’s players and fans have been getting fighting mad recently.  This stuff has been coming right out of the professional wrestling playbook.

Sunday’s latest publicity stunt came as Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever visited the Windy City to play the Chicago Sky.

Former NBA center Enes Kanter (who changed his last name to Enes Freedom a few years ago) recently declared that he wants to play in the WNBA next season.

The league’s current rules are too vague to know whether the 6’10” Enos Kanter-Freedom (his last name could change again by the end of this story) will succeed in joining the women’s basketball league next year.

That classic wrestling story line should serve to keep WNBA fans on edge for at least the next six months.

The aforementioned “Enes-the-Menace” decided to check-out a WNBA game.

He obtained a prime seat near the basket during Sunday night’s game in Chicago.

The 6’10” giant was spotted sitting in the crowd late in the third quarter by Chicago Sky guard “Nasty” Natasha Cloud.  Instead of heading toward her bench during a called timeout, an angry-looking 5’10” Cloud walked toward the towering 34-year old former NBA player.

Cloud appeared to spew a number of, uh, Chicago-styled greetings toward the giant ticket holder.  That’s when stadium security intervened.

“Enes-the-Menace” was escorted out of the building (wonder if he received a refund?).

For her part in starting this incident, “Nasty” Natasha Cloud was allowed to remain in the game.

As of press time, the WWE (oops, I meant the WNBA) has not addressed the Chicago Sky guard’s unexpected and unnecessary aggressive move toward a 6’10” paying customer.

Her distracted Chicago Sky team never recovered.  Caitlin Clark tallied 37 points and ten assists for the winners as Indiana darkened the Chicago Sky with an easy 113-90 victory.

Any publicity beats no publicity, right?

The post It’s Gotta be this August Heat! appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

It’s here!

The same people who told you that Indiana was the 20th best team starting in 2025 are now suggesting that the defending college football champion Hoosiers will be the sixth best team in 2026.

Indiana went a perfect 16-0 last season.  They obliterated “name” football powers like Alabama 38-3 during their stampede to the national championship. 

Coach Curt Cignetti is still at Indiana.  Like every other major college football program, IU went shopping to buy another group of talented transfer players using NIL bonus bucks again in 2026.

So, why did the Associated Press demote last season’s undisputed champion Indiana from the top spot when they haven’t even played a game yet?

This year’s projected top five teams were Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas.

The top five consisted of two Big Ten schools, two SEC schools, and independent Notre Dame.

Interestingly, not one SEC team received a single first place vote in this year’s 2026 preseason AP poll.

Ohio State was the top pick on 40 ballots.  Oregon grabbed 14 first place votes.  Indiana (the #6 preseason pick) had eight first place votes, while Miami of Florida (#7 overall pick and last year’s national runner-up) had one first place ballot.

In defense of the AP, the poll results are solely the opinions of 60+ writers and broadcasters casting their vote in this national college football beauty contest.  No employees of the Associated Press are allowed to participate.

*Shameless self-promotion plug – This is yet another reason why the popular SwampSwamiSports College Football Top 25 Rankings never begins publishing its team rankings until at least four games have been played.  Come back and check-out my rankings once cooler weather and clearer minds return in early October.

Preseason rankings are simply a beauty contest intended to spur interest and media hype

The NCAA Transfer Portal and the advent of NIL to pay college athletes has really affected the prediction business.

Did you know that an estimated 3,700 college football players put their name into the hat to change schools in early January?

How could anyone know how good Indiana or LSU or any other top program is going to be this fall after their rosters have changed so much from last season?

Twenty years ago, we could take a good look at which teams were returning the most top players following a good season in the previous year.

Back then, we could try to assess the incoming freshman class for possible impact players.  Next, it was time to review the team’s football schedule to assess the difficulty of the upcoming opponents.

Today’s transfer portal game of musical chairs makes it quite difficult to predict which teams are going to shoot to the top of the charts by season’s end.

For example, LSU transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State is expected to provide a boost to the Tigers’ offensive output under new head coach Lane Kiffin.

How can anyone estimate Leavitt’s impact until he plays a few games for the Tigers to start the season?

Defending champion Indiana lost Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the NFL draft.  Will transfer quarterback Josh Hoover from TCU be worth the reported $2 million NIL deal he signed to come to Indiana?

Here’s a surprise.  The AP’s #1 team at Ohio State has a fairly tough schedule in 2026. 

The Buckeyes will visit #5 Texas in Austin in Week #2.  A three game stretch in mid-October finds Ohio State playing at #6 Indiana, at #14 USC, and at home for #2 Oregon.  Don’t forget the regular season home finale against #16 preseason pick Michigan.

