The Acadiana Advocate 10-03-2026 by The Advocate

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$50M secured for I-49 interchange

$28 million award from the U.S. rights of way, and coordinate and Upgrades set for intersection of Kaliste Saloom, U.S. 90 Department of Transportation’s relocate utilities.

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet’s administration has secured $50 million toward upgrading the intersection of Kaliste Saloom Road and U.S. 90 as part of the Interstate 49 Lafayette Con-

nector. The intersection is currently at grade level, forcing motorists to cross railroad tracks and sometimes wait while trains pass, creating delays and safety concerns. As part of the I-49 project, the interchange will be grade separated, with motorists traveling on ramps

and ﬂyover bridges above the railroad tracks. The U.S. Department of Transportation has identified the crossing as one of the nation’s top 100 freight bottlenecks. The work will affect about 2.2 miles of Kaliste Saloom Road and 3.5 miles of U.S. 90. The $50 million includes a recent

Nationally Signiﬁcant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program, $21.5 million from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and $500,000 from Lafayette Consolidated Government. The money will be used to develop ﬁnal designs and cost estimates, complete environmental documentation and permitting, acquire

“Every outside dollar we bring home allows us to leverage our local investment and accomplish more for the people we serve — whether that means improving trafﬁc ﬂow, strengthening drainage, enhancing public safety or preparing Lafayette for continued

ä See I-49, page 5A

Fortiﬁed roofs could lose discounts

BLESSING THE PETS

Designation may last only 15 years

BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

Louisiana has lined up $140 million in public money to put fortified roofs on homes, a bipartisan effort to help dig the state out of a property insurance crisis by protecting houses from hurricaneforce winds, prompting insurers to offer discounts in exchange for lower risk. Now, the organization that invented the fortified standard — the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety — is preparing to make a crucial declaration on roofs: They can only be designated as fortified for 15 years. The move, which IBHS notified regulators of last week, could have lasting ramifications for homeowners. Fortified roofs qualify for mandatory discounts on home insurance premiums, but only if the certification is active. Once the “fortified” designation is removed after 15 years, homeowners can expect to lose their discounts as well — unless they start the process over and buy another fortified roof. The determination only applies to asphalt shingles, which comprise the vast majority of roofs in Louisiana. Roofs made of metal, tile or other materials under the fortified standard will keep the designation beyond 15 years, though those materials are typically far more expensive. Insurance Commissioner Tim

PHOTOS BY ROBIN MAY

Monsignor Keith Derouen blesses horses in the barn during the Blessing of the Pets ceremony at Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Coteau on Friday. Student Jailyn Latiolais pets Roxy after she has been blessed by Monsignor Keith Derouen during the Blessing of the Pets ceremony at Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Coteau.

ä See FORTIFIED, page 5A

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ELECTION

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Davis, Letlow utilize different styles in campaign for Senate BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Julia Letlow

WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 74 PAGE 6A

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and farmer Jamie Davis are taking sharply contrasting routes as they run for the same job — to be the next senator from Louisiana. Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, is running a low-profile campaign because, analysts

said, she expects the GOP tilt in Louisiana will power her to victory on Nov. 3. Even though she has much more money, Letlow has yet to bring out the big guns on commercial TV. Letlow has also tied herself closely to President Donald Trump, who endorsed her. Davis, a Democrat, is holding open meetings across the

state to introduce himself to as many voters as possible. He has built a grassroots network of campaign volunteers, trying to reach Democrats and political independents who need a push to vote. Davis is keeping his distance from national Democrats. “It sounds like both are running a sensible campaign to reach their targeted voters,”

said Jay Dardenne, who won four statewide races to serve as secretary of state and lieutenant governor. “Julia obviously is a huge favorite and is raising money and talking to key people who can be inﬂuential. Jamie has a more difﬁcult challenge — he is doing what he can to get enough

ä See SENATE, page 5A Jamie Davis

Business ......................3B Deaths .........................2B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................2B Living............................9C Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles 11C-13C Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

102ND YEAR, NO. 95

2A l Saturday, October 3, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Suspected Boko Haram militants kill at least 15 MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 15 farmers and firewood gatherers in the Marte local government area of Nigeria 's northeastern Borno State, police and human rights officials said Friday. The attack, apparently carried out by the prominent Islamic militant group, took place late Wednesday and early Thursday in the villages of Ala, Gummna and Musune in Marte, located approximately 80 miles northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital. Borno state police spokesperson Nahum Daso confirmed the violence and added that security forces are working to account for the whereabouts of three other residents who remain missing. Community members retrieved the bodies from the surrounding bushland and buried the 15 victims Thursday evening in accordance with Islamic rites. Residents said the victims, who included young men and village elders, were ambushed, bound and executed at close range while gathering firewood and tending their crops. Amnesty International condemned the attack in a statement, calling the targeting of civilians a grave violation of international humanitarian law and urging Nigerian authorities to bolster protection for vulnerable rural communities in the northeast. Islamic militants have been attacking residents and military targets in the region for more than a decade.

Nepal avalanche toll rises to 15 deaths

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Rescuers discovered eight bodies at the base camp of Mount Himlung in Nepal on Thursday, raising the total number of deaths to 15 following an avalanche during severe weather Sunday. The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the search, said rescuers dug through snow on Mount Himlung to ﬁnd eight bodies in tents at the base camp, where one person remains missing. “Due to continuing mountain hazards, recovery efforts have been temporarily concluded,” the association said. “Further efforts may be possible when conditions allow.” Experienced mountain guides from the association took advantage of good weather and worked through the week to dig through the snow that covered the base camp. Rescuers located 10 other climbers who were part of the group on Mount Himlung, a 23,380-foot peak in north-central Nepal, which is home to eight of the 14 tallest mountain peaks in the world including Mount Everest. The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal mountaineering history. All those killed or missing this week were Nepali nationals preparing for foreign clients to arrive for the Autumn climbing season that began this month.

Putin observes military drills in the Urals

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday attended military drills in the Ural Mountains involving troops from China and several other countries. Putin visited a firing range in the Chelyabinsk region to observe the final stage of the Center-2026 maneuvers. The exercises were combined with the Interaction-2026 drills held by members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security alliance of several former Soviet nations. Putin said Center-2026 involved 47,000 troops training to repel an attack at 11 firing ranges and in the Caspian Sea. The drills began Monday and will run through Saturday. About 6,000 troops from Russia and other countries took part in the final phase at Chebarkulsky, Putin said. Delegations from 55 nations attended as observers, he added. The drills included military contingents from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as troops from China, Mongolia and Pakistan, according to Russian news reports.

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Court blocks Big Bend border wall Ruling temporarily halts construction in Texas region

BY REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A federal court in Texas on Friday issued a ruling temporarily blocking the Trump administration from building a border wall and other infrastructure across the state's Big Bend region. The news marks a major win for landowners, businesses and environmentalists in the region who have united to oppose the planned infrastructure projects, which are part of a $46 billion effort by the Trump administration to line the southern border with a mix of 30-foot-tall steel walls, vehicle barriers, roads and surveillance technology. Judge Kathleen Cardone said in

her ruling that the plaintiffs were “likely to succeed on the merits of at least one of the claims in suit, that there is a likelihood that they will suffer serious, irreparable harm without an injunction, and that the balance of the equities and the public interest weigh in their favor.” Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Opponents of the border wall project have argued that the Big Bend region of Texas is so remote and the landscape so rugged that it serves as its own deterrent to illegal immigration and that the administration violated the law when it issued a swath of waivers allowing it to bypass numer-

ous regulations in order to speed up border wall infrastructure projects. Laiken Jordahl, with the Center of Biological Diversity that brought the suit, called Cardone’s ruling a “total victory.” “The bulldozers are going to be sent packing until she rules on the merits,” Jordahl said. “This is such a historic day for Big Bend and for Texas and the Constitution.” The court's decision comes just weeks after the administration erected the ﬁrst border wall panels in the Big Bend sector in the middle of September. The border wall project through the Big Bend sector has sparked bipartisan opposition. Much of the opposition has been geared around Customs and

Border Protection’s plans for inside the Big Bend National Park, which is prized for its beautiful landscapes, limestone cliffs and crystal clear night sky views. When bulldozers were spotted clearing land in the park in August, it sparked widespread opposition with both Republicans and Democrats calling for the administration to stop. Customs and Border Protection paused all activity there, but that pause expired on September 30. The administration has said it’s reevaluating plans for the National Park but has so far not said what it will do there. But the judge’s ruling also extends to areas up and downriver from the National Park, where Customs and Border Protection has planned a range of border infrastructure projects that would largely require build across privately owned land.

Bodycam footage of Luigi Mangione’s arrest unsealed Judge orders release after CNN petition

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY SEBASTIEN KITSA MUSAYI

Health workers talk inside a Ebola treatment camp in Butembo, Congo, on Wednesday.

Congo Ebola treatment center burned down Death toll passes 4,000 as outbreak spreads

BY DIEUDONNE DIROLE and OPE ADETAYO Associated Press

BUNIA, Congo — Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000 people, authorities said, as they struggle to contain what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. The latest figures released by the Health Ministry on Thursday showed that 4,018 people have died among 8,300 cases recorded since the outbreak was declared in eastern Congo on May 15. The aid group Médecins Sans Frontières, known in English as Doctors Without Borders, said Friday the outbreak has particularly worsened in the North Kivu province, accounting for 40% of new confirmed cases since the end of August. “It is like fighting a wildfire,” Stephanie Hoffman, MSF coordinator in Butembo, said. “Multiple outbreaks are developing at the same time, with varying intensity and in different locations.” Some health workers, meanwhile, gathered at the epicenter in Ituri Province to demand payment for wages owed to them. The protesters, who included surveillance team members, waved placards saying, “No money, no data!” and “No payment for months.” Some of the workers haven't been paid for August and September, said Biongi Beiza, one of the protesters in Bunia, Ituri's capital. “There is no explanation from the administration,” he said.

Congolese authorities did not immediately address the issue. Front-line workers have gone on strike several times since the outbreak began, further hampering efforts to contain the disease. A senior U.N. official said an Ebola-hit displacement camp housing a transit center for infected patients was burned by soldiers earlier this week as they were looking for weapons in Kigonze, on the outskirts of Bunia, forcing 19,000 people in the camp to flee. Creating such transit and treatment centers has been a struggle, requiring money and staff, all of which are in short supply, said Julien Harneis, the U.N. senior Ebola coordinator. "When we lose a center, that means we lose capacity, we lose investment, and we have to start again. And above all, it means that people do not get access to the care that they really need,” Harneis said. An aid worker with MSF was infected with Ebola while working in Congo, the group said in a statement. The worker arrived in the Netherlands late Thursday on a special medical flight and was transferred to a high-level isolation unit, the Leiden University Medical Center said in a statement. At least 50 health workers have died after contracting the virus. One way local authorities have tried to contain the outbreak is through mobile laboratories. In Butembo, an Associated Press journalist watched a medical team operating one such lab near an Ebola treatment center on Thursday. Test results that used to take 72 hours can now be obtained in six hours with the mobile labs, said Lota Kalubi, a doctor at the treatment center.

Taiwan receives 2 long-delayed U.S. F-16Vs, awaits additional ﬁghter jets BY HUIZHONG WU Associated Press

BANGKOK — Taiwan on Friday received the first two of 65 F-16V fighter jets ordered from the U.S., the island's air force said, following years of delays. The two F-16V Block 70 jets landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung. There are 63 more to be delivered. The self-ruled island, which is also claimed by Beijing as part of its territory, placed an order for the F-16Vs in 2019. Taiwan largely purchases arms from the U.S., its largest unofficial ally, to boost its defenses in the face of a military threat from China. China sends fighter jets and ships toward the island almost daily. Taiwan’s defense minister said on Tuesday that the island remains in continuous discussions with the U.S.

about their weapons sales. The shipment is the ﬁrst in a long list of backlogged U.S. orders worth almost $30 billion. The F-16Vs represent $8 billion, or roughly 25% of the entire backlog, according to Taiwan Security Monitor at George Mason University. The order had been delayed partly owing to production and supply chain issues. The delivery of the jets comes as the island waits for the U.S. administration to approve an additional $14 billion arms package. That package has stalled after U.S. President Donald Trump in May met with China’s President Xi Jinping in May. U.S. defense sales to Taiwan are a major source of tension between the U.S. and China. Beijing has repeatedly called for Washington to halt sales to Taiwan, with Xi personally raising the issue with Trump.

NEW YORK — Police bodycam footage released Friday shows the moment officers located and arrested Luigi Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s in connection with the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan. In one video, officers ask Mangione to lower the face mask he was wearing to hide his identity. “That’s 100% him,” one officer says eagerly as they step outside to speak out of Mangione’s earshot. “I told you, man,” another responds off camera. Later, an officer searches Mangione’s belongings and smiles widely as she pulls out a gun cartridge, seemingly confirming they’d found their suspect. The trove of videos comes from Mangione’s Dec. 9, 2024, arrest in

Altoona, five days after Thompson, a 50-year-old Minnesota executive, was gunned down as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. A Manhattan judge unsealed the recordings Friday after CNN petitioned for their release. Parts of the videos were shown during a December court hearing as Mangione’s lawyers unsuccessfully sought to get key evidence thrown out, including his initial statements to police and items seized at the time of his arrest. Mangione pleaded guilty in August to federal stalking charges and faces life in prison when he's sentenced in December. He also faces murder charges in New York state court, though those proceedings have been postponed indefinitely as his lawyers seek to have the case thrown out. The videos released Friday begin as officers descend on the McDonald’s in central Pennsylvania, nearly 300 miles from Manhattan.

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The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Saturday, October 3, 2026 l 3A

G7 nations will release oil, diesel 100 million barrels of oil should be a short-term fix

at the White House. “We’re going to be doing what we’re supposed to do.” He added that Europe is making “a major world contribution, and so are we.”

Experts say there are risks

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Group of Seven wealthy democracies said Friday that they plan to release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products in the coming weeks, starting with “substantial” amounts of diesel after the fuel recently hit record high prices in the United States. President Donald Trump said the diesel release would happen “immediately,” echoing a G7 promise to start “immediately” with a “frontloaded substantial release” of diesel within the next 20 days and the rest over four months. Trump and his Republican Party face pressure to address surging prices ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and Trump announced the action Friday on social media. The president's approval ratings on the economy hit a new low, according to an APNORC poll, as the Iran war and his trade battles have increased U.S. prices for oil and other goods. Gas prices in the U.S. and abroad have soared during the eightmonth-long war, a cost Trump has repeatedly said is worth it for making sure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons. The national average for a gallon of diesel in the U.S. was $6.37 on Friday, according to AAA, after hitting a record $6.52 on Sept. 22. Diesel prices have hit records in Europe, too. The release of diesel in Europe might mean less exports of diesel from the U.S., which could lower prices by 25-50 cents per gallon after a few weeks, said Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, a non-partisan research institution focused on energy and economics.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on Friday in Washington.

the announcement in a statement released after videoconference talks that Macron presided over. The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., plus EU representation. The release follows on from a March announcement that International Energy Agency member countries would release 426 million barrels of oil and products to stabilize the oil market. European Union countries committed about 92 million barrels, a promise weighted toward reﬁned products made from crude such as diesel. “This common decision and this unity should bring down prices,” Macron said. “The volumes we’re releasing should also add liquidity to the market and bring down prices.” In addition to the rise in the price of the crude oil from which diesel is made, other factors include the decision by Russia to ban exports due to Ukrainian drone strikes on its reﬁneries. Europe does not import Russian diesel, but other buyers of Russian diesel such as Turkey and Latin American counMacron: Prices should lower tries must now compete with EuFrance holds the rotating presi- rope for available barrels. Meanwhile refined product dency of the G7 group and made

shipments from the Persian Gulf producers have fallen due to war damage and blocked export routes. The statement pushed U.S. oil prices down 2% but “the impact was lessened by lack of clarity on an important question,” said Pavel Molchanov, investment strategy analyst at Raymond James. Is the 100 million barrels in addition to the amount already agreed in March, or “is this the ﬁnal portion of the existing pledge?” he said.

Export bans are off the table Some Republicans in the U.S. had called for Trump to ban U.S. exports of diesel to try to bring domestic prices down. But the G7 statement said the group agreed not to limit energy exports to each other. Oil market analysts warn a U.S. export ban could lower prices in the short term but eventually backﬁre by reducing supplies of gasoline since diesel output can't be lowered without also cutting overall reﬁnery production. Asked about a potential U.S. export ban on Friday, Trump said “we were never going to do it.” “We’re not going to be doing the export ban,” Trump told reporters

Attorneys: Christa Pike on a ventilator after failed execution Tennessee governor orders review BY KIM CHANDLER and JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

Christa Pike was placed on a ventilator and remained unconscious in a hospital in the hours after her failed execution in Tennessee, her attorneys said in a court ﬁling Friday. Hospital staff, her lawyers said, were working to save Pike’s life and as of late Thursday were trying to clear the two doses of Pike the drug that the state uses to execute prisoners. The stunning failure in Tennessee’s execution chamber on Wednesday has left both sides of the death penalty debate demanding answers. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has ordered an independent review. The court filing offered the first detailed account of Pike’s condition after an ambulance carried her away from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville on Wednesday night. Her attorneys said a day earlier that she was in critical condition.

Problems with the IV Pike’s attorneys said they believed problems with the IV lines caused the pentobarbital to flow into her body instead of her bloodstream. “Apparently at no point did any member of the execution team realize that the IV lines were not correctly placed or that the veins had blown and that the pentobarbital was, in whole or

“It took me numerous years to even realize the gravity of what I’d done. Even more to accept how many lives I affected. I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime,” Pike said in an earlier clemency petition. The mother of the 19-yearLeaders want a review old woman Pike killed exLee demanded a review pressed frustration over the of the execution procedures failed execution. “I didn’t and indefinitely postponed get justice for my daughPike’s execution and anoth- ter,” May Martinez said er that had been scheduled Thursday. for this year. Republican Tennessee lawmakers said Problems found years ago the state should review Four years ago, Tenneswhether to stop single-drug see’s governor ordered anlethal injections and consid- other independent review er other options to carry out into capital punishment after abruptly stopping the death sentences. The execution team April 2022 execution of Osworked for an hour to admin- car Smith. Lee then paused ister the lethal drugs, said all executions after acknowlPike's defense lawyer Randy edging the state had failed Spivey, who counted at least to ensure its lethal injection seven needles in her left arm. drugs were properly tested. Neither the initial nor the Months later, a report backup dose of pentobar- found the state hadn’t combital worked. Pike was still plied with its own lethal snoring when the execution injection process since its chamber’s microphone was revision in 2018, resulting in cut off more than an hour executions being conducted into the attempt. without proper testing of Pike’s attorneys asked the drugs. a state court to order the At the time, the state used Tennessee Department of a three-drug execution Correction to preserve all protocol of midazolam, veevidence from the failed curonium bromide and poexecution. tassium chloride. The state “Preserving this evidence later switched to using just is essential to understand- pentobarbital. Pentobarbital has been ing what happened, ensuring accountability and used to carry out death senprotecting Christa’s legal tences in multiple states and rights,” two of her attorneys by the federal government. said in a statement. The review, led by former She was 18 when she and U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton, her boyfriend tortured and also found that the state’s killed a classmate, Colleen unidentified executioner Slemmer, in a jealous rage. had no formal healthcare She later became one of the training and learned the youngest women to be sent role mainly through on-theto death row. job experience. Following the killing, Pike After the release of the rewas diagnosed with bipolar port, the Tennessee Departdisorder and post-traumatic ment of Correction fired its stress disorder, her attor- longtime top attorney and another employee. neys said. in part, entering Ms. Pike’s body,” they wrote in the court filing. Instead of “remedying this failure,” they prepared and administered a second dose of pentobarbital, her lawyers said. State officials have not offered any explanations about what went wrong.

The emergency release could also be a short-term fix with the potential to do long-term harm, said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute. “Draining stocks will reduce retail fuel prices for a while, at the cost of leaving Europe with less emergency cover,” Krane said. “At some point in the future Europe and the rest of the G7 will have to refill their strategic reserves. Normally they try to do this when prices are low. Nobody knows when that will happen. It’s a risk.” With two wars raging that involve attacks on refineries and exports, “it’s not the best time to be frittering away your emergency stocks — especially when there is no visibility on future prices or peace agreements,” Krane said. Trump had a conversation overnight with Macron about the need to address rising fuel prices and the availability of petroleum products, according to the French Embassy in the U.S. Macron on Friday then chaired the videoconference of G7 leaders to discuss the issue. Besides his call with Macron, Trump on Friday called in to the meeting with the G7 leaders to negotiate the release of the European diesel stockpiles, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Trump on Thursday embarked on what he said would be a 32day marathon of rallies to try to bolster his party's chances for keeping control of the U.S. House and Senate in the November elections. The president has grown increasingly frustrated with what he sees as a disconnect between his achievements and the public’s view of his work. This week he gave himself an A-plus for his work on the economy but said “we’re doing an extremely poor job of promotion.”

FDA: Cyclospora found at farm linked to outbreak Agency unclear on how lettuce was infected

BY MATTHEW PERRONE AP health writer

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that its inspectors detected cyclospora at the Mexican farm blamed for the largest foodborne illness outbreak of the parasite in U.S. history. Despite the finding, the FDA said it’s unclear how the parasite got into lettuce at Taylor Farms’ facility. The agency has now closed its investigation into the outbreak, which led to nearly 13,000 cases of diarrhea and other illnesses across the U.S. The announcement comes more than six weeks after the agency sent its investigators to the farm in Guanajuato, Mexico. The visit was the agency’s first time there in more than seven years following a steep drop in international food safety inspections after the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA inspectors said Friday they found cyclospora in two places: a wastewater tank and a drainage ditch used for lettuce cultivation. While it’s unclear how the contamination took place, the FDA said the samples provide “strong epidemiological data” linking the outbreak to the Taylor Farms site. In a separate statement, Taylor Farms attributed the contamination cited by FDA to an independent grower “who is no longer part of our supplier program.” “Our facility remains closed in central Mexico as we work with our research team to implement enhanced safety protocols from the field to the facility,” the company said. U.S. officials last month declared the outbreak had ended.

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Administration says it has no Environmental groups plans for ICE officers at polls sue over eased vehicle fuel economy rules

Activists are preparing for presence anyway

BY ALEXA ST. JOHN Associated Press

BY REBECCA SANTANA and ALI SWENSON Associated Press

WASHINGTON — With early voting already underway, a question worrying some voters is what role — if any — immigration enforcement officers might have at polling places through Election Day. Department of Homeland Security officials say they don't plan to send immigration enforcement officers en masse to patrol the polls and dismissed concerns that they plan to do so as “fearmongering.” Election legal experts say federal law clearly prevents the government from deploying any armed troops, agents or officers to election sites except to “repel armed enemies of the United States,” a high bar to clear. But organizations who represent Latino, Black and Asian American voters say the rhetoric and ICE's own activity make them worried at a time the number of immigration arrests is soaring as President Donald Trump carries out his mass deportation agenda.

Feds don't rule out going entirely During congressional testimony earlier this year, the then-acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, and the head of Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, said they had no plans to send officers to the polls. Lyons has since left the position. A Department of Homeland Security official also told state election administrators that immigration agents will not be stationed at the polls for the midterms. In September, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused Democrats of “fearmongering” in raising concerns over ICE officers going to polling places. He said officers won't go to patrol or monitor polling places broadly, but could go for specific reasons such as arresting someone if they have a warrant or are responding to a threat.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY JOHN LOCHER

Federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis in January. Earlier this year, Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was then the deputy attorney general, also weighed in on the issue, saying: “Why are there objections to sending ICE ofﬁcers to polling places? Illegals can't vote.” Trump, who has repeatedly raised the specter of widespread illegal noncitizen voting even as research and investigations show it is incredibly rare, hasn't said he would direct ICE ofﬁcers to be at polling places but also hasn't ruled it out. When asked in May if he would send the National Guard or ICE to voting locations in November, he said: “I’d do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections. We have to have honest elections.” In a Time magazine interview published Thursday, Trump responded, “Haven't thought of it,” when asked if he planned to dispatch ICE agents to polling places. The Department of Homeland Security, in a statement to The Associated Press, said people in the country legally have “nothing to fear” and that: “ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations. ICE conducts intelligencedriven targeted enforcement, and if an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that

targeted enforcement action.” The Department also said they are “laser focused on prosecuting and removing aliens who vote and preventing the dilution of the votes of U.S. citizens.”

Against the law Federal law dating to the Civil War prohibits “troops or armed men” from being deployed to places where elections are being held “unless such force be necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.” “It is completely and obviously illegal,” said David Becker, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney who leads the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research. “As soon as there is an armed individual at a polling place, there will be a court action; jurisdictions are preparing for it.” Jonathan Diaz, director of voting advocacy and partnerships at the Washington-based nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, said his group interprets the law to include anywhere voting occurs, including polling places, early voting centers, drop boxes and election ofﬁces where ballots are delivered. He thinks even the narrow scenarios Mullin laid out, such as ICE ofﬁcers pursuing an individual warrant at the polls, are legally dubious.

Pete Hegseth creates Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs BY TIFFANY STANLEY

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an ofﬁce of religious affairs, the latest of his faith-related reforms at the Pentagon. He announced in a speech Wednesday that the office will help offer “first-class religious support” and will report directly to him. “Our department is, you might say, putting on the full armor of God, because while we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual,” he said. Hegseth has infused his evangelical Christianity into his leadership of the Pentagon, hosting Christian worship services for employees and often speak-

ing of the United States as a Christian nation. The Ofﬁce of Religious Affairs, or ORA, will advocate for military chaplains and religious support “at the highest level of the Department,” according to a Pentagon statement. It will not “compel religious participation, favor one faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof.” Some criticism of the initiative surfaced quickly. The Pentagon “owes it to the nation’s service members to defend religious freedom,” said Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church, which has sued the Pentagon over its worship services. “Hegseth’s latest announcement violates that promise by elevating Christianity to

an even higher role in shaping U.S. military policy.” Other federal agencies have had religious or faithbased offices, which were established under President George W. Bush and were continued in different forms under the Obama and Biden administrations. President Donald Trump established a White House Faith Office and had a similar effort during his first term. Shaun Casey, a religion scholar, led the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs during the Obama administration. The office did not promote religion or spiritual well-being, he said. “It was there to understand what were the political implications of lived religion in the various hot spots around the world.”

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DETROIT — A group of environmental organizations sued the Trump administration on Friday over its recent relaxation of key vehicle fuel economy rules, a decision that the group says will make vehicles less efficient, contribute to more pollution and increase gas consumption. On Monday, the Trump administration lowered Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards that set out how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline. The announcement was made as the Trump administration negotiated with Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. About a fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait on a typical day, and the fight over its control has sent energy prices soaring across the globe. The environmental groups filed the petition for review Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets the rules. “We’re taking the Trump administration to court for this reckless rollback that prioritizes Big Oil and automaker profits over American families,” Katherine Garcia, director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All program, said in a statement.”It is unlawful for Trump to turn back the clock on fuel-efficient cars, forcing drivers to waste more money on gas and communities to breathe toxic air.” The Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservation Law Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund and Public Citizen, along with the Sierra Club, filed the suit. The Transportation Department and NHTSA earlier this week lowered the standards to an industry fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in the 2031 model

year, down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon under rules set by the Biden administration. The administration said the change would provide Americans more vehicle choice and encourage consumers to buy newer, safer vehicles. Experts say reducing fuel economy requirements in vehicles does not necessarily lower their cost, nor would it automatically translate to new vehicle sales. Duffy said the new rule also cuts the”illegal mandate that forced automakers to produce more expensive electric vehicles that American families didn’t want.” There has never been a mandate that manufacturers sell EVs or Americans buy them; the rules and other cleaner vehicle standards incentivized automakers to sell a mix of electric, hybrid electric and increasingly-efficient gasoline-powered vehicles. When reached for comment, a DOT spokesperson referred to statements made by Duffy:”This administration understands the freedom of every American family starts with affordable cars. That’s why our new standards will make that dream more achievable by letting auto manufacturers produce the cars that fit families’ needs at a lower price.” Auto companies and industry groups broadly welcomed Monday’s change, saying the rules under the Biden administration were too stringent and did not benefit consumers. But environmental organizations decried the changes. “With gas prices at historic highs, Trump picked the worst possible time to roll back federal mileage standards,” David Pettit, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, said in a statement.”Oil companies will profit from less efficient cars, but drivers will take a hit to their wallets and our kids will breathe dirtier air. We’ll all pay the price for more tailpipe pollutants spewing everywhere from playgrounds to wild places.”

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FORTIFIED

Continued from page 1A

Temple, a Republican former insurance executive who has supported funding for fortified roofs, said even if the discount goes away, homeowners will still benefit from having a fortified roof after 15 years. For one, a 15-year-old fortified roof will still be higher quality than a non-fortified roof of the same age, he said. Fortified roofs deploy stronger nails, sealant on the seams of the roof decking, stronger edges and a verification process to make sure it’s installed correctly. Plus, homeowners might still be able to take advantage of smaller discounts through a wind mitigation survey, he said. “I hear contractors tell me there’s no such thing as a 20-year roof,” Temple said. “It’s unrealistic to think a roof is going to last forever.” Temple noted that the decision doesn’t mean the roof has to be replaced after 15 years, only that the discount will go away. Louisiana elected officials in both parties have embraced fortified roofs as the property insurance market entered a period of global turmoil from around 2017 to 2024. Increased hurricane and wildfire risk driven by climate change sent the market spiraling, while inflation drove up the cost of construction materials.

SENATE

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

Workers install a fortified roof with impact-rated shingles on a home in Jefferson in May. Hurricanes that hit the state in 2020 and 2021 — and the insurance claims they prompted — sent a dozen insurers belly up. Louisiana experienced dramatic premium increases, with some seeing their bills triple or more, and insurers pulled out of the market. Tens of thousands of people were forced onto Citizens, the insurer of last resort that charges more than the private market. Over the last nearly two years, the global reinsurance market has seen signiﬁcant softening after capital ﬂooded into it, causing prices to decline. An index of reinsurance costs tracked by Guy Carpenter saw a decline of around 7% last year and 16% this year. Home insurers in Louisiana generally have smaller balance

sheets and tend to rely on reinsurance more heavily than insurers in non-hurricane prone states. That means rises and falls in the reinsurance market directly impact prices here. BHS, an organization backed by the insurance industry, started researching roof aging in 2013 to understand how roofs respond to perils like wind and hail. By 2024, the organization collected asphalt shingle roof sections with five to 10 years of natural weathering from “roof aging farms” in South Carolina, Wisconsin, Ohio and Alabama. The group found that between years five and 10 of a fortified roof, most begin to degrade, decreasing their ability to withstand high winds.

support and applause from audiences. One evening in Gretna in late August, he told a packed audience at St. Paul’s Baptist Church that he is a farmer from Tensas Parish, in northeast Louisiana, who is running on a nonpartisan platform. Democrats in other states are blaming President Donald Trump for voters’ concerns. But Davis barely uttered the president’s name. Instead, he used his bio to connect with their everyday worries. “What I’ve learned most about Louisiana is that people are hurting,” Davis said. “Everybody is struggling.” Davis talked about his 13 grandchildren and how he wants them to have a better future in rural Louisiana. “So Paw Paw gotta do something about that,” he said. People in the crowd jumped up and applauded, with several shouting, “Yeah, you right!” Orin Grant, the pastor of the church, was sitting just to Davis’ right. “Paw Paw!” Grant cried out, prompting more applause. “Paw Paw!” Letlow is campaigning while facing headwinds, with a slew of national polls showing a drop in Trump’s approval rating. One recent poll showed that Trump, who won Louisiana with 60% of the vote in 2024, now has an approval rating in the state that is nearly matched by his disapproval rating.

Letlow jumped into the Senate race in January only after Trump endorsed her over U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, who angered the president by voting to convict him of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by his supporters. She knocked Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, out of the race in the May primary. When Letlow won the Republican nomination on June 27, she began her remarks by saying, “I am so incredibly ﬁlled with gratitude for the greatest president this country has ever had, Donald Trump!” John Couvillon is a veteran pollster in Baton Rouge who did surveys for state Treasurer John Fleming, who was defeated by Letlow for the Republican nomination. Neither Fleming nor Cassidy has endorsed her. “She’s weak among White independents, in suburban areas, and there’s some defection among White Republicans for being too close to Trump, from bitter feelings from the primary and from economic anxiety,” Couvillon said. “When you’re close to Trump, you’re seeing an impact, and it’s not a positive one. (Sen.) John Kennedy has begun to be more independent of Trump lately. Julia has not done that.” Davis paid for a poll conducted by Hart Research, a longstanding Democratic firm in Washington. It showed that Letlow led him

the Federal Highway Administration’s Record of Continued from page 1A Decision, possibly in the first quarter of 2027. The Record of Decision growth,” Boulet said in a would clear the way for furnews release. “Securing an ther design and construcaward of this size takes a tion. tremendous amount of coThe Connector is one piece of a larger plan to exordination.” Boulet thanked area con- tend I-49 from Canada to the gressional and state repre- west bank of the Mississippi sentatives for their assis- River at New Orleans. tance in securing the fedOther highway plans eral funding. The six-lane, partially The funding comes as elevated I-49 Lafayette Lafayette-area officials Connector is supposed to are also looking at another replace a 5.5-mile section major highway project to of U.S. 90/Evangeline Thru- handle growing traffic and way from the Lafayette Re- freight demands. The Lafayette Metrogional Airport and Kaliste Saloom Road to the current politan Expressway Comterminus of I-49 at Inter- mission met Tuesday for the first time in months as state 10 in Lafayette. The Connector is expect- it begins a new phase of ed to be built in phases, with planning for the Lafayette a total price tag of at least $2 Metropolitan Xpressway, billion. Funding is expected a proposed four-lane highto be secured in increments. way that would loop around the western side of LafayWhat's next ette Parish and extend into In September, officials neighboring parishes. The project has gained held an open house to answer questions and accept new attention since SpaceX public comments on the announced plans in August Draft Supplemental Envi- to build a massive rocketronmental Impact State- launching complex near ment. Those comments will Pecan Island in Vermilion be incorporated into the fi- Parish. Officials have raised nal SEIS, which is expected questions about how the to be published along with development could affect

trafﬁc and how heavy equipment would be transported to an area currently served largely by two-lane roads and bridges. The proposed Xpressway corridor is about 36 miles long, stretching from I-49 near Carencro south toward the Maurice area in Vermilion Parish before turning east into portions of Iberia and St. Martin parishes. The Xpressway and I-49 Connector are separate projects. The Connector would run roughly east-west from the current terminus of I-49 at I-10 to the Lafayette Regional Airport area, while the Xpressway would provide a broader north-south route around the western side of Lafayette. The Xpressway commission is conducting a trafﬁc study to estimate demand over the next 30 years, including potential traffic generated by the SpaceX project. It also plans to study potential revenue and financing options for the highway. The overall I-49 Lafayette Connector project is expected to cost at least $2 billion, while there currently is not enough federal or state funding allocated to complete the entire project.

Continued from page 1A free media to counter her huge ﬁnancial advantage.” Most candidates in the final weeks of a campaign would be giving their stump speech at every stop — making their main points to win over voters. Letlow, however, is engaged in what she calls a “listening tour” that will take her to all 64 parishes in Louisiana. This approach is more typical of incumbents. Letlow is meeting with small groups at mostly closed events where she takes questions and gives locals the chance to express views on topics that she would address next year as a senator if elected. “I want to hear what people are dealing with, what their issues are, what their concerns are,” Letlow said in a phone interview Tuesday. “As you can imagine, it’s different from parish to parish. It’s so important for me to learn from them.” Letlow described many of the events as “roundtable discussions” so that “we can keep it intimate and people can share what’s going on in their parish as opposed me giving the same stump speech over and over again. I think that’s really resonating with people.” Davis’ events are more freewheeling, frequently featuring laughter, shouts of

I-49

The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Saturday, October 3, 2026 l 5A

“These findings indicate that the probability of asphalt shingle roof-cover damage or loss can be expected to increase over time,” Fortified managing director Fred Malik said in a statement. “The eligibility limit reflects how roofcover performance changes over time; it’s not a determination that a home has lost all of the benefits provided by its original FORTIFIED improvements.” Malik noted that since the fortified standard began, that designation expires every five years unless a homeowner gets a reevaluation. Now, homeowners will be able to get up to two re-evaluations after the roof is installed, and the designation expires after 15 years. William Stoudt’s nonprofit, Rebuilding Together New Orleans, has put on hundreds of fortified roofs for low-income homeowners. He has pushed for the state Insurance Department to boost its efforts to get the roofs to lowincome residents by partnering with organizations like his. Homeowners who win the $10,000 grant in a lottery generally have to pay out of pocket for any costs over that, typically several thousand dollars. The state got a massive influx of money for fortified roof grants this year, dedicating $100 million to the program by using excess funds from Citizens, the insurer of last resort, as well as redirecting federal affordable housing funds. Gov. Jeff Landry said recently that the funding will help the state have

by only four points, 48% to 44%, in mid-September. “The fact that Jamie is within the margin of error of Congresswoman Letlow is notable given her name recognition is double his (82% for Letlow, versus 41% for Davis),” Hart Research wrote in a memo. “However, Letlow is a much polarizing ﬁgure, while Jamie has strong popularity among the Louisiana voters that are currently familiar with him. And among the nearly quarter of voters that are not registered with either major party, and thus an important swing group, Letlow’s ‘negative’ (42%) far outpaces her ‘positive’ (28%).” Asked about Davis’ poll,

“proactive preparation” to reduce insurance costs and fortify their homes against hurricane risk. In all, Louisiana has $140 million lined up for grants, enough for 14,000 roofs, said John Ford, spokesperson for the Insurance Department. Some of that money won’t come until next year, he added. The state has already spent $55.9 million, or enough for about 5,600 roofs, he said. Stoudt said IBHS’ new policy raises questions about how Louisiana should approach building stronger homes. He warned that IBHS could decide later that the designations only last 10 years. And he said materials other than asphalt shingles are generally too costly for the average homeowner to afford. He worried that customers may panic if they got a fortified roof five to 10 years ago. IBHS noted that the first fortified roof in Louisiana was installed in 2021; states like Alabama have been using them for longer. Stoudt said research on roofs can’t determine the specifics of each house. He’s seen roofs put on after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that are still in excellent shape, while he’s seen other, newer roofs that have problems. “The problem is a laboratory can’t really tell an evaluator whether a roof at 123 Plum St. is going to last another five years,” Stoudt said. “A storm could happen and a roof comes off on one house and the house next door is completely untouched.”

Letlow called it “bogus” and said, “We feel conﬁdent about winning the election. But we’re not going to take anything for granted. I’m going to keep crisscrossing the state and work for every vote to ensure that I can keep delivering for Louisiana in the Senate. Letlow continued: “Most of the polls in the primary and the runoff in my race showed it to be a tight race. Some even had me losing. But we ended up winning both races by double digits.” In campaign appearances, Letlow touts her support for the SAVE Act, a high priority for Trump that Democrats say would discourage

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voting. She also calls for continuing Trump’s policies to ensure that the U.S. has “a safe and secure border.” She noted that her campaign website, julialetlow. com, contains her plans on 15 issues. Davis’ website, jamieforlouisiana.com, features a 30-second bio video. On social media, Davis’ supporters present a more pointed message than he does in his campaign appearances. They are attempting to tap into voter anger with Trump, Gov. Jeff Landry, high gas and diesel prices, the Iran war, data centers and the threat to land rights posed by carbon capture and sequestration.

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6A l Saturday, October 3, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

lll

TODAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Humid with heavy thunderstorms

Showers and a heavier t-storm

A brief shower or two

Mostly sunny

A thunderstorm in spots

Times of clouds and sun

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

83° 74°

LOW

HIGH

82° 72°

LOW

85° 69°

HIGH

High/low Normal high/low Last year’s high/low Record high Record low

Beaumont 86/75 Port Arthur 86/76

Baton Rouge 83/74

Lake Charles 86/74

10s

20s

30s

Houma 81/74

40s

50s

LOW

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 42 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

60s

70s

80s

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

LAST

OCT 3

City

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

1:07p 6:59a 2:59a 4:19a 2:59a 2:06a 4:07a

FT.

1.0 2.3 2.5 2.2 1.8 2.3 2.2

7:02 a.m. 6:51 p.m. none 2:26 p.m. NEW

FIRST

OCT 10

84 66 78 42 88 96 74 89 77

TODAY Lo

72 53 70 29 76 75 57 80 66

FULL

OCT 18

t pc sh s pc s pc t t

OCT 25

84 62 83 43 87 96 78 90 80

GOOD

PRECIPITATION

89°/74° 86°/66° 89°/69° 96° in 1904 42° in 1924

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

New Orleans 82/76

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Hattiesburg 82/72

Alexandria 87/72

Lafayette 83/74

HIGH

88° 65°

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Friday

Jackson 87/72 Many 86/68

LOW

85° 67°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 83/69

-0s

LOW

Monroe 87/72

Shreveport 85/71

-10s

HIGH

85° 69°

Today, all of Southern Louisiana is under a slight risk of excessive rainfall that could lead to some measure of flash flooding. Expect a mostly cloudy, very warm, humid and breezy day with scattered to numerous showers and storms. Rainfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour or more is possible this afternoon. Temperatures today will range from the low 80s to the low 90s depending on the timing of the rainfall. If you’re tailgating for the ULL game or for the McNeese State game in Baton Rouge, expect rain.

SUN. Lo

71 53 67 30 75 73 55 78 58

t c c c r s s t c

LOW

1:01a 8:08p 2:32p 7:00p 3:13p 1:35p 4:15p

0.23” 0.44” 0.30” 46.60” 49.00”

FT.

HIGH

0.0 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1

FT.

---------------

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

---------------

FT.

---------------

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today 5:54a 12:09p 6:25p Sunday 6:53a 12:39a 7:23p Monday 7:47a 1:33a 8:14p Tuesday 8:35a 2:22a 9:00p Wednesday 9:18a 3:06a 9:42p Thursday 9:59a 3:48a 10:21p Friday 10:40a 4:29a 11:02p

City

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

82 89 73 97 68 77 75 98 89

TODAY Lo

76 76 60 78 54 63 53 72 77

t t pc s pc t s s t

GOOD

82 91 66 100 71 70 79 96 91

---1:08p 2:01p 2:48p 3:30p 4:10p 4:51p

SUN. Lo

74 74 59 79 51 62 54 72 76

t t r s s r s s t

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

FRI. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

9.80 22.43 23.73 9.24 5.47 3.96 2.96

-1.26 +1.07 +0.93 +0.44 -0.23 +0.40 -1.41

21.54

-2.17

-1.70

none

18 29 8

-1.29 9.76 3.12

+0.02 +0.04 +0.34

13 15

1.39 0.62

+0.03 +0.05

47 34 29 20 12 6

8.88 5.98 4.99 4.49 3.80 2.72

+1.04 +0.78 +0.81 +0.53 +0.50 +0.15

data as of 7 a.m. Friday

In-ﬂight attack puts security Dengue outbreak in measures under fresh scrutiny Florida is now largest in continental U.S.

Aviation screening measures aren’t globally uniform

Officials in several counties declare emergencies

BY SAM METZ, RIO YAMAT and PHILIP MARCELO

Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israel has some of the world’s most stringent air travel security measures. The United Arab Emirates proudly adheres to international aviation safety standards. Yet those safeguards failed to prevent a flight between the countries from taking a dangerous plunge during an alleged attack in the cockpit. The copilot allegedly stabbed the captain in the cockpit before passengers intervened aboard FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 after taking off from Dubai, UAE, with 182 people including eight crew members flying to Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. The airplane made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and the incident is under investigation by Saudi, Emirati and Israeli authorities, with the United States and Oman assisting efforts to determine a motive. “Until this event, the possibility of a threat originating from a pilot or crew member was not considered a likely scenario. Security efforts have traditionally focused much more heavily on passengers and their luggage,” said Eyal Hulata, Israel’s former national security adviser. “That will probably change now and crew members will be subject to heavier screening.” Israel’s security protocols focus heavily on Israeli airlines and departing flights from Ben-Gurion International Airport. A potential Achilles’ heel lies overseas, where procedures for Israel-bound flights vary and are harder for Israeli authorities to oversee. Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, has built some of its appeal around a reputation for safety in a volatile region, said Philip Baum, a visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University in England.

BY MIKE STOBBE AP medical writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOT BY OHAD ZWIGENBERG

Israeli passengers who had been aboard a FlyDubai aircraft that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia are welcomed at the arrivals gate at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. “They are very conscious of the fact, a little bit like Israel in many respects, that they cannot afford to have a terrorist attack happening on a ﬂight out of there,” he said.

Pilot vetting isn’t uniform Investigators have not publicly identified the object used to stab the flight’s captain or said whether it was carried onto the plane or came from inside the aircraft. Preflight screening of flight crews should generally “mirror very closely what a passenger goes through,” although security procedures vary around the world, said Dave Komendat, a senior security adviser at risk management firm International SOS and former chief security officer for Boeing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel has long-standing agreements with foreign carriers to keep pilots from flying into the country if they are citizens of nations that don’t maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. Israeli authorities have described the FlyDubai copilot as Omani. Israel and Oman do not have formal diplomatic relations, raising questions about how the suspect ended up on the Tel Avivbound flight.

“Obviously, there was a loophole here. And we’re taking care of that,” Netanyahu said Thursday during an interview with Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends.” Israel will increase security precautions on flights coming into the country whether or not they are operated by Israel. Pilots flying into Israel will be vetted and Israel will know their identities, prime minister’s office spokesperson Doron Spielman told The Associated Press. There were no Israeli air marshals on the FlyDubai flight and the people who helped were civilians, Spielman added. The International Civil Aviation Organization sets baseline pilotvetting and licensing standards, while national regulators and airlines can impose additional requirements. Aviation security expert Menachem Bachrach said Israel relies largely on foreign governments and airlines to vet their own crew members, and Wednesday’s incident may point to a compliance lapse rather than a flaw in the procedures. “Before we’re jumping to tighten security, I would just say it’s likely that somebody didn’t follow the protocols,” Bachrach said.

NEW YORK — Florida’s current dengue outbreak appears to be the largest in several decades in the continental United States. State health ofﬁcials reported this week that more than 250 locally acquired cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been tallied so far this year. The vast majority of them were in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa. Federal health officials say their data on dengue outbreaks is limited. But available information from state health departments and medical journals suggests the Florida outbreak marks the most cases in a calendar year for any state since at least the 1940s. Puerto Rico is consistently hit hard by dengue, with numbers much higher than what’s seen in any of the 50 states. But in the continental U.S., Florida usually gets the most locally transmitted cases. The state’s previous worst year was 2023, when just under 200 locally spread cases were reported. Officials in Hillsborough and surrounding counties have declared local emergencies, and workers in the Tampa area are spraying day and night to tamp down the population of diseasetransmitting mosquitoes. Dengue (pronounced DEHN’gay) is caused by a virus spread by a type of mosquito. Many infected people don’t get sick, but some experience fever, ﬂu-like symptoms and — notoriously — aches. It’s been nicknamed “breakbone fever” for the excruciating pain some people experience. Severe cases can cause bleeding, shock and death.

There has been one dengue death in Florida this year — an elderly Tampa woman on Sept. 4. There are four types of dengue virus, simply known as 1, 2, 3 and 4. When someone is first infected, their body builds antibodies against that type for life. If they get infected with another type of dengue, the antibodies from the first infection may fail to neutralize the second type — and actually can help the virus enter immune cells and replicate. That’s made it difficult to develop an effective vaccine. Most people in the Tampa area don’t have prior immunity to any form of dengue, said Dawn Wesson, a Tulane University expert on dengue and other diseases spread by mosquitoes. The warm-weather mosquitoes that spread dengue live in Florida and some other hotter U.S. locales, but experts say they have been expanding their geographic reach because of climate change. For decades, most continental U.S. infections were found among people who caught the virus while traveling internationally, along with locally acquired cases in Puerto Rico. But in 2009-2010, Key West, Florida, reported the first dengue cases acquired in the continental U.S. outside of the Texas-Mexico border since 1945. The largest outbreak of dengue in any U.S. state since then occurred in Hawaii, where 264 locally acquired cases were reported over a six-month span in 2015-2016. The Tampa-area outbreak, which first came to light in July, is already on the verge of surpassing that. Across the world, more than 2.2 million infections and nearly 1,200 deaths have been reported this year, according to the World Health Organization. There have been nearly 1,900 locally acquired U.S. cases this year, most of them in Puerto Rico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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S at u r d ay, O c t O b e r 3, 2026

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Murrill weighs in against NCAA

La. AG seeks to join lawsuit by ULM players

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Friday that Louisiana is seeking to join lawsuits against the NCAA ﬁled by running back Zachary Palmer-Smith and defensive lineman Kevontay Wells, who are both asking the court to grant them a ﬁfth year to play football at the University of Louisiana

force the association to at Monroe. apply new ﬁve-year eligiIt’s Murrill’s latest foray into a nationwide debate bility rules to them. over college athlete eligiNow, Murrill is asking a state court in Ouachita bility that has roiled many Parish, where UL-Monroe other schools, including is located, to allow the LSU. state to intervene as an adThe two players are part of a cohort of college Murrill ditional party in the footathletes who have sued ball players’ lawsuits. She the NCAA in various state courts argues that the NCAA’s refusal to across the country, seeking to allow them and other college ath-

letes to play this season will have negative impacts on Louisiana and its public higher education institutions. “Louisiana law imposes an obligation of good faith in the performance of contractual relationships — that duty runs between the universities and their student athletes as well as between the NCAA and its members,” Murrill said in a statement. In legal ﬁlings, Murrill’s ofﬁce lists several reasons the state is entitled to participate in the play-

ers’ legal dispute. Louisiana’s attorney general has “as an overarching interest in protecting state public institutions from the wrath of the NCAA,” her ofﬁce wrote. “This interest is particularly strong where a public institution must comply with its independent duty of good faith owed to a student athlete or with a court order,” it argues. Potential NCAA penalties like

ä See NCAA, page 2B

PROUD OF OUR PARISH

ABOVE: Parish Proud volunteers and organizers picked up trash, planted plants and created outdoor spaces for students and staff at Northside High School on Sept. 26. LEFT: Volunteers hand out T-shirts at Northside High School during the Parish Proud volunteers event on Sept. 26. PHOTOS BY ROBIN MAY

Mother of autistic boy seeks answers after school incident Woman speaks out after alleged mistreatment BY DEAN BOUDREAUX

Staff writer

The mother of a 5-year-old boy with autism who has limited verbal communication said she has been left with unanswered questions after an alleged incident involving a former paraprofessional at Eaton Park Elementary School. India Sysac was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery of the infirm in connection with incidents involving two children, Abbeville police said. Bianca Levy said she has received conflicting accounts of what happened to her son, Kohen Prater. Levy said the school’s principal called her Sept. 21 and told her someone at the school had reported that Sysac grabbed and

pulled Kohen. The principal told her law enforcement was stepping in, Levy said. About 5:30 p.m. that day, Levy said an Abbeville police sergeant called and told her the incident involved a slap. Levy said she later spoke with the police chief, who told her she would need a subpoena to view the surveillance footage. “I got two different stories, and I can’t actually see what happened myself,” Levy said. Abbeville police Sgt. Michael Handy said police do not release video while a case is under investigation and that an attorney must obtain it through the court. Police reviewed classroom video as part of the investigation, Handy said. The charges involve two incidents involving two children; one was captured on video and one was not. He did not specify which incident involved Kohen.

ä See INCIDENT, page 2B

At longtime restaurant, new owners bring a fresh vision Tweaks planned for Agave’s menu, margaritas

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

A new family has taken over Agave Mexican Grill & Cantina, bringing a fresh vision to the longtime Lafayette restaurant while drawing on generations of their own family experience in the restaurant business. Michael and Elizabeth Carvajal ofﬁcially took ownership of the four-location restaurant in May from Nidal Balbeisi, who opened Agave in 2008. The restaurant has locations on Camellia Boulevard, Bertrand Drive and in Youngsville.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Elizabeth and Michael Carvajal have taken over the Agave Mexican Grill & Cantina in Lafayette, bringing fresh energy and a deep family ä See RESTAURANT, page 2B history in the restaurant business to the popular spot.

2B ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Corruption cases get new lead prosecutor Official with federal experience to join BR probes

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

A former federal prosecutor who handled several high-profile cases in Louisiana has joined Attorney General Liz Murrill’s ofﬁce to lead the state’s prosecutions of several current and former Baton Rouge public ofﬁcials accused of corruption after the previous top

NCAA

Continued from page 1B forfeiting wins, championship ineligibility and ﬁnes could “expose ULM and the state’s other public institutions to irreparable harm,” the ﬁling says. And those penalties and other NCAA bylaws mean that public universities could face both legal and financial risk due to “the threat of sanctions or exclusion from the NCAA, division, or a conference based on the vague notion of a failure of institutional control or failure to enforce

District Attorney Gary Haynes. He replaces lead prosecutor Joseph LeBeau, who announced last month he would be leaving Murrill’s office to join District Attorney Tony Clayton’s prosecution team in West Baton Rouge. Walker will lead the team that has indicted eight people as part of a widespread corruption investigation over the past year. In January, Dunn was indicted on a slew of corruption charges, accused of receiving kickbacks in exchange for funneling a transit contract to an associate.

Courtney Scott, a top aide to former Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, was indicted in February. Prosecutors say she received nearly $200,000 in kickbacks from an associate who had been awarded city-parish contracts. In August, Cole was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering and malfeasance in ofﬁce related to his time as a Metro Council member, a seat he held from 2017 to 2024. The state’s special grand jury that indicted those ofﬁcials was set to expire soon but recently was recently

granted six more months to continue hearing evidence. For the U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce, Walker prosecuted a major bribery case that led to the conviction of a Lafayette ofﬁcial a year ago. Haynes was convicted of six charges in connection with a bribery scheme. The federal jury found that Haynes accepted offenders into the district attorney’s pretrial diversion program, some who didn’t qualify, in exchange for receiving kickbacks.

Landry have faced criticism in recent weeks for their close involvement in college athletics broadly and, in particular, at LSU. Murrill has played an increasingly active role in various lawsuits related to NCAA and SEC regulations around who is eligible to compete in college athletics. She submitted an amicus brief in favor of more than 40 student athletes who filed a high-profile lawsuit in Baton Rouge seeking a fifth year of eligibility. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, A larger debate who previously signed with Murrill and other Louisi- NFL teams, sought to seana officials like Gov. Jeff cure two LSU football roster

spots through that effort, a plan that did not pan out. During a hearing that garnered national attention across the sports world, she sat with the players’ attorneys inside the well of the courtroom, assisting with the case. Murrill has also found herself entangled in a separate federal lawsuit filed by the SEC against her and LSU officials — including every member of the university’s Board of Supervisors, President Wade Rousse, Athletic Director Verge Ausberry and head football coach Lane Kiffin. The SEC accused LSU and Murrill of violating the con-

ference’s freedom-of-association rights and of waging “a deliberate, coordinated, and public campaign to recruit professional athletes to play football for LSU during the 2026-27 season.” Last week both Murrill and the SEC in public statements said that the dispute remains unresolved. For his part, Landry has been a vocal critic of the SEC and strong supporter of LSU’s efforts to recruit players who have been sidelined from competition due to the NCAA’s eligibility rules.

attorney took another job. John Luke Walker, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, will oversee bribery and corruption cases involving Baton Rouge officials, including those against Metro Council member Cleve Dunn Jr. and schools Superintendent LaMont Cole, a spokesperson for Murrill’s office confirmed Thursday. Walker retired from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in January after 36 years. He tried several major cases in federal court, including the high-profile public bribery case of Lafayette Assistant

specific bylaws, even when they have been enjoined by a court as to a specific athlete’s eligibility,” the filing says. Murrill also says her office has an interest in making sure student athletes have a fair forum where their grievances can be heard and in enforcing Louisiana unfair trade practices laws, which grant the AG “broad authority to protect state interests.” A preliminary injunction hearing is set for Wednesday in Ouachita Parish.

RESTAURANT

Continued from page 1B

For Michael, taking over Agave is personal. He remembers visiting the downtown location when he was younger, when downtown Lafayette was a central gathering place. “I remember when Agave first opened, this was the spot,” Michael said. “It was always packed. People were PROVIDED PHOTO coming to hear live music.” When he learned Agave Agave Mexican Grill & Cantina bartender Victoria Black, was for sale, he said, “It was from left, manager Natalia Vicente and owners Elizabeth like the perfect project for and Michael Carvajal sit at the restaurant. us to really dive into, and I have such a strong connection to it.” taurants,” he said. sistency in the kitchen. Now, the Carvajals are One example is the restauA family legacy bringing some of those fam- rant’s margaritas. Michael said he has changed the Michael’s experience in ily traditions to Agave. the restaurant business “We have our own kind of recipes to use more natural began with his family. His family versions of every- lemon and lime extracts and family is originally from Co- thing that we want to slowly, agave nectar, with the goal lombia and immigrated to slowly start to implement,” of making margaritas one of the things Agave becomes Venezuela in the late 1980s. Michael said. While Agave’s previous known for. He was born in Venezu“None of this is just someela, where his grandmother menu leaned more “Tex owned a bar and restaurant Cajun” than traditional Tex- thing that happens overcalled Friday’s during a pe- Mex, Michael said he wants night,” he said. “There’s a riod when the country’s oil to incorporate more tradi- lot of testing, and we want to industry was booming. tional Tex-Mex dishes and get it right.” As for the interior, the Later, after coming to the ﬂavors inspired by the CaUnited States because of the ribbean and South America. Carvajals are aiming for a oil industry, Michael’s exThe restaurant is adding a cozier feel, particularly at tended family opened Gua- Cuban sandwich, elote and a the downtown Lafayette loma’s, a Cuban restaurant family ﬂan recipe from his cation. previously located at 302 mother. Michael also plans The area to the far left of to introduce his grandmoth- the restaurant, which previJefferson St., that closed. “At Guama’s, I was ba- er’s hot sauce across the res- ously had tables, now feasically managing it and taurants. tures a lounge area with a bartending and, you know, Beyond the menu, the couch and television, giving DJing and kind of learned Carvajals are focused on customers another place to like the full spectrum of res- improving quality and con- relax. Michael said people

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse. pfeil@theadvocate.com.

can come in during the day to work on a laptop, grab a coffee or simply take a break and hang out. The couple also removed gates outside the restaurant to make the space feel more inviting and connected to the downtown sidewalk. The downtown Lafayette location reopened in April after a six-month renovation. The improvements included a more open concept, brighter colors and additional seating options, while the patio received new furniture. “I don’t even care if they don’t come to eat during the day,” Michael said. “I just want people to come and enjoy our space.” Agave has also expanded its coffee menu, adding options such as lattes and cold coffee drinks. The goal, Michael said, is to make the restaurant a place people can visit even when they are not coming speciﬁcally for a meal.

monthly Latin Night featuring music, dancing and live performances. Michael said the event has attracted members of the area’s Latino community as well as local Cajun residents who simply want to experience the music and be part of the celebration. The couple also plans to continue live music on weekends, with performances at the downtown location on Fridays and Saturdays. “Each location has its own environment. Each one has its own customer base. So I think that each one is going to be kind of its own individual project,” Michael said. For now, Michael said he is focused on improving the quality and consistency of the food before turning his attention to each location’s individual needs. The Carvajals encourage feedback from people who want to see the restaurant improve and grow. “We’re here to be a part of the community, not just people coming here to have The old Agave vibe dinner and leave,” Elizabeth The Carvajals are also said. “We really want it to be bringing back some of the like a shared experience.” atmosphere Michael remembers from Agave’s early Email Ja’kori Madison years. at jakori.madison@ The couple has started a theadvocate.com.

Obituaries Harris, Thomas J.

Thomas Jerome Harris, age 76, of Lafayette, Louisiana, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in Bentonville, Arkansas. He was born May 27, 1950, in Dallas, Texas, to John A. Harris and Jean Money Harris (née Stracener), who preceded him in death. Tom is survived by his four children, Cynthia A. Divsalar (Joe) of Las Vegas, NV; Thomas A. Harris of Lafayette, LA; Jenna M. Harris Marshall (Stephen) of Rockwall, TX; and Mattie M. Harris of Lafayette, LA; three grandchildren, Nicholas H. Divsalar, Thomas J. Divsalar, and Henry P. Marshall; his four siblings, John A. Harris, Jr., Nancy J. Dunlap, William V. Harris, and Joel R. Harris; and his companion, Claire LaCroix of Lafayette. Tom was known for his humor, generosity, good advice, and willingness to always be there for those he loved. A lifelong learner, he enjoyed genealogy, Texas history, health and nutrition, and discovering new interests. He enjoyed a nearly 40-year career as a geophysicist and, in retirement, became a home inspector and certified realtor. An endurance athlete for nearly 50 years, Tom competed in marathons, triathlons, open-water swims, and bicycle races across the country, including the Pikes Peak and Death Valley Marathons. He remained active through cycling, motorcycle travel, swimming, and outdoor adventures. He especially loved exploring national parks, mountains, deserts, winding motorcycle roads, and waterways throughout the United States. Tom's adventurous spirit, laughter, stories, and friendships touched countless lives. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of sharing his many adventures. Funeral services will be held Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Martin & Castille Funeral Home, 330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506. Visitation will be from 12:00-1:00 p.m., with a reception immediately following the service. In Tom's memory, donations may be made to Rails -to-Trails Conservancy at https://www.railstotrails.o rg/. Flowers are also welcome and appreciated by his family.

.theacadianaadvocate.com

INCIDENT

Continued from page 1B Handy said the investigation is ongoing. He said police will send the case to the prosecutor when it is complete. The Vermilion Parish school system provided a statement addressing multiple detailed questions. “We were made aware of an incident involving a paraprofessional,” the statement read. “The situation was immediately reported to law enforcement. The individual is no longer employed with our school system. We take student safety extremely seriously and are fully cooperating with authorities. Due to the ongoing legal process, we cannot comment further at this time.” Kohen has a speech delay and autism, Levy said. She said he communicates mostly through gestures, yes or no answers and a few basic words, such as “hungry.” Levy said he is unable to tell her what happened. She

said he came home the day of the incident and said nothing. Levy said Kohen did not want to go to school during the first week afterward. She said his behavior at school has changed since then. “He doesn’t feel like he’s completely safe and that she may be back at some point,” Levy said. Levy said police did not give her an incident report number and told her she would be receiving something in the mail. As of Thursday, she said she had not received anything. She said no one from the District Attorney’s Office or the courts has contacted her. She said she has not heard from the paraprofessional or an attorney for her. Levy said she filed a complaint through a website with the U.S. Department of Education and is awaiting a response. She said she wants the district to change its protocols and require more training for paraprofessionals who work in special education classrooms. She said she wants a

set process, including meetings with parents and offers of services if a similar incident ever occurs again. “Something different, not just deaf ears and nobody reaching out, nobody even seeing if he’s OK,” Levy said. “There’s just nothing.” Levy said she is speaking out to urge other parents to push for answers. “Please advocate for your children,” she said. “Ask all the questions you can ask. Get all the information you can, especially for those who don’t have a voice to advocate for themselves.” Email Dean Boudreaux: dean.boudreaux@ theadvocate.com.

Pets Legal Notices

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Public Notices Successions

Public Notices

Burns & McDonnell on behalf of Cloud Connec‐ tor, LLC is requesting au‐ thorization to construct a natural gas pipeline be‐ tween an interconnect station near Melville, Louisiana in St. Landry Parish, and Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC and Plaquemines Ex‐ pansion, LLC Terminals in Plaquemines Parish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engi‐ neers (CEMVN) will be accepting public com‐ ments on the project until October 8, 2026. To further review and/or provide comments, addi‐ tional information and plans related to the pro‐ posal may be obtained at the following website: www.mvn.usace.army. mil/missions/regulatory/ public-notices (see Ref#: MVN-2026-00308-BV). If you have any questions or would like additional information, please con‐ tact Courtland Vice with CEMVN, Regulatory Divi‐ sion at (504) 862-1349 or at courtland.l.vice@ usace.army.mil. A certiﬁ‐ cation that the proposed activity will not violate applicable water quality standards will be re‐ quired from the LDEQ be‐ fore a Department of the Army permit could be is‐ sued. 201953 Sept. 28-Oct. 8, 11t $1,405.06

STORE.THEADVOCATE.COM

PUBLIC NOTICE --Administrator for the Succession of Mary Fern Cobb Briggs gives notice of his intent to sell via private sale, the follow‐ ing: 1. The immovable estate home and property lo‐ cated at 311 Sunny Lane, Louisiana Lafayette, 70506, Being the same property acquired by Mary C. Briggs by Cash Sale from Jeanie Slay Mellinger dated April 29, 1994, recorded on May 2, 1994, under instrument no. 1994-00016195 of the records of public Lafayette, Louisiana; and 2. 2009 Mercedes Benz 350. Any objections to the sale of the above prop‐ erty can be ﬁled within 7 days with the 15th Judi‐ cial District Court – Parish of Lafayette under probate docket number 20250640, pursuant to LA C.C.P. Art 3282. 202566 Oct. 2-31, 30t $416.10

Public Notices Successions

NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT, RACHELLE PELLERIN COURVILLE, the Adminis‐ tratrix of the Succession of Thomas Pellerin has petitioned this Court for authority to sell by pri‐ vate sale to Marcus Nov‐ ell Webb the Succes‐ sion’s interest in the fol‐ lowing described immov‐ able property located in Lafayette Parish: One-half (1/2) interest in 2.10 acres, more or less, designated as Lot Num‐ ber One (1), Block 4 of the Palms Subdivision, Parishf, Lafayette Louisiana, having a mu‐ nicipal address of 300 Guidry Road, Lafayette, LA 70506. for a price of $37,500 per acre for the Succession’s interest. The Order granting such authority may be issued after the expiration of seven (7) days from the date of the last publica‐ tion of this Notice. Any Opposition to the Appli‐ cation must be ﬁled prior to the issuance of the Order. 202571 Oct. 2, 3, 2t $64.86

PUBLIC NOTICE --SUCCESSION OF THOMAS PELLERIN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PROBATE DOCKET NO.: 20170594 LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY FOR PRIVATE SALE OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY

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Ford sales drop 6.6% in third quarter

Ford Motor Co. sales totaled 509,764 in the third quarter, a year-over-year decrease of 6.6% and a continuation of declines from the ﬁrst half of 2026. The automaker again projected confidence despite the decrease, noting that total vehicle sales volume was “essentially unchanged” for the quarter when adjusting for the phaseout of the popular Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs. The company also noted that volumes dipped about 1% across the entire U.S. auto industry. The company pointed to strong F-Series sales in September and the Super Duty’s “best quarterly production performance in 19 years” as highlights from the quarter. Ford produced more than 110,275 units of the heavy truck in the past three months. Ford also saw success with the Maverick Hybrid truck, which it touted as the country’s top-selling hybrid pickup. The model had its best-ever third quarter with a sales volume of 27,793 units. Electric vehicle sales, which currently represent a small part of Ford’s product mix, were down 80.2% compared to the third quarter of 2025. The dropoff was expected after Ford discontinued the F-150 Lightning.

Paramount-WB combo to be named Skydance David Ellison said the merged Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will be called Skydance — the moniker he picked nearly two decades ago when the tech scion began building his Hollywood empire. Ellison, currently the chairman and chief executive of Paramount, is aiming to ﬁnalize the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Tuesday. Then the combined company will assume the name and logo of his once small studio. By calling the company “Skydance,” Ellison wrote Friday in an X post, the merged entity would have “an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. — and all our extraordinary brands — to remain in the spotlight.” Although the name of the corporate parent will change, the two historic studios will continue to operate under their names. As part of a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit, Paramount pledged not to sell or close its Melrose Avenue lot or Warner Bros.’ Burbank lot and to operate them “in a manner consistent with past practices.” For more than a decade, Paramount has been the smallest of the major media companies, owning CBS, Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon and the Melrose Avenue studio. With the $111 billion merger with Warner, Skydance will gain more valuable assets including HBO, CNN, TBS, Food Network and Warner Bros. ﬁlm and television studios, along with their massive libraries.

Puerto Rico faces record electric rates SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A record electric rate went into effect Thursday in Puerto Rico as outages persist and the U.S. territory’s power grid continues to crumble. A residential customer that consumes 800 kilowatt-hours a month will see the monthly bill rise about 18%, from $229 to $271, according to Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau, which approved the increase. The new rate will remain in effect until at least Dec. 31 and is expected to drive up an already high cost of living on the island of 3.2 million people. The new rate of 33.86 cents per kWh far surpasses the average rate of 18.3 cents per kWh for residential customers in the U.S. mainland, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria when it struck the island in 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm.

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Amazon to invest $1B into communities Backlash against data centers has grown

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEW YORK — Amazon is investing more than $1 billion over the next ﬁve years into communities where it operates data centers for education, job training, water and energy preservation projects and other local priorities as it reacts to a growing backlash from politicians and consumers to the tech industry’s rollout of the massive buildings.

According to a blog post on Friday by Matt Garman, Amazon’s CEO of its cloud computing arm, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years. Garman also said that Amazon is no longer using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies it works with on its projects, and it said it hosts open houses in communities where it operates to share information about what it’s doing. He also warned against the spread of what he believes is misinformation about data centers’ impact on the environment and energy rates — and he cited the

dangers of over 100 moratoriums against these centers being considered across the country. “If these measures are enacted, the U.S. could be writing its own losing ticket to this race, and the consequences would last generations,” he wrote. “As a country, we can’t afford to find ourselves in that position. There is urgency to this data center build out because we aren’t the only country that sees the benefits of AI for the economy and national security.” Garman’s pledge comes as data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, have become a hot political issue heading into the midterms as tech

giants race to invest more money in expanding these infrastructures. Small, under-the-radar data centers have been around for decades. But the explosion of artiﬁcial intelligence chatbots has resulted in data centers that are bigger than anything just about any town has ever seen. Some of them dwarf football stadiums and factories and consume more energy than small cities. By 2030, data centers will account for nearly 3% of the world’s projected electricity use, with 935 trillion watt-hours, according to a United Nations University report released in June on these buildings’ environmental footprint.

Pandora opens $150M Vietnam jewelry factory powered by renewable energy BY HAU DINH and ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL

Associated Press

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Danish jewelry company Pandora has opened the world’s largest ﬁne-jewelry crafting facility in Vietnam, a $150 million factory powered entirely by renewable electricity and using 100% recycled gold and silver. The expansion highlights a broader challenge for the jewelry industry: reducing the environmental footprint of precious metals while meeting growing demand for jewelry. Using recycled gold and silver can reduce the need for newly mined metals, but experts say making that shift requires reliable supply chains and greater transparency. The new facility in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam will produce up to 60 million pieces of jewelry a year, increasing the company’s manufacturing capacity by 50% while cutting its carbon footprint by 17%, CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier told The Associated Press. “We are leading the way and we really hope that the rest follow,” she said.

Manufacturers seek clean power

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY HAU DINH

After 37 years in Thailand, Pandora wanted Craftspersons create jewelry pieces at the Pandora factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on to expand its manufacturing base to increase Wednesday.

ﬂexibility and strengthen supply-chain resilience, Pablos-Barbier said. She said that it chose Vietnam for its skilled artisans who can meet Pandora’s standards for craftsmanship, its business environment and its strong infrastructure. Access to renewable energy infrastructure to power factories is increasingly an “important factor” for Pandora and other Danish companies, Lina Gandløse Hansen, Denmark’s ambassador to Vietnam, said. Pandora’s Vietnam facility, with 7,000 workers, will be powered entirely by renewable electricity from the sun and wind, with solar panels installed on its rooftops and plans to work with local solar farms, the company said. It is also across the road from the $1 billion factory that toymaker Lego opened in 2025, where it says it makes toys without adding planet-warming gases to the atmosphere. Vietnam has rapidly expanded renewable energy and had Southeast Asia’s largest installed solar and wind capacity at the end of 2024. But the country still relies heavily on coal to power its fast-growing economy, making it important for manufacturers to shift toward cleaner electricity as Vietnam works toward net-zero emissions by 2050. Manufacturing makes up a ﬁfth of Vietnam’s GDP and consumes half the energy it uses. There are plans to phase out its coal power plants by 2040.

minerals and inclusive energy transitions at the United Nations University. He said gold is especially easy to recycle and unlike metals such as copper, it does not break down or rust. Silver can also be recycled, although it can tarnish and needs to be cleaned. “That is why it is so valuable. We still have gold from the ancient Egyptians, in pretty good shape,” he said. The Danish company switched to using 100% recycled silver and gold for new jewelry in August 2024. Its factories receive small grains of refined metal from recyclers in Europe and Asia, sourced from items ranging from medical equipment to old cutlery, said Pandora’s chief sustainability officer Mads TwomeyMadsen. It also means finding suppliers, smelters or refiners that use only recycled material. There’s also a risk that some could add newly mined material into the mix, Ali said. “That involves a lot of auditing.”

Other challenges include urban mining

Recovering valuable metals from discarded products and other waste is a challenge, Twomey-Madsen said. The world is producing more e-waste than ever — 62 million metric tons in 2022, projected to grow to 82 million metric tons by 2030, according to a report by the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Using recycled gold and silver Union and research arm UNITAR. Much of Pandora’s commitment to using recycled this is processed informally, where workers gold and silver was a “big deal,” said Saleem can be exposed to toxic substances while reH. Ali, who leads the program on critical covering valuable metals such as gold and

silver. More than 1,000 harmful substances have been found in e-waste or produced when it is improperly recycled, including lead, mercury, cadmium and other toxic chemicals, according to the World Health Organization. Ali, the critical minerals expert, said that artisanal gold mining — when individuals or small groups extract gold using simple tools — was now the largest cause of mercury pollution worldwide. Miners in poor countries may use the toxic metal to separate gold from other materials, harming people and the environment. He said there have been efforts to improve gold sourcing, but tracing gold remains difﬁcult. South Asia, in particular, has high demand for gold and jewelry sellers often don’t ask where their gold comes from. “Once it gets melted, it’s very hard to track it,” he said. Twomey-Madsen said that the company hopes its commitment to buying recycled metals will show suppliers that there is a growing market for the materials. He added that Pandora initially paid a premium for recycled gold and silver, absorbing the higher cost and investing with suppliers to build a more reliable supply chain for the materials. Making jewelry is far less emissions-intensive than sectors such as aviation or cement. But he said a switch by the entire industry switching to recycled gold and silver could prevent about 58 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. “That is comparable to the entire emissions of New York City,” he said.

Canada fast-tracks oil pipeline to reduce U.S. dependence Alberta separatists push for leaving

BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday fast-tracked a proposed oil pipeline capable of carrying 1 million barrels a day to the Paciﬁc coast, which could reduce the country’s dependence on the United States and mend relations with oil-rich Alberta as separatists push for a referendum on leaving Canada. Appearing with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Fort McMurray, at the heart of Canada’s oil sands, Carney designated the Paciﬁc Link

pipeline as a project of national in- line an example of how “cooperaterest under legislation his govern- tive federalism can work in action.” Asked what message Albertans ment enacted to accelerate major considering separation should infrastructure projects. take, Carney said it demonstratA bid to keep Alberta in Canada ed that “Canada is working” and Alberta is holding a public vote showed what Canada could achieve on Oct. 19 on whether to hold a ref- together. Ian Brodie, a University of Calerendum on leaving Canada. Smith has long complained that Carney’s gary political science professor predecessor, Justin Trudeau, hin- and former chief of staff to Condered Alberta’s energy industry servative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the announcement and fueled separatist sentiment. Smith said she would vote to keep could still help separatists by unAlberta in Canada and described derscoring Alberta’s dependence the roughly 22% support for sepa- on Ottawa. “There’s no reason this pipeline ration recorded in a recent poll as couldn’t have been fast-tracked in “still too high for my liking.” “I don’t like the fact that many of July, so we’ve lost three months in our fellow citizens have given up on the project,” Brodie said. “It’s a reCanada,” she said, calling the pipe- minder that Alberta has to have a

sympathetic prime minister in order to grow its oil sector. We don’t control our fate.”

A pipeline to loosen the U.S. grip Carney said Canada had a “oncein-a-generation opportunity to become an energy superpower” and end its reliance on a single trading partner. “Today, 90% of Alberta’s oil goes to the United States,” he said. “Paciﬁc Link will materially reduce that dependence” by opening access to growing Asian markets. The proposed 775-mile pipeline would run from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a deep water port near Delta, in British Columbia, largely following the existing Trans Mountain corridor.

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Will the next president represent a new generation? How old is too old to run for president? This question is answered by voters; the Constitution sets no maximum age. How young is too young? This question is partially answered by the Constitution, which sets the minimum age at 35. But beyond that, voters decide. This question is most relevant to the next election. Six possible candidates for president in 2028 are in their 30s and 40s. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now 36, Jon Ossoff 39, JD Vance 41, Pete Buttigieg 44, Wes Moore 47 and Andy Beshear 48. Of course, most will have two more birthdays by the time the parties nominate their candidates. Are these potential aspirants too young to win — or, more importantly, to govern? Do they have enough experience in life, governRon ment and executive decision-making to hold Faucheux the world’s most consequential job? According to a 2023 Pew Research Center poll, nearly half of American adults (49%) said the best age for a president is in the 50s. Only 17% chose the 40s, 24% the 60s, 3% the 30s and 3% the 70s. That will surely please prospects who are currently in their 50s: Elissa Slotkin, 50; Ro Khanna, 50; Josh Shapiro, 53; Marco Rubio, 55; Ted Cruz, 55; Cory Booker, 57; and Gavin Newsom, 58. Potential candidates now 60 or older include JB Pritzker, 61; Kamala Harris, 61; Mark Kelly, 62; Mitch Landrieu, 66; and Rahm Emanuel, 66. Since Ronald Reagan, five presidential elections have been won by candidates near, at or above 70. Reagan was elected at 69 and reelected at 73; Donald Trump was elected at 70 and reelected at 78; Joe Biden was elected at 77 and withdrew at 81 during a reelection bid. In 2020, five major candidates were older than 70: Biden, Trump, Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren. The fundamental issue is not numerical age, but generational change — the promise of something new and better. When 43-year-old John Kennedy became president, he made clear that “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.” He took office after nearly three decades of “old, gray” men in the White House. Dwight Eisenhower left office at 70 and Harry Truman at 68, and Franklin Roosevelt died in office at 63 but seemed much older. By 1960, the nation was ready for the next generation of leadership and a new sense of hope. (It should be noted, too, that the three presidents who preceded JFK have since been ranked by historians as among the nation’s greatest.) In addition to Kennedy, the youngest person ever elected president, the U.S. has elected eight presidents in their 40s: James K. Polk and James Garfield, both 49; Franklin Pierce, 48; Grover Cleveland and Barack Obama, both 47; Ulysses Grant, Theodore Roosevelt and Bill Clinton, all 46. Young presidential nominees who lost general elections included Thomas Dewey, nominated twice at 42 and 46, and William Jennings Bryan, nominated three times at 36, 40 and 48. After two presidents in their 80s, Biden and Trump, and the attendant controversies surrounding their presidencies, the 2028 election may be primed for a Gen Xer, or even an older Millennial, to win. Candidates in their 60s shouldn’t be discounted, however; the fullness of their experience could serve the nation well. But a 60-something candidate, while not considered particularly old in today’s culture, would have trouble personifying generational change. Let’s keep in mind that there are more important factors to be considered other than age, such as personal character, maturity and intellect. These characteristics can be present, or lacking, in presidents of any age or experience. There is also the matter of wisdom. George Washington had it, as did Abraham Lincoln. These wise leaders with little formal education held the nation together during its most trying times. Compare that to James Buchanan, the 15th president, who was a lawyer, state legislator, U.S. minister to Russia and the United Kingdom, member of both the U.S. House and Senate and secretary of state. An impressive background, indeed, but Buchanan lacked wisdom, and that made him one of the nation’s worst presidents. Political candidates and campaign strategists need to understand the public mood to win elections. But voters need to take the full measure of each candidate — regardless of age — before they hand them the reins of power. Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana.

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CRUNCHING NUMBERS

how shocking is LSu athletics’ projected $26m deficit? economists explain what it all means. LSU versus McNeese State is called a “buy” game, which names an economic reality. The expected purchase is an easy win. LSU, with its nearly $230 million athletics budget, will pay McNeese State, a relative runt with an $18.5 million balance sheet, about 4% of its yearly expenses, $750,000, to come on down to Baton Rouge. The contest will draw another sellout of 102,000-plus fans who will spend millions on tickets, food and parking. A broadcast network will air it, fulfilling the Southeastern Conference’s 10-year, $3 billion contract with ESPN and Disney. In luxury boxes, LSU boosters, who pour tens of millions of dollars into the operation annually, will relish just how much bigger, stronger and faster their players are than their adversary. Their pocketbooks will remain open so it stays that way. The money in college football seems infinite, which is why it was jarring when LSU president Wade Rousse came before the state board of regents last week and revealed the sports teams were far from self-sustaining. “We’re gonna address the bleeding,” said Rousse, the former McNeese president who projected a $26 million deficit for the LSU athletic department this year. ä See LSU, page 2C

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LSU GAMEDAY

BROADCAST INFORMATION McNeese at LSU 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Tiger Stadium TV: SECN | Line: LSU by 53½ Radio: WDGL-FM 98.1; WWL-AM 870; WWL-FM 105.3; KLWB-FM 103.7

TEAM SCHEDULES McNeese

LSU Date Opponent 9.5 Clemson 9.12 La. Tech 9.19 at Ole Miss 9.26 Texas A&M 10.3 McNeese 10.10 at Kentucky 10.17 Mississippi State 10.24 at Auburn 11.7 Alabama 11.14 Texas 11.21 at Tennessee 11.28 at Arkansas

Time/TV W, 51-10 W, 45-14 L, 32-24 W, 35-6 6:45 p.m./SECN 6 p.m./ESPN TBD 11 a.m./TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

Date 8.29 9.5 9.12 9.19 9.26 10.3 10.17 10.24 10.31 11.7 11.14 11.21

Opponent Time/TV Stephen F. Austin L, 38-27 Texas Wesleyan W, 52-0 Tarleton State L, 27-24 at UTRGV L, 27-10 East Texas A&M W, 27-24 at LSU 6:45 p.m./SECN at Northwestern St. Noon/ESPN+ at Incarnate Word 4 p.m./ESPN+ Nicholls 2 p.m./ESPN+ at Houston Christian 4 p.m./ESPN+ at Southeastern 6 p.m./ESPN+ Lamar 6 p.m./ESPN+

DEPTH CHARTS LSU

McNeese

OFFENSE

WIDE RECEIVER

6 WINSTON WATKINS 2 Tre Brown

WIDE RECEIVER

3 EUGENE WILSON 4 Jackson Harris

WIDE RECEIVER

1 JAYCE BROWN 88 Malik Elzy

LEFT TACKLE

77 JORDAN SEATON 65 Sean Thompkins

LEFT GUARD

50 WILLIAM SATTERWHITE 67 Bo Bordelon

CENTER

61 BRAELIN MOORE 50 William Satterwhile

RIGHT GUARD

55 ALIOU BAH 70 Devin Harper

RIGHT TACKLE

75 WESTON DAVIS 69 Darrin Strey

TIGHT END

44 ZACH GRACE 12 Malachi Thomas

QUARTERBACK

10 SAM LEAVITT 11 Landen Clark 8 Husan Longstreet

RUNNING BACK

13 DILIN JONES 22 Harlem Berry

5-10 6-2

182 190

So. Sr.

5-11 6-2

190 202

Jr. Jr.

5-11 6-2

175 217

Sr. Jr.

6-5 6-5

307 308

Jr. Jr.

6-3 6-6

293 305

So. Sr.

6-2 6-3

301 293

Sr. So.

6-5 6-4

327 312

Sr. So.

6-6 6-7

315 314

So. Fr.

6-2 6-3

236 242

Jr. Jr.

6-2 6-0 6-1

216 195 195

Jr. So. Fr.

5-11 5-10

211 193

So. Sr.

1 PRINCEWILL UMANMIELEN 55 Lamar Brown

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

90 STEPHIYLAN GREEN 88 Richard Anderson 96 Dominick McKinley

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

99 DEUCE GERALDS 47 Malik Blocton

DEFENSIVE END

29 JORDAN ROSS 97 Dylan Carpenter

LINEBACKER

42 DAVHON KEYS 35 Zach Weeks

LINEBACKER

6 TJ DOTTERY 24 Tylen Singleton

STAR

2 TY BENEFIELD 31 CJ Jimcoily

CORNERBACK

5 DJ PICKETT 21 Michael Turner

CORNERBACK

11 PJ WOODLAND 8 Ja’Keem Jackson

SAFETY

28 JHASE THOMAS 13 Faheem Delane

SAFETY

0 TAMARCUS COOLEY 28 Jhase Thomas

6-4 6-5

244 285

Sr. Fr.

6-3 6-3 6-6

296 339 297

Jr. Fr. Jr.

6-1 6-3

279 286

Fr. Jr.

6-5 6-3

246 252

Jr. Jr.

6-0 6-3

227 228

Jr. Fr.

6-2 6-1

225 227

Sr. So.

6-3 6-3

208 218

Sr. So.

6-4 6-1

189 162

So. So.

5-11 6-0

164 188

Jr. Jr.

6-1 6-2

175 213

Fr. Sr.

6-0 6-1

206 175

Jr. Fr.

80 SCOTT STARZYK

PUNTER

90 GRANT CHADWICK 99 Hayden Craig

LONG SNAPPER

43 SILAS HALL 39 Mack Mulhern

KICK RETURNER 22 HARLEM BERRY

PUNT RETURNER

3 EUGENE WILSON 1 Jayce Brown

5-9

2 ELISHA EDWARDS 10 Kevin Rideau

175

Continued from page 1C

6-2 6-2

210 180

Sr. Fr.

6-2 6-2

204 190

Jr. Jr.

5-9 5-7

160 155

Sr. Jr.

6-8 6-3

303 310

Sr. Jr.

6-4 6-6

325 335

Jr. Sr.

6-2 6-3

300 318

Sr. So.

6-3 6-6

318 335

So. Sr.

6-4 6-3

310 310

Sr. Jr.

6-1 6-3

245 235

Sr. Fr.

6-3 6-2

235 210

So. Jr.

5-10 6-2

210 220

Sr. Sr.

WIDE RECEIVER 6 CURTIS DEVILLE 11 Jaelen Smith

WIDE RECEIVER 1 KAMERAN SENEGAL 9 Jamaal Levi

LEFT TACKLE 62 AARON SESSION 77 Devonne Barry

LEFT GUARD 56 REAGAN GILL 63 Tyler Carlson

CENTER 70 ARTHUR AVILA 52 Sam Liu

RIGHT GUARD 52 SAM LIU 63 Tyler Carlson

RIGHT TACKLE ERIC ASCHENBECK 77 Devonne Barry

TIGHT END 83 REED BOYD 88 Wyatt Fontenot

QUARTERBACK 19 DEVIN LIPPOLD 4 Jake Strong

RUNNING BACK

DEFENSE DEFENSIVE END 8 ROYCE MALOLES 18 Iyioluwa Adekoya

6-2 6-4

250 265

Sr. Jr.

6-2 6-4

285 280

Jr. Jr.

6-0 6-2

285 285

Jr. Sr.

6-3 6-2

236 240

So. Sr.

6-0 6-0

215 220

Sr. So.

6-0 6-2

225 227

Sr. So.

6-0 6-0

175 180

So. Sr.

6-2 6-0

197 180

So. Sr.

6-2 184 Sr. 6-2 195

Fr.

6-2 6-1

200 185

So. Fr.

6-2 6-0

230 183

SR. Sr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE 98 MARK FIELDER 55 Alijah Alexander

DEFENSIVE TACKLE 99 ISAIAH FOWLER 90 Kate James

DEFENSIVE END 23 RJ STATEN 14 Sean Dubose

LINEBACKER 1 LANDON BARRETT 9 Trace Meadows

LINEBACKER 6 EMAURI SIBLEY 2 Lee Holmes

STAR 7 COHEN CHARLES 13 Amyrion Mingo

CORNERBACK 3 SAFIR STILLS-BEY 24 Lorenzell Dubose

CORNERBACK 4 MASON EDWARDS 12 Kenyatta Fleet

SAFETY 11 SENTARIO WILLIS 15 Morris Taylor

SAFETY 0 JERMAINE HARGRAVES 5 Javon Davis

SPECIAL TEAMS KICKER

LSU

WIDE RECEIVER

0 OMIRI WIGGINS 7 Tre’Vonte Citizen

DEFENSE DEFENSIVE END

SPECIAL TEAMS

So.

KICKER

6-5 6-1

208 211

Jr. Fr.

6-3 6-1

213 224

So. Fr.

5-10

193

Sr.

KICK RETURNER

5-11 5-11

190 175

Jr. Sr.

PUNT RETURNER

30 DEAGLAN CAMERON

5-8

151

JR.

6-2

210

So.

5-8

180

Jr.

5-9

160

Sr.

5-10

180

Sr.

PUNTER 38 GEORGE DIXON

LONG SNAPPER 28 PIERSON PARENT 1 KAMERAN SENEGAL 3 SOLO LEWIS

COACHES Lane Kiffin’s three victories as head coach at LSU are by an average of 33.7 points per game.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Lane Kiffin is greeted by school president Wade Rousse following a win over Clemson on Sept. 6 at Tiger Stadium.

It doesn’t take a sports economist to explain why LSU expects a loss. It used to cost nothing beyond a scholarship to reel in the athletes who drive a money-making machine, but, five years into NIL pay, the the football roster is rumored to cost around $50 million. Coach Lane Kiffin is paid $13 million a year, and former coach Brian Kelly was paid a $54 million buyout to just leave. These big-ticket items forced the university to dig into the Tiger Athletic Foundation’s reserves to cover the shortfall. What a sports economist will debate is whether the word “deficit” correctly describes LSU’s predicament as it puts on another football spectacle this weekend. “Every time I order pizza, I’m running a deficit. I made zero money off the pizza,” said Andy Schwarz, an economist at the consulting firm OSKR. “The right question is not, ‘Why didn’t I make money buying pizza?’ The question is, ‘Did I get $25 of value out of that pizza?’ ” LSU sees immense value in its football program. Otherwise, dorm funds wouldn’t have been used to prop up Tiger Stadium. The state cherishes its SEC brand. Otherwise, politicians wouldn’t have rushed to the school’s defense when the conference threatened expulsion over LSU recruiting ex-pros. There is talk of “chaos” and “unsustainability” in an ecosystem where athletes are paid and they readily test their market value in the transfer portal, which spurred passage of the Protect College Sports Act in the U.S. Senate this week. LSU supports the measure. But the economists who really study college football are skeptical there’s a crisis. “I think the ‘this is not sustainable’ is supposed to mean college sports will go away. That’s what it’s code for,” Schwarz said. “And that’s (bull crap).”

‘Envelopes of Cash’ Schwarz has worked on high-proﬁle antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and testiﬁed before Congress, but he also designs board games. His most searingly humorous game might be the college football-themed “Envelopes of Cash,” created in 2020, which allows players to “take on the roles of head coaches at major college football programs, earning high salaries to exploit unpaid labor.” “Build the best facilities. Create a winning culture. Pay a lot of cash under the table,” reads the tutorial for the online version, which assigns the user a character, “Preacher in a Visor,” and a team, the “Yellow Tigers,” and a recruiting bus out of Texas prowling for recruits.

Not-so-free ‘free market’ In the meantime, schools like LSU are trying to exist in a dual paradigm. There is still a push for flashy facilities and schemes. But universities are also funneling as much money as possible to athletes through a capped $21.3 million in direct revenue-sharing, as well as an unlimited amount in outside NIL deals with third-party businesses. Contributions from boosters, which used to count toward “revenue” in schools’ NCAA financial reports, have flowed into player pay, which leads to an accounting shortfall. “No one donates to the Saints, right? Or the Pelicans. But you donate to LSU,” said Victor Matheson, president of the North American Association of Sports Economists and a professor at Holy Cross in Massachusetts. “Most people don’t count that as a deficit. That’s just a revenue stream. “But to the extent that you’re taking more money out of the endowment than is a normal rate of return to cover those costs, that’s a serious issue.” It’s a serious issue as well if athletic departments become overly reliant on student fees or

STAFF PREDICTIONS JON BLAU

LSU 48, MCNEESE 10 This could be a more lopsided game, but it’s unclear how long Lane Kiffin plays his starters after getting “freaked out” by the Tigers’ injuries against Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Quarterback Landen Clark should get the job done in Sam Leavitt’s stead, but how does the second- and third-string offensive line perform? How about the LSU backups on defense? This team’s depth will be tested to a degree against a 2-3 FCS squad.

REED DARCEY

Matt Viator returned to McNeese State for a second stint as head coach starting in the 2025 season.

This was college football — through a cynical but not completely untrue lens — before Schwarz and others backed an NIL bill in California that touched off a landslide of legislation across states, forcing the NCAA in 2021 to no longer prohibit athlete pay. The rapid rise in athlete earnings in the last five years, in Schwarz’s view, is a rebound from decades of price fixing by an NCAA “cartel” that was breaking the law. It should be followed, in theory, by a period where coaching contracts reduce to find the right balance. “I don’t think it’s a sustainability problem longterm,” said Joel Maxcy, a professor of sports business at Drexel who was elected president of the International Association of Sports Economists in 2015. “We’ve had college football, in particular at the Power Four level, have coaching staffs earn a lot of money, proportionately more than NFL coaching staffs. There’s this in-between period where the coaches are still paid a lot.” The problem is wages are “sticky,” Schwarz said. And lawmakers have focused on capping athlete pay, which could make coaching contracts even stickier. If athlete pay is capped, then schools will seek other differentiators after maxing out on a roster. A coach like Kiffin, who can pitch recruits on an innovative offensive scheme, is the next-best investment because he attracts talent. “If there were no cap at all, and they could pay athletes whatever they wanted, what you’d see is, on the margins, schools would make decisions,” Schwarz said. “You know what? We should pay a little more for talent and a little less for a coach.”

LSU 45, MCNEESE 3 LSU should give Sam Leavitt the night off. No need to stress that sore hamstring for a game the Tigers can win handily with Landen Clark at quarterback. Just run the ball as often as possible, give Harlem Berry some extra work, get a look at some freshmen and escape what should be a wet, rainy night without another major injury. The rest of October looks tougher than we thought it would.

SCOTT RABALAIS

LSU 41, MCNEESE 10 This doesn’t look like the rout it could be, but my score assumes a few things. One, that it will be wet and Sam Leavitt will play little or not at all at quarterback. Secondly, Lane Kiffin will instruct Charlie Weis Jr. to pound the Cowboys with the run, trying to shorten the game so the Tigers can get done with McNeese as quickly as possible. You’ve heard of victory with honor? This will be victory with extreme caution.

KOKI RILEY

LSU 52, MCNEESE 13 I’m excited to see what Landen Clark does in this game. As the backup quarterback, Clark has the mobility and arm strength to be a starter in the SEC, though his accuracy and ability to read the game are still question marks because of his lack of experience. Leavitt’s hamstring injury means Clark should play every snap Saturday. The pieces around him are more than talented enough to win this game comfortably.

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direct institutional support, including taxpayer funds, to stay afloat. LSU hasn’t reached that point, but its athletics donor base has been strained. That’s why Rousse, who has a background in finance, has been working on a plan that could involve spinning off LSU’s broadcast revenue into a separate entity, which would allow investors a minority stake in a perpetual revenue generator. Somehow, LSU has to ride out a period of rising costs in an ecosystem that doesn’t experience the same market pressures as traditional businesses. There aren’t “stockholders” in an athletic department demanding profits. There are “stakeholders,” or boosters, who are limited only by their ambition. “The whole ‘raison d’être,’ the whole motivating force behind decision-making, doesn’t have to do with profitability, it has to do with victories,” said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor emeritus of economics at Smith College who has authored many books, including Unpaid Professionals: Commercialism and Conflict in Big-time College Sports. “It’s silly, or certainly inaccurate, to call it a free market.” LSU boosters don’t want to fade into irrelevance. So they spent to fire Kelly, hire Kiffin, and pay the likes of quarterback Sam Leavitt, left tackle Jordan Seaton and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen. They will likely buy more star transfers in 2027. College teams consuming more money than they generate isn’t new. In fact, 94% of Division I athletic departments were in the red during the 2023-24 academic year, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office, even if Power Four programs typically have landed closer to break-even. Zimbalist would just ask a couple of philosophical questions amid this decade’s NIL spending spree: What if Power Four football loses its “best-in-class” appeal as an amateur sports brand and becomes viewed as the NFL’s equivalent of Triple-A baseball? What if the overt involvement of billionaire boosters, cutting checks over the table, feeds into fans’ perceptions of an uneven playing field? “Just because college sports has been growing in popularity and revenue so handsomely over the last several decades doesn’t mean that happens forever and automatically,” Zimbalist said. “A lot of the people who are making decisions need to step back and take a close look at what’s actually happening.”

plicant pool improves. “What the literature is suggesting is that, mostly, those additional applications are coming from people who are not academically wellequipped,” Zimbalist said. They may be students hellbent on attending LSU football games. But they are tuition-paying students who are in demand. Randy Grant, a professor at Linﬁeld University who wrote the textbook The Economics of Intercollegiate Sports, points to a decline in birth rates during the Great Recession from 2007-09, which has led to a declining number of applicants. “Combine that demographic cliff, as they call it, with fewer international students, because the environment’s not generally welcoming to international students these days,” Grant said, “and you just have fewer students to be spread among the schools. “So anything they can do to attract students, they’re doing.”

Cutting checks or Chick-fil-A sandwiches

In this moment, schools have a choice. If LSU wants to fuel its athletics marketing and entertainment vehicle with $26 million beyond what it draws in revenue, it can do that and probably survive. “You think about a few years ago, CTE was a big issue and people were projecting the doom of college football,” Grant said, “and it seems to be thriving as much as ever.” Schwarz doesn’t see it as a bad thing if the 40 highest-spending football schools in the country eventually break away from the rest, just as the FBS and FCS split in 1978. There will be a “sorting out,” Schwarz said, where programs with shallower pockets will compete for championships that are still relatively meaningful. “If you’re in this weird situation where essentially you were punching above your weight for a variety of reasons, including the fact that talent was artificially underpriced,” Schwarz said, “I don’t have a ton of sympathy if you don’t get to keep reaping those ill-gotten gains. But I don’t think LSU is one of those schools.” Economists agree that LSU will spend to remain in college football’s top tier. The prestige matters too much to its stakeholders not to. LSU’s opponent this weekend, McNeese State, has to be cautious for reasons that have nothing to do with NIL or revenue-sharing. Rick Gallot, president of the University of Louisiana System, said “everything is on the table” as his board engages the management consulting firm Deloitte to review its strained Football brand power athletics budgets, because everything from bussing to away games to feeding athletes on Rousse has had a look, but he’s also listened. During the regents meeting where he be- road trips has become more costly. “You’ve got a 300-pound lineman, you can’t moaned a $26 million shortfall, Rousse recalled being beckoned to the Supper Club restaurant get them a combo meal from Chick-fil-A and by E.J. Kuiper, the head of FMOL Health, which think that’s appropriate,” Gallot said, adding it might be possible to figure out whether opis one of LSU’s biggest sponsors. ponents have the same food vendor so athletes “Need 10 minutes,” Kuiper said. “Donate as much money as he does,” Rousse can use their meal points on another campus. Everything is on the table, whether it’s D-I told the regents, “you go for 10 minutes.” Kuiper wanted Rousse to meet a young wom- schools in the UL System dropping levels, to an from Boston who was the daughter of Ohio FCS, Division II or Division III or cutting sports State and Boston College graduates, but she all together. That’s not the world LSU lives in. Or the for“stumbled” into Tiger Stadium as a 10th grader while her family was on vacation and didn’t fol- mer McNeese president Rousse. “He was one of ours before LSU stole him,” low in her parents’ footsteps. She came to LSU, became interested in study- Gallot joked. “I would be more concerned if ing the brain malady CTE in football players it were a president who didn’t have the same economist’s wiring. They’re going to be fine.” and is currently in medical school. LSU will have its “buy” “Our brand matters,” game Saturday. Kiffin will Rousse said, “but we can’t continue to draw checks. LSU get caught into a system that will attack the portal come there’s no fiscal responsibilJanuary. ity.” Where there is a will to Football wins can have payspend in major college sports, offs off the field. There’s just there is a way. mixed research on how much. “It comes down to, ‘Oh, we’re While there is some ecoall losing money.’ It’s like, no, nomic impact on Saturdays, you’re all spending money Matheson said it’s marginal, and you’re doing it because around an additional $5 milyou like what you get for the lion per home game in citmoney. ‘Oh, we don’t really ies such as Tallahassee and like what we get,’ ” Schwarz Gainesville, Florida, because said, playing out a dialogue. attendees tend to be from the “Then you should stop. ‘Oh, I area and they crowd out other can’t stop.’ visitors. “There’s only one thing creThere is research to suggest ating demand for a freshman people perceive an institution quarterback right now, and it’s as better academically when it college programs that supposhas a highly visible sports proDR. WADE ROUSSE, edly can’t afford them.” gram, and applications rise, LSU president though Zimbalist said there are not “robust” findings to Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ suggest the quality of the aptheadvocate.com

Our brand matters, but we can’t get caught into a system that there’s no ﬁscal responsibility.”

OFFENSIVE LEADERS LSU

McNeese

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yards TD Int

Sam Leavitt

74-116-61.3 1044

RUSHING

Player

Att

Dilin Jones Sam Leavitt Landen Clark Harlem Berry Stacy Gage Winston Watkins

Net

78 45 16 12 15 3

4.5 4.9 5.2 5.9 3.7 7.7

4 6 3 0 0 0

Rec Yards Avg TD

Winston Watkins Jackson Harris Trey’Dez Green Eugene Wilson Phillip Wright Tyree Holloway Jayce Brown Corey Barber Stacy Gage

20 11 14 15 3 2 4 1 2

314 280 222 152 70 37 37 15 10

15.7 25.5 15.9 10.1 23.3 18.5 9.3 15.0 5.0

2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

KICKING Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Scott Starzyk

Cmp-Att-Pct Yards TD Int

Devin Lippold Jake Strong

64-112-57.1 744 28-46-61.0 321

8 2

RUSHING

Avg TD

348 220 83 71 56 23

RECEIVING Player

PASSING

Player

Att

Omiri Wiggins Devin Lippold Marquez Davis Hutch Swilley Tre’Vonte Citizen Jamaal Levi

Net

56 29 10 15 24 2

Avg TD

375 161 88 87 85 52

6.7 5.6 8.8 5.8 3.5 26.0

FAR WEST

Saturday’s games

Friday’s games EAST

Alcorn St. (3-2) at Grambling (2-2), 2 p.m. Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-2) at Southern (2-3), 6 p.m. UL-Monroe (0-4) at South Alabama (2-2), 6 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-5) at Lamar (3-1), 6 p.m. Nicholls (2-3) at Houston Christian (2-3), 6 p.m. Army (2-1) at Louisiana Tech (1-2), 6:30 p.m. McNeese St. (2-3) at LSU (3-1), 6:45 p.m. Arkansas St. (2-2) at UL (3-1), 7 p.m. Idle: Southeastern Louisiana, Tulane

Top 25 Saturday’s games

No. 2 Georgia (4-0) vs. Vanderbilt (3-1), 11:45 a.m. No. 3 Notre Dame (4-0) at North Carolina (2-1), 11 a.m. No. 4 Miami (4-0) at Clemson (3-1), 6:30 p.m. No. 5 Ohio St. (3-1) at No. 14 Iowa (4-0), 2:30 p.m. No. 6 Indiana (4-0) at Rutgers (1-3), 7 p.m. No. 7 Alabama (4-0) at No. 16 Mississippi St. (4-0), 11 a.m. No. 8 Florida (4-0) at No. 25 Missouri (3-1), 2:30 p.m. No. 10 BYU (3-0) at TCU (2-2), 6 p.m. No. 11 LSU (3-1) vs. McNeese (2-3), 6:45 p.m. No. 12 Texas Tech (4-0) at Colorado (2-2), 6:30 p.m. No. 17 Tennessee (3-1) vs. Auburn (3-1), 2:30 p.m. No. 18 Southern Cal (4-1) vs. Washington (3-1), 6:30 p.m. No. 20 Houston (3-1) vs. UCF (3-1), 11 a.m. No. 21 SMU (3-1) vs. Boston College (2-2), 11 a.m. No. 22 Boise St. (3-1) vs. Utah St. (1-3), 6:30 p.m. No. 24 Kentucky (3-1) at South Carolina (2-2), 3:15 p.m.

Nation Thursday’s games SOUTHWEST

North Texas 45, Tulsa 44 (OT)

New Mexico St. 34, W. Kentucky 13

Liberty (3-1) at Delaware (2-2), n

SOUTH

Pittsburgh (4-0) at Virginia Tech (4-0), n

MIDWEST

Penn St. (3-1) at Northwestern (2-1), n

FAR WEST

Montana St. (5-0) at Idaho (0-4), n

Saturday’s games EAST

Princeton (1-1) at Columbia (2-0), 11 a.m. Fordham (1-4) at Lehigh (5-0), 11 a.m. Mercyhurst (1-4) at LIU Brooklyn (0-5), 11 a.m. Syracuse (1-2) at UConn (2-2), 11 a.m. Wagner (1-3) at CCSU (0-3), 11 a.m. Brown (1-1) at Rhode Island (2-3), 11 a.m. Merrimack (2-3) at Yale (1-1), 11 a.m. Cornell (1-1) at Georgetown (0-3), 11:30 a.m. Richmond (4-1) at Lafayette (1-3), 11:30 a.m. W. Michigan (2-2) at Buffalo (2-2), noon Elon (4-1) at New Hampshire (1-4), noon Morgan St. (3-1) at Villanova (2-3), noon Towson (0-5) at Monmouth (NJ) (3-2), noon Penn (1-1) at Dartmouth (0-2), 12:30 p.m. Norfolk St. (3-2) at Robert Morris (2-2), 1 p.m. Delaware St. (3-2) at Albany (NY) (2-3), 2:30 p.m. E. Michigan (2-3) at UMass (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Sacred Heart (1-3) at Maine (1-4), 2:30 p.m. NC A&T (1-4) at Bryant (3-1), 5 p.m. Colgate (4-1) at Harvard (2-0), 6 p.m. Indiana (4-0) at Rutgers (1-3), 7 p.m.

SOUTH

Memphis (3-1) at Charlotte (0-4), 10 a.m. Notre Dame (4-0) at North Carolina (2-1), 11 a.m.

3 1 1 1 0 0

RECEIVING Player

Elisha Edwards Curtis Deville Omiri Wiggins Kameran Senegal Jamaal Levi Reed Boyd Hutch Swilley

Rec Yards Avg TD 21 15 14 13 9 5 4

311 284 120 78 69 67 64

14.8 18.9 8.6 6.0 7.7 13.4 16.0

3 4 1 0 1 0 0

KICKING Player

Deaglan Camron Brettson Booker

XPM XPA FGM FGA 15 2

16 2

5 0

6 0

DEFENSIVE LEADERS TACKLES

Player

Tot Solo Ast Loss Sk

TJ Dottery 26 Whit Weeks 23 Princewill Umanmielen 21 Ty Beneﬁeld 19 PJ Woodland 13 DJ Pickett 13 Deuce Geralds 13 Davhon Keys 11 Tamarcus Cooley 10 Jhase Thomas 10 Jordan Ross 10 Faheem Delane 8 Dashawn Spears 7 CJ Jimcoily 7 Stephiylan Green 7

Player

9 10 9 8 7 12 9 6 7 5 4 1 5 1 1

17 13 12 1 6 1 4 5 3 5 6 7 2 6 6

1 2.5 9 11 0 0 4 1 1 0 4.5 0 1 1 2

0 0 7 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 1.5 0 1 1 1

INTERCEPTIONS

DJ Pickett Jordan Ross Ja’Keem Jackson

Tot Yards Avg TD BU 1 1 1

32 30 10

32.0 30.0 10.0

0 1 0

0 0 1

TACKLES Player

Landon Barrett Cohen Charles Emauri Sibley Jermaine Hargraves Sentario Willis RJ Staten Saﬁr Stills-Bey Sean Dubose Mark Fielder Morris Taylor Javon Davis Amyrion Mingo Mason Edwards Royce Maloles

Player

Tot Solo Ast Loss Sk 31 25 19 18 18 17 17 15 15 13 12 11 9 9

16 13 12 11 10 9 13 7 5 9 9 8 7 4

15 12 7 7 8 8 4 8 10 4 3 3 2 5

3 1 3.5 0 1.5 3 2.5 0.5 0.5 0 2 0 0 2

0 0 1 0 0 1.5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

INTERCEPTIONS

Sentario Willis Amyrion Mingo Landon Barrett

Tot Yards Avg TD BU 2 1 1

37 0 0

18.5 0.0 0.0

0 0 0

0 2 0

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 502.0

OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 418.6

Plays: 78.5

Plays: 67.8

PASS 296.5

RUSH 205.5

PASS 33.0

RUSH 45.5

Turnovers: 1.75

PASS 229.2

RUSH 189.4

PASS 34.8

RUSH 33.0

Turnovers: 1.60

INTERCEPTIONS 1.50

FUMBLES 0.25

INTERCEPTIONS 1.00

FUMBLES 0.60

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 226.8

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 419.6

PASS 179.3

PASS 247.4

RUSH 47.5

Turnovers forced: 1.75

Turnovers forced: 1.40

INTERCEPTIONS 1.25

FUMBLES 0.50

INTERCEPTIONS 1.00

SCORING PER GAME SCORED ALLOWED

RUSH 172.2

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

38.8

SCORED ALLOWED

28.0

22.8

23.2

19.8

15.5 2026

FUMBLES 0.40

2025

25.5

23.5

2026

2025

CONVERSION SUCCESS

Third down

Fourth down

Third down

48.4%

28.6%

Fail

51.6%

Convert

41.4% 71.4%

Fail

Fourth down

58.6%

Convert

Fail

37.5% 62.5%

Convert

Fail

Convert

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE State

3 2

Alabama (4-0) at Mississippi St. (4-0), 11 a.m. St. Thomas (Minn.) (4-1) at Presbyterian (1-3), 11 a.m. Stanford (2-2) at Wake Forest (3-1), 11 a.m. Vanderbilt (3-1) at Georgia (4-0), 11:45 a.m. Marist (2-2) at Stetson (1-3), noon Valparaiso (1-3) at Morehead St. (1-3), noon Mercer (3-2) at VMI (0-5), 12:30 p.m. The Citadel (1-3) at SC State (5-0), 1 p.m. Wofford (2-3) at Furman (2-3), 1 p.m. Alcorn St. (3-2) at Grambling St. (2-2), 2 p.m. Prairie View (2-3) at MVSU (1-4), 2 p.m. Hampton (1-4) vs. Howard (1-3) at Washington, D.C., Md., 2 p.m. Samford (1-3) at UAB (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Louisville (2-2) at NC State (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Holy Cross (1-4) at William & Mary (2-3), 2:30 p.m. Auburn (3-1) at Tennessee (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Virginia (3-1) at Florida St. (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga (3-2) at ETSU (3-2), 2:30 p.m. Old Dominion (1-3) at Georgia St. (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Marshall (3-1) at James Madison (4-0), 2:45 p.m. Alabama St. (3-1) at Bethune-Cookman (2-2), 3 p.m. Kentucky (3-1) at South Carolina (2-2), 3:15 p.m. New Haven (1-4) at Austin Peay (4-1), 4 p.m. Jackson St. (4-0) vs. Alabama A&M (4-1) at Mobile, Ala., 4 p.m. Campbell (4-1) at NC Central (2-3), 5 p.m. Gardner-Webb (1-4) at Charleston Southern (2-2), 5 p.m. North Alabama (3-2) at E. Kentucky (1-3), 5 p.m. Tennessee Tech (4-0) at W. Carolina (2-3), 5 p.m. Texas Southern (1-3) at FAU (3-1), 5 p.m. Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-2) at Southern U. (2-3), 6 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe (0-4) at South Alabama (2-2), 6 p.m. Georgia Southern (1-3) at Coastal Carolina (1-3), 6 p.m. Miami (4-0) at Clemson (3-1), 6:30 p.m. Temple (1-3) at South Florida (4-0), 6:30 p.m. Army (2-1) at Louisiana Tech (1-2), 6:30 p.m. McNeese St. (2-3) at LSU (3-1), 6:45 p.m. Arkansas St. (2-2) at Louisiana-Lafayette (3-1), 7 p.m.

MIDWEST

West Virginia (3-1) at Iowa St. (2-2), 11 a.m. Middle Tennessee (2-2) at Kansas (1-2), 11 a.m. Michigan (3-1) at Minnesota (3-1), 11 a.m. Michigan St. (2-2) at Wisconsin (3-1), 11:30 a.m. Dayton (3-0) at Drake (1-3), noon Murray St. (1-4) at North Dakota (4-1), 1 p.m. Toledo (3-1) at Ball St. (1-3), 1 p.m. Indiana St. (2-3) at South Dakota (3-2), 2 p.m. Akron (1-3) at Cent. Michigan (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Ohio (2-2) at Kent St. (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Florida (4-0) at Missouri (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Wyoming (2-2) at N. Dakota St. (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Bowling Green (0-4) at Miami (Ohio) (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Ohio St. (3-1) at Iowa (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Maryland (2-2) at Nebraska (4-0), 3 p.m. Tennessee St. (1-3) at W. Illinois (2-3), 3 p.m. Purdue (1-3) at Illinois (2-2), 3:15 p.m. Youngstown St. (3-2) at S. Illinois (3-2), 4 p.m. S. Dakota St. (4-1) at Illinois St. (4-1), 6 p.m. SOUTHWEST Boston College (2-2) at SMU (3-1), 11 a.m. UCF (3-1) at Houston (3-1), 11 a.m. Incarnate Word (2-2) at Stephen F. Austin (5-0), 5 p.m. UT Rio Grande Valley (2-2) at East Texas A&M (1-4), 6 p.m. UTSA (3-1) at Rice (1-3), 6 p.m. Chicago State (1-4) at Tarleton St. (4-0), 6 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-5) at Lamar (3-1), 6 p.m. Arkansas (2-2) at Texas A&M (2-2), 6 p.m. Nicholls (2-3) at Houston Christian (2-3), 6 p.m. BYU (3-0) at TCU (2-2), 6 p.m. West Florida (3-1) at Abilene Christian (1-4), 7 p.m.

FAR WEST

Navy (1-2) at Air Force (2-1), 11 a.m. California (2-2) at UNLV (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Davidson (2-3) at San Diego (1-3), 3 p.m. N. Colorado (2-3) at Montana (4-1), 3 p.m. UTEP (1-3) at New Mexico (3-1), 3 p.m.

4C ● Saturday, Octobber 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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THE NATION

THINGS TO WATCH IN WEEK 5 Who, what and where to keep an eye on in this week’s games around the nation

MISS. ST. AIMS TO END BAMA STREAK

Quarterback Kamario Taylor’s dynamism and recent effectiveness in the clutch has provided No. 16 Mississippi State’s cowbell-ringing fans hope that perhaps Saturday will be different from every other time the team has faced Alabama since 2007. No.7 Alabama (4-0, 2-0 SEC) has won 16 straight in the series. The Crimson Tide has been dominant against its first four opponents this season, beating each by two or more touchdowns. Mississippi State (4-0, 2-0) has won its two SEC games by a single touchdown.

NO. 5 BUCKEYES HEAD TO IOWA CITY

No. 5 Ohio State (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) will make its first trip to Iowa City since 2017. The Hawkeyes won in a blowout that day and eliminated the thenNo.3 Buckeyes from College Football Playoff contention. Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s biggest challenge will be to come up with a plan to keep star receiver Jeremiah Smith under control. Smith caught 12 passes for 217 yards, both career highs, and tied the Ohio State record with four touchdowns last week in the Buckeyes’ 42-19 victory over Illinois.

CINCINNATI SEEKS 5-0 START

Cincinnati (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) has gone from a five-game losing streak to finish last season to a chance to start 5-0 for the first time since 2021. Cincinnati’s Big 12 road opener comes a week after rallying to win 31-26 against previously unbeaten Kansas State.Arizona (3-1, 0-1) won 30-24 last year at then-No. 22 Cincinnati. Noah Fifita threw for 294 yards and a touchdown to become the Wildcats’ career leader for TD passes last November.That was the second of the Bearcats’ five losses in a row. — Associated Press

Caution key for LSU’s second act As Lane Kiffin decided whether to go for it or punt on fourth-and-1 this past Saturday from the LSU 43, he reminded himself he was Lane Kiffin. LSU hired him to be bold in these situations. So, instead of punting for safety, he had offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. dial up an ingenious play-action pass that had Texas A&M yell leaders yelling “Oh no!” as Sam Leavitt hit a streaking Jackson Harris on a superbly executed 57-yard touchdown pass. It was the signature play of the Tigers’ first month of games under Kiffin. Textbook Kiffin. A Kiffin stratagem that blared “This is why LSU hired him” in 10-foot tall, Dr Pepper font-styled letters. LSU’s season can be likened to a three-act play. The Scott act is over, with enough Rabalais first drama — lawsuits, legal brinksmanship, overflowing emotions and “SportsCenter” worthy national stories — to leave an audience limp in its seats. That the Tigers went 3-1 and were able to bob and weave back to their No. 11 preseason AP ranking after four games really undersells the histrionics we have witnessed. Now, as we enter the second act, the plot has twisted. The lead actor, Kiffin, has taken on a different tone, too — a character compelled by the circumstances surrounding him. Kiffin the Bold is sounding like Kiffin the Cautious as LSU prepares to host McNeese on what could be a rainy Saturday night in Tiger Stadium (6:45 p.m., SEC Network). He spoke openly this week of at least considering holding out some key players after a spate of player losses that has LSU’s season resembling Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit “And Then There Were None.” The Tigers have suffered at least six major season-ending or long-term injuries to key players like linebacker Whit Weeks, tight end Trey’Dez Green, Star (safety) Dashawn Spears, plus a worrisome hamstring issue for Leavitt. When you think about it, a 3-1 record with Clemson, Ole Miss and Texas A&M on the schedule for LSU’s first act is a completely reasonable start. Sure, everyone wants to be 4-0, but September left the Tigers exiting the month as they hoped to be entering it: a legitimate College Football Playoff contender with dreams of competing for the Southeastern Conference championship still very much in play. The second act of the season looks to bring less drama and certainly fewer blockbuster contests, starting with McNeese. ESPN pegs the Cowboys (2-3) as an overwhelming 531/ 2-point underdog. If Kiffin is thinking of holding out Leavitt and his balky hammy Saturday as an insurance policy for the rest of the season, he could almost certainly go with backup Landen Clark and get the win. Heck, he could almost certainly go with Jontre Kirklin — the wide receiver pressed into being LSU’s starting quarterback in the 2021 Texas Bowl — and get the win. You could tell from Kiffin’s words and body language at his weekly news conference that he chafes at the notion of being cautious. It isn’t in his DNA. It probably gives him a rash. But sometimes, discretion is truly the

1. TEXAS Record: 4-0, 1-0 SEC Previous ranking: 1 Last week: beat Tennessee 20-17 This week: off 2. GEORGIA Record: 4-0, 2-0 Previous ranking: 3 Last week: beat Oklahoma 41-13 This week: vs.Vanderbilt, 11:45 a.m. Saturday (SEC Network) 3. ALABAMA Record: 4-0, 2-0 Previous ranking: 4 Last week: beat South Carolina 49-18 This week: at Mississippi State, 11 a.m. Saturday (ABC) 4. FLORIDA Record: 4-0, 2-0 Previous ranking: 7 Last week: beat Ole Miss 52-28 This week: at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC) 5. OLE MISS Record: 3-1, 1-1 Previous ranking: 2 Last week: lost to Florida 52-28 This week: off 6. LSU Record: 3-1, 1-1 Previous ranking: 5 Last week: beat Texas A&M 35-6 This week: vs. McNeese, 6:45 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) 7. TENNESSEE Record: 3-1, 0-1 Previous ranking: 6 Last week: lost to Texas 20-17 This week: vs.Auburn, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) 8. MISSISSIPPI STATE Record: 4-0, 2-0 Previous ranking: 8 Last week: beat Missouri 31-24 This week: vs.Alabama, 11 a.m. Saturday (ABC) 9. KENTUCKY Record: 3-1, 1-1 Previous ranking: 10 Last week: beat South Alabama 45-21 This week: at South Carolina, 3:15 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network)

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker Whit Weeks walks on crutches to the locker room in the third quarter against Texas A&M on Sept. 26 at Tiger Stadium. Weeks is out indefinitely after suffering a broken leg in the game.

better part of valor. Kifﬁn often follows his instincts to great success, as he did with that fourth-down pass against the Aggies. If instincts tell him to rest or at least limit some key players against McNeese, they’re worth listening to in this instance. The rest of the season’s second act is more compelling. And dangerous. The Ti-

gers go to Kentucky next Saturday, return home to face upstart Mississippi State, then close out the month at Auburn. All are games in which LSU figures to be favored, but all are games in which the Tigers could stub a paw if they are not … cautious. There’s that word again. I can picture Kiffin reaching for the hydrocortisone cream now. LSU has to get through the season’s second act unscathed, because the third act is a doozy. Back-to-back home games with Alabama and Texas followed by a trip to Tennessee, where the fans will only be marginally less hospitable than Ole Miss fans were to see Kiffin return to Oxford a couple of weeks ago. The season ends with a post-Thanksgiving trip to Arkansas, which right now looks like an outmatched bookend to this stretch paired neatly with McNeese. The second act of this season, as in a good play, sets the stage for the third. For the dramatic conclusion. If the Tigers have to tiptoe through games like this to get to the end in good order, to play for something significant in November as former LSU coach Gerry DiNardo liked to say, so be it. Kiffin — the experienced, wiser, if still bold by nature Kiffin LSU hired away from Ole Miss — knows that as well as anyone.

2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 3 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.

6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 7 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 10 p.m.

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris, left, makes a catch for a touchdown against Texas A&M on Sept. 26 at Tiger Stadium. Harris caught the ball on a fourth-and-1 play.

TV HIGHLIGHTS 11 a.m. Alabama at Mississippi St. ABC 11 a.m. Stanford at Wake Forest ACCN 11 a.m. Navy at Air Force CBS 11 a.m. Syracuse at UConn CBSSN 1 a.m. Boston College at SMU CW 11 a.m. Notre Dame at N. Carolina ESPN 11 a.m. UCF at Houston ESPN2 11 a.m. MTSU at Kansas ESPNU 11 a.m. Michigan at Minnesota FOX West Virginia at Iowa St. TNT 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Michigan St. at Wisconsin BTN 11:45 a.m. Vanderbilt at Georgia SECN 2:30 p.m. Florida at Missouri ABC

SEC RATINGS BY KOKI RILEY

Louisville at NC State ACCN Ohio St. at Iowa CBS California at UNLV CBSSN Wyoming at N. Dakota St. CW Auburn at Tennessee ESPN Virginia at Florida St. ESPN2 Marshall at James Madison ESPNU Maryland at Nebraska FS1 Purdue at Illinois BTN Kentucky at South Carolina SECN Oregon St. at Colorado St. USA BYU at TCU ESPN Arkansas at Texas A&M ESPN2

Miami at Clemson ABC Utah St. at Boise St. CBSSN Temple at South Florida ESPNU Texas Tech at Colorado FOX Washington at Southern Cal NBC McNeese at LSU SECN Indiana at Rutgers BTN Fresno St. at Washington St. USA Texas St. at San Diego St. CW Baylor at Arizona St. ESPN E. Washington at UC Davis ESPN2 Cincinnati at Arizona FOX

10. MISSOURI Record: 3-1, 0-1 Previous ranking: 11 Last week: lost to Mississippi State 31-24 This week: vs. Florida, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC) 11. AUBURN Record: 3-1, 1-1 Previous ranking: 13 Last week: beat Vanderbilt 21-15 This week: at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) 12. OKLAHOMA Record: 2-2, 0-1 Previous ranking: 12 Last week: lost to Georgia 41-13 This week: off 13. VANDERBILT Record: 3-1, 0-1 Previous ranking: 15 Last week: lost to Auburn 21-15 This week: at Georgia, 11:45 a.m. Saturday (SEC Network) 14. TEXAS A&M Record: 2-2, 0-2 Previous ranking: 9 Last week: lost to LSU 35-6 This week: vs.Arkansas, 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2) 15. SOUTH CAROLINA Record: 2-2, 0-2 Previous ranking: 14 Last week: lost to Alabama 49-18 This week: vs. Kentucky, 3:15 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) 16. ARKANSAS Record: 2-2, 0-1 Previous ranking: 16 Last week: beat Tulsa 34-6 This week: at Texas A&M, 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2)

OFFICIAL NEWS PARTNER OF THE LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS

SPORTS

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

JOLLY MESS

S at u r d ay, O c t O b e r 3, 2026

5cN

A R K A N S A S S T A T E A T U L • 7 P. M . S A T U R D A Y • E S P N +

The NFC South is off to another punchline-worthy start, but the football games have been fun

REACH FOR THE SUN

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

As bleak as his team’s situation looks, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles couldn’t help but crack a joke after Tampa Bay’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. “Funny thing, we’re 0-3 and a game out of ﬁrst place,” Bowles said. The NFC South had once again become the punchline. For yet another season, the oft-maligned division looks like a mess. ä Falcons After the Carolina Panat Saints. thers won the South by backing into the playoffs 7:15 P.M. with an 8-9 record, all four MONDAY, ESPN teams in the division are under. 500 through three Analysis weeks. Monday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, both at 1-2, could be a battle for ﬁrst place, depending on how the 1-2 Carolina Panthers’ Sunday night game against the Detroit Lions goes. If you’re keeping track, that’s back-toback prime-time games for (statistically) the NFL’s worst division. The Falcons are in the midst of a three-week prime-time stretch, too. But those who still bother to watch might uncover a dirty little secret. As mediocre as the NFC South can be, the division has the chance to be fun. It’s the NFL’s version of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Hulu’s trashy reality show that entertains no matter how bad it gets. “I know what the records say for each and every team right now,” Saints center Erik McCoy said. “But the last few years have come down to the wire, have come down to the last game of the season.” The division’s competitiveness doesn’t automatically make it entertaining. To the average NFL fan, there was nothing particularly satisfying about watching

ä See MESS, page 6C

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY MIKE STEWART

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is sacked by Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce on Jan. 4 in Atlanta.

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP

UL tight end Caden Jensen runs after a catch as Lamar defensive back Jarrett Mitchell pursues on Sept. 12 at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. The Cajuns open Sun Belt Conference play Saturday night by hosting Arkansas State.

Cajuns hope to achieve higher level as conference slate arrives MORE ON PAGE 7C

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The preliminaries are over. It’s time for Sun Belt Conference football. For the UL Ragin’ Cajuns, it begins with homecoming at 7 p.m. Saturday against Arkansas State at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. The good news is the Cajuns are 3-1 instead of 1-3 like a season ago. “We’re sitting here going into Week 5 in a much better spot record-wise. We still have things that we need to fix if we want to go make a run at it,” Coach Michael Desormeaux said. “That’s something that we should be excited about because, yes, there’s a lot of things to fix.” The Cajuns hope the first step in “fixing” some things lacking on offense is the return of junior receiver Shelton

n Sun Belt Conference power rankings n Cajuns statistics, schedule n Kevin Foote’s game prediction Sampson. “He’s been a full go at practice all week,” Desormeaux said. “He’s looked great this week. He looks like he’s back to himself, which is certainly a good thing.” UL will likely will limit his reps. “Everything won’t be dialed up for him,” Desormeaux said. “We’ve got to get him back in the groove a little bit, too.” Without Sampson, as well as top tight end Caden Jensen in two games, the offense still has been efﬁcient. Quarter-

back Lunch Winﬁeld is completing 73% of his passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but a more explosive version of the offense will be needed in Sun Belt play. “You feel at any time the ball goes up to him (Sampson), you’ve got a chance for an explosive,” Desormeaux said. “We’ve been efﬁcient. We just haven’t been super explosive. Sometimes when you add guys like that, some of the routine things can turn into pretty special plays.” Jensen returned in a limited fashion last week in Charlotte to team with Brock Chappell as starters at tight end. “Caden and Brock, they have toughed it out through some stuff,” Desormeaux said. “They came back faster than we

ä See CAJUNS, page 7C

Sumrall reawakening sleeping giant Florida First-year coach leads No. 8 Gators against No. 25 Missouri

BY MARK LONG AP sportswriter

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Jon Sumrall gave his team a history lesson about Mike Tyson two weeks ago. It was more about Buster Douglas, really. Douglas stunned Tyson at the Tokyo Dome in 1990 and did so in punishing fashion. Douglas jabbed at Tyson’s left eye for 10 rounds, causing it to swell and bleed. In preparation for Florida’s Southeastern Conference opener at Auburn, Sumrall provided commentary while showing clips of the heavyweight title ﬁght considered the greatest upset in boxing history. “Work the cut” became Sumrall’s theme for the week. He repeated it at practice, in the locker room, during pregame warmups, at halftime and even on the sideline between drives. Florida responded with the program’s most signiﬁcant road victory in a decade, providing a clear

ä Florida at Missouri. 2:30 P.M. SATURDAY, ABC

indication that the super intense and highly energetic Sumrall was on the verge of rousing the threetime national champion Gators from a seven-year slumber. “If you’re not on coach Sumrall’s level, he’s going to call you out immediately,” safety DJ Coleman said. Sumrall is setting the tone for No. 8 Florida. He followed “work the cut” with “so what, now what?” And the Gators responded by routing then-No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in the Swamp last Saturday, a lopsided victory that vaulted Florida to its highest ranking since December 2020. Sumrall’s next challenge is keeping his guys humble and levelheaded before playing at No. 25 Missouri this Saturday. His latest theme remains under wraps for now, although players may have offered some insight.

“How much are you willing to give?” left tackle Bryce Lovett said candidly. “It’s getting to the part of the season where people are starting to get banged up a little bit, starting to feel the wear and tear. So they’re just trying to push us and see how much we’re willing to give.” Sumrall led Troy (2022-23) and Tulane (2024-25) to conference title games in each of the last four seasons and the Green Wave to the College Football Playoff last season. He admits he recycles themes from time to time. But sometimes — like “work the cut” — they are new. “You accumulate things over the years that can stick with you,” Sumrall said. “And I try to message what I think our team needs based upon where we are within the year.” He gathers ideas from notes he’s taken, books he’s read and people he’s listened to. The themes tend

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY NOAH LANTOR

Florida coach Jon Sumrall shakes hands with players during warm-ups ä See SUMRALL, page 6C before last Saturday’s game against Ole Miss in Gainesville, Fla.

6C ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

ä College football TV. PAGE 4C.

AUTO RACING 11 a.m. SportsCar Championship NBC 2 p.m. SportsCar Championship NBCSN 3:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series: Practice TRUTV 4:35 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series: QualifyingTRUTV 6:30 p.m. NASCAR Series CW GOLF 11 a.m. Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic GOLF 2 p.m. Korn Ferry Tour pGOLF 4 p.m. Bank of Utah Championship GOLF 7 p.m. LPGA: LOTTE Championship GOLF HORSE RACING 11 a.m. America’s Day at the Races FS1

noon Breeders’ Cup Challenge NBCSN 2 p.m. Breeders’ Cup Challenge NBC 3:30 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS2 MLB noon Chicago White Sox at Cleveland TBS 3 p.m. Atlanta at L.A. Dodgers FOX 5:30 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay TBS 7:30 p.m. San Diego at Milwaukee FS1 NHL 6 p.m. Seattle at Edmonton NHLN 7 p.m. Dallas at Nashville PRIME

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER 8:50 a.m. Finland vs. Albania FS2 8:55 a.m. Bradford City at Reading CBSSN 10:50 a.m. Estonia vs. Luxembourg FS2 1:30 p.m. Spain vs. Czech Republic FS2 8:50 p.m. Belize vs. French Guiana FS2 9 p.m. U.S. vs. Mexico TNT WOMEN’S SOCCER 3 p.m. Utah at Louisville ION 5:30 p.m. Bay FC at Kansas City ION 7:45 p.m. Boston at Portland ION TENNIS 9 p.m. Beijing & Tokyo Quarterfinals TENNIS

DT Boyd achieves milestone Third-year player seeing field more often

ﬁlled by either Rumph or Isaiah Stalbird, who has yet to play a defensive snap this season but played 64 snaps (5.8%) last season. Rumph, formerly an edge rusher, played three defensive snaps in the win over the Baltimore Ravens, appearing ahead of Stalbird. While Werner has not practiced in two days, he has been visible off to the side when reporters have been present. Elsewhere on Friday, defensive ends Anfernee Jennings (knee) and Carl Granderson (ankle), and Godchaux (rest) also missed practice.

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Defensive tackle Khristian Boyd insists he hasn’t been bothered by Cam Jordan after the ﬁrst sack of Boyd’s career. Jordan was adamant that was the case, even though it looked like the New Orleans Saints pass rusher had a claim to be awarded a half-sack on the play. “Good things come to those who power,” Jordan said, dapping his teammate up. “I was like ... ‘Let me have this one,’ “ Boyd said. “He was cool about it.” It took three seasons, but Boyd finally got in the sack column when he brought down Kirk Cousins in last weekend’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Boyd has been used sparingly since joining the Saints in Notebook 2024, being inactive for all but 12 games. But with a toe injury to rookie Christen Miller, Boyd has not only been active for the last two weeks but he’s also played a surprising amount. Boyd logged 26 snaps against the Raiders, only one less than starting defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. “I feel like I’ve been consistent in everything I do,” Boyd said. “I put in extra work and have been consistent in practice. And so when the game comes, I’m ready. I’m ready for my moment. And I feel like I’ve been ready. You just have to wait for your opportunity.” His opportunity arrived and could be extended depending on whether Miller, who has been limited with a toe injury in practice this week, can suit up for Monday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

MESS

Continued from page 5C the Panthers lose a Week 18 showdown to the Buccaneers last season only to make the playoffs at 8-9 because they held a three-way tiebreaker. The entry marked the second time in four seasons the division winner ﬁnished under .500. But there can be a certain comedic quality to watching the division unfold. On X and Reddit, a widely shared offseason meme felt more than appropriate for the state of the division. The meme featured logos of the Bucs, Panthers, Saints and Falcons with the same thought bubble: “Wow. This division sucks. Thank God I’m the only good team here.” Every joke, as the saying goes, has some truth to it. What makes the NFC South compelling this year is that every team in the division has, perhaps rightfully, convinced itself it has a shot to win

SUMRALL

Continued from page 5C to resonate with 18- to 22-year-old players and could be more impactful at Florida, which has endured four losing seasons in the last ﬁve years. “We all feed off it,” defensive coordinator Brad White said. “That theme for the week is all coach, and when he tells the team, we ﬁnd out, too. Trust me, it doesn’t just motivate the players. It motivates the coaches. It motivates everybody in the building. “Everybody that’s hearing that message, you’re like, ’Man, OK,

Tyson update

STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, center, reacts after sacking Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins during a game at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.

around the facility this time of year, around the clock, even on off days.”

Rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson will be eligible to return from injured reserve next week because Monday will be his fourth game missed because of a hamstring injury. But Tyson may have to wait a little longer before he suits up. Coach Kellen Moore said Thursday that he does not anticipate Tyson practicing next week. The Saints host the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 11 for Week 5. “Not at the moment, but we’ll see,” Moore said when asked whether he thinks the wide receiver will return to practice. Tyson, the eighth overall pick, suffered his latest hamstring injury on Aug. 13 when the Saints held a joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Though Moore said the injury was not related to his previous issues, Tyson has dealt with four hamstring injuries over the last year. The Saints selected him knowing that he had a “small recurrence” of the issue before the draft, leading the team to carefully manage his workload throughout the spring. New Orleans then ramped up his activity during training camp, only for Tyson to get hurt again when his foot slipped out from under him as he was getting shoved from behind.

Boyd, at 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, excels in helping stop the run. Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and Las Vegas’ Ashton Jenty — two of the league’s more proliﬁc running backs — were held to 68 and 56 yards, respectively, in games when Boyd was active. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said Boyd has earned his reps through competition in practice. He has been notably active over John Ridgeway, who the Saints re-signed to a two-year, $5.8 million deal in the offseason. “I’ve been very impressed with his preparation since we’ve been here,” said Staley, who joined the Saints in 2025. “This guy is at the facility year round, and he’s

Chris Rumph learned how to play off-ball linebacker not that long ago. The veteran may be days away from starting at his new position. Saints starting linebackers Pete Werner (stinger) and Kaden Elliss (calf) again missed practice Friday, possibly putting them on track to miss Monday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. If neither Werner nor Elliss can go, the Saints will turn to Danny Stutsman and a linebacker to be de- Email Matthew Paras at matt. termined. The other spot will be paras@theadvocate.com

the division — and their offseasons reflected it. The Saints loaded up on weapons to surround quarterback Tyler Shough. The Panthers splurged on defense. The Buccaneers got rave reviews for their draft. The Falcons changed coaching staffs. hiring two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski. All of those changes have made the NFC South more interesting, and that’s unfolded in the games to begin the season. The Saints offense has looked electric for stretches, fueled by Shough and Chris Olave. So, surprisingly, have the Panthers with Bryce Young, who finally has a trio of receivers that has helped the quarterback rank second in passing yards. The Buccaneers? Well, the vibes from afar haven’t seemed great, but maybe backup quarterback Jalon Daniels will provide some joy while Baker Mayfield (thumb) is sidelined for three weeks. The most confusing team might be the Falcons. After looking dead in the water for the first

two games, quarterback Michael Penix’s return led to an absolute beatdown of the Green Bay Packers. Bijan Robinson had 194 yards rushing to match Drake London’s 194 yards receiving. “What impresses you is the win (over the Packers),” said Saints defensive end Cam Jordan, noting the stat lines of Atlanta’s two top playmakers. “I hate that they’re coming off a win. I would like them to be 0-3, sort of depressed in the locker room. “And no. They’re like, ‘Oh, we’re (1-2)’ and it’s because of Michael Penix. It’s because of Bijan. It’s because of Drake London. And oh, by the way, you’ve still got Kyle Pitts — who’s a top-ﬁve tight end when he gets active. His yards don’t show how talented he is, so we still have to worry about that ... waking up.” Do these fun playmakers make these teams actually good? That’ll be answered over the course of the season. But at the very least, it makes them more watchable. And that’s progress, given how dire

that makes complete sense. We’re all in.’ ” Sumrall’s tactics are reminiscent of those used by former Florida coach Urban Meyer, widely regarded as a master motivator. Meyer used every nugget he could unearth — even embellishing things here and there — to keep the Gators playing with an edge. Meyer famously created a giant bulletin board before the 2006 national title game against Ohio State and plastered every negative thing being written or said about the Gators on it for his players to peruse in the hotel for a week. It ﬁred Florida up before a 41-14 romp over top-ranked and seven-point favorite Ohio State.

Not trending positively

Twenty years later, Sumrall is doing most of the talking — a purposeful and unﬁltered approach. Before the Ole Miss beatdown, he said: “It’s time to put something out there that sends a message to everybody that you’re going to have to deal with us; the bully is back.” The Gators are having their way with opponents. Jadan Baugh leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in rushing, averaging 150 yards, and is the third player in school history (joining Emmitt Smith and Fred Taylor) with ﬁve consecutive 100-yard games. Baugh leads the FBS in scoring with 11 touchdowns. The offensive line has been mostly stout, and quarterback

things have been in the division. The NFC South arguably started to fall apart when the top quarterbacks retired. Since Drew Brees walked away in 2021, the division has a combined record of 151-201 — a .429 winning percentage that is ahead of only the AFC South. Since 2022 (post Matt Ryan) and 2023 (post Tom Brady), those percentages fell to .412 and .407, respectively. If the division is now truly on the upswing, the emergence of the quarterbacks will have something to do with it. Shough is in Year 2. Penix is in Year 3. Young is in Year 4, but the 2023 ﬁrst overall pick may be playing his way into a long-term contract from Carolina. Mayﬁeld, as inconsistent as he’s been over the last year, has provided stability for Tampa Bay after Brady. Maybe that’s not the best collection of quarterbacks a division could have. And at their worst, they can produce some ugly football. Funny thing is they still make the division worth watching.

Aaron Philo has been effective and efﬁcient. And the Gators are making big plays weekly on defense and special teams. So what, now what? “You have to humble yourself or you will be humbled,” Sumrall said. “If we don’t look in the mirror and hone where we’re deficient still, somebody else will show it to us. I’m very happy that we won last week. I’m happy that we won each week so far; it beats the alternative. “But I’m not celebrating anything. Nobody in our building should be celebrating anything. If we are, then we’re totally off base at how you ﬁnd success over the long term.”

Vikings WR Jefferson out vs. Dolphins with sprained ankle

The Minnesota Vikings ruled out star receiver Justin Jefferson for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins because of an ankle sprain suffered last week against Tampa Bay, and Miami will be without rookie receiver Caleb Douglas for a second straight game as he continues nursing an ankle injury. Jefferson suffered the injury in the first quarter of Minnesota’s Week 3 win against the Buccaneers and missed practice this week. The two-time All-Pro receiver watched from the sideline for a couple of series before walking to the locker room midway through the second quarter. It appeared Jefferson got hurt when a defender fell onto his right ankle. Jefferson has 13 catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns through three games.

Commanders QB Mariota to start against Colts in London

WATFORD, England — Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will get his second straight start in place of the injured Jayden Daniels on Sunday when Washington faces the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision Friday after practice at the team’s luxury hotel accommodations outside London. Daniels returned to practice this week after dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He’s been wearing a protective brace and expressed no concerns about further damage. Last week, Mariota threw three touchdown passes in the 33-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks. It’s the second elbow dislocation for Daniels, who missed most of the second half of last season with the same injury.

CBS announces Romo’s permanent exit after arrest

CBS Sports and Tony Romo have ofﬁcially parted ways, one month after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Romo had been on leave since his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. He had been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017. Analyst JJ Watt had joined playby-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS Sports’ lead NFL team during Romo’s absence. Watt will continue in that role now and all other CBS teams will remain the same. Romo was arrested following a trafﬁc stop as he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. He pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated on Sept. 1.

Djokovic rallies to beat Yunchaokete in China Open

BEIJING — Novak Djokovic rallied to beat Bu Yunchaokete and maintain his flawless record at the China Open despite again needing a medical timeout on Friday. The sixth-ranked Djokovic won 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals and extend his record to 31-0 at the Beijing tournament, which he has won six times, the last in 2015. The 39-year-old will play either top-seeded Alexander Zverev or China’s Juncheng Shang in the quarterfinals. In the women’s tournament, second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeat Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-3. It was Sabalenka’s first match since losing the U.S. Open final to Elena Rybakina.

Pistons coach Bickerstaff has no animosity for center Duren

DETROIT — The lengthy negotiations between the Detroit Pistons and star center Jalen Duren didn’t leave any lingering animosity, at least not in the mind of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Duren, an All-NBA Third Team selection last season, agreed to a ﬁve-year, $200 million contract on Thursday. There were reports during the offseason that the restricted free agent sought sign-and-trade options and even felt disrespected by the front ofﬁce. Duren, who was not made available to the media, underwent a physical and other testing on Friday and is expected to start practicing as early as this weekend. Bickerstaff brushed aside any suggestion that Duren might not be fully invested in rejoining the team.

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GAMEDAY

PASS 178.0

RUSH 186.8

Plays: 67.8 PASS 24.5

RUSH 43.3

Turnovers: 1.50 INTERCEPTIONS 0.75

FUMBLES 0.75

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 260.8 PASS 168.3

RUSH 92.5

Turnovers forced: 2.50 INTERCEPTIONS 1.50

FUMBLES 1.00

SCORING PER GAME 30.8

29.2

26.0

19.3

ARKANSAS STATE at UL

7 p.m. Saturday, Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium TV: ESPN+ | Radio: KPEL-FM, 103.3 Line: Cajuns by 6½ (Over/Under: 47½)

Georgia St. making surprising noise

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 364.8

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● 7C

SCORED ALLOWED

2026

2025

LEADERS PASSING Lunch Winfield 73.0%, 660 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Daniel Beale 66.67%, 42 yards, INT RUSHING Lunch Winfield 55 carries, 295 yards, 5.4 avg, 6 TDs Darrell Smith 28 carries, 141 yards, 5.0 avg, 2 TDs RECEIVING Russell Babineaux 12 catches, 116 yards, 9.7 avg, TD Kedarius Wade 6 catches, 89 yards, 14.8 avg Caden Jensen 6 catches, 80 yards, 13.3 avg DEFENSE Conor McPherson 31 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks

SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER 5 Lamar W, 38-7 12 at USC L, 49-30 19 UAB W, 21-14 26 at Charlotte W, 34-7 OCTOBER 3 Arkansas State 7 p.m. /ESPN+ 10 at La. Tech 6:30 p.m./ESPN+ 17 Troy TBD 24 at Southern Miss TBD NOVEMBER 7 South Alabama TBD 12 at UL-Monroe 8 p.m./ESPN 21 Coastal Carolina TBD 28 at Georgia State TBD

PREDICTION UL 34,ARKANSAS STATE 13: The

Cajuns have won seven of the last eight games in the series and lead 31-22-1 overall. On paper, the Cajuns should have the edge against the Red Wolves offense, as long as the defense continues to make progress limiting big plays in the passing game. The UL offense has done a good job of being more efficient this season, which could match up well against Arkansas State, which is giving up a 51% conversion rate on third down. UL needs all the help it can get in that area as it has converted third downs only 34% of the time. If receiver Shelton Sampson and tight end Caden Jensen are really themselves again this week, that should open up the offense. UL must do a better job of protecting the football.

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Of all the teams in the Sun Belt Conference, perhaps the last team on most preseason radars as a surprise team was Georgia State. After all, the Panthers were 4-20 in coach Dell McGee’s first two seasons. But Georgia State is making all kinds of noise with a 3-1 record heading into league play this weekend at home against Old Dominion. The Panthers sport the top rushing offense in the Sun Belt at 215.3 yards per game and the most productive offense overall at 468.3 yards a game. The Monarchs seem to be going in the opposite direction at 1-3 with double-digit losses to Virginia Tech and James Madison. The most high-profile league matchup of the weekend is James Madison (4-0, 1-0 Sun Belt) hosting Marshall (3-1). Not only does Marshall lead the all-time series 4-2 but the road team also has won the last four contests. The Dukes can cement themselves as the heavy Sun Belt favorites with a win.

1. James Madison Record: 4-0, 1-0 Last week: Defeated Old Dominion 46-20 This week: vs. Marshall, 2:45 p.m. ESPNU Extra points: Not only did the Dukes handle Old Dominion to the tune of 405-247 in total yards, but it was a physical domination. The Monarchs were limited to minus-14 rushing yards, thanks to nine quarterback sacks for a loss of 58 yards. JMU led 30-7 in the second quarter. Quarterback Camden Coleman was 24-of-42 passing for 243 yards with four touchdowns, and running back George Pettaway added 110 yards on the ground.

2. Louisiana Tech

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY PETER JONELEIT

Georgia State wide receiver Rodshaun Dorsey makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown as Central Florida defensive back DJ Bell defends during a game in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 19. This team is all over the place.

5. Appalachian State Record: 3-1 Last week: Lost at NC State, 41-31 This week: Open date Extra points: The Mountaineers certainly didn’t play poorly against the Wolfpack. Despite a 13-minute deﬁcit in time of possession, App State showed discipline with only three ﬂags for 27 yards. The passing game continued to look explosive with Malachi Singleton completing 28 of 38 passes for 317 yards and two scores. The problem was the Wolfpack outrushed App State 206-62.

6. Marshall

Record: 3-1 Last week: Defeated GardnerWebb, 36-35 This week: at James Madison, 2:45 p.m. ESPNU Extra points: The Thunderin’ Herd survived a scare against Gardner-Webb last week. What a cool matchup with Chad Pennington’s son, Cole, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in a tight loss decided by Marshall’s 32-yard field goal with three seconds left. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson’s performance was outstanding again. He threw for 413 yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-39 passing, while also rushing for 64 yards on 14 carries. 3. UL Defensively, the Herd gave up 485 total yards. That may not be good Record: 3-1 Last week: Defeated Charlotte 34-7 enough against JMU. This week: vs. Arkansas State, 7. Old Dominion 7 p.m. ESPN+ Extra points: The Cajuns defense Record: 1-3, 0-1 has been sparkling so far. UL would Last week: Lost to James Madison, have two shutouts in four games if 46-20 not for non-offensive touchdowns This week: at Georgia State, in those games. Arkansas State 2:30 p.m. ESPN+ ranks 10th offensively and 11th Extra points: The momentum the defensively in the Sun Belt, but Monarchs built with a 10-win seathe Red Wolves should reveal just son seems to be fading. Not only how much development the Ragin’ did the Monarchs get penalized 13 Cajuns have undergone so far. times for 96 yards in last week’s loss to JMU, but the offense yield4. Troy ed nine sacks while converting only four times in 16 tries on third Record: 2-2 Last week: Lost at Utah State, 21-10 down. Redshirt freshman quarterThis week: vs