It seems likely that Ohio State is going to lose one or more of those games.  That makes me suspicious of why the majority of AP voters handed the Buckeyes the #1 preseason ranking.  Did they even look at the schedule first?

If you like easy schedules, check out the playoff-friendly schedule for the AP’s #4 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Irish won’t play a preseason top 25 team until Week #7 at #14 BYU.  The other two ranked opponents (#7 Miami and #19 SMU) travel to South Bend for games in November.

Notre Dame’s schedule appears to be deliciously easy.

Alabama comes in at #13?  The heat is building in Tuscaloosa

Nick Saban’s Alabama teams were nearly always ranked in the top ten during preseason.  No matter how many players Saban had lost to the NFL draft, a new layer of Alabama’s stockpile of talent was ready to be unveiled during the following season.

Not anymore.

Coach Saban’s replacement is busy dealing with today’s revolving door of NCAA Transfer Portal players.  More recently, he has been hitting-up Bama boosters for NIL bonus bucks in order to put a more competitive team on the field.

Yes, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is feeling the heat.

His 11-4 finish in 2025 included an ugly late season loss to SEC champ Georgia and a drubbing by eventual national champion Indiana.  The combined score in those two trouncings was 66-10.

Ouch!

Anything less than a spot in this year’s 12-team College Football Playoffs will be unacceptable to BamaFan.

Should this year’s team fail to deliver, Coach Kalen DeBoer and his boss will likely be swept out of Tuscaloosa in a (wait for it) crimson tide.

Alabama Athletics Director Greg Byrne inexplicably extended the contract for the increasingly unpopular head football coach Kalen DeBoer after last year’s embarrassing season-ending 38-3 loss to Indiana.

Kalen DeBoer will still receive an estimated $67.5 million if he should be fired after the coming football season.

For his part, Alabama AD Greg Byrne’s contract runs through the year 2031.

Byrne’s buyout will be peanuts compared to the bank which will be owed to the school’s football coach.

Impatient high rollers within the Bama athletics family may be getting ready to dig deep to raise funds to boot both DeBoer and Byrne should Alabama drop four or more football games again this season.

This year’s #13 preseason ranking is another indicator that the proverbial hat is already being passing around the great state of Alabama before the start of the football season.

Arch Who?

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning didn’t ask for all of the publicity coming out of Newman high school in uptown New Orleans.

Having a legendary grandfather and two uncles who excelled at quarterback in college and the NFL is extremely hard enough to live up to.  The national media then put a bullseye squarely on the back of Arch Manning four years ago upon his signing to play college football at the University of Texas.

Arch Manning sat on the bench for most of his first two years at Texas behind Quinn Ewers.

Manning was finally named the starter in Austin to begin the 2025 season.  A media-fueled “Arch Manning for Heisman” campaign prior to Week #1 turned into a massive flop.

Texas got off to a rocky start.  Manning eventually found his confidence later in the year to end 2025 on a positive note.  Texas finished 9-3.  Their win total included two overtime squeakers in road games at Kentucky and at Mississippi State.

Texas was left out of the college football playoffs.

Arch Manning now has a chance to deliver a championship season to the Longhorn faithful this fall.

The preseason #5-ranked Texas Longhorns are favored to finish in the top two of the SEC along with #3 Georgia.

Texas has the talent to have a terrific season. However, Texas has been loaded with talent for years in Austin.

It’s time to Arch Manning, Coach Steve Sarkesian, and this year’s squad of Texas Longhorns to step-up and prove it to everyone on the field this fall.

Can coach Curt Cignetti help bring a second straight title back home to Indiana?

The attention to detail shown by Indiana’s national championship squad last year was reminiscent of some of former Alabama coach Nick Saban’s finest teams.

Then again, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was once on Saban’s staff at Alabama.  IU’s coach took very good notes while observing the intense legendary football coach in action – both on and off the field.

Indiana’s Heisman Trophy quarterback (Fernando Mendoza) and his favorite receiver (Omar Cooper, Jr.) are gone.  Both were selected early in the first round of this spring’s NFL draft.  They will be replaced by talented incoming transfers at Indiana.

Coach Cignetti and his assistant coaches pay incredible attention to every detail on offense, defense, and special teams.  Last year’s 16-0 Hoosiers team played like a well-oiled machine in winning the national championship.

In tough games when the talent on the field appears to be nearly equal, Indiana proved an old adage about “The 5 P’s” was still valid.

Prior preparation prevents poor performance.

Bet against IU this year if you wish.  Not me.

The post Says who? Ohio State tops AP Preseason College Football Poll appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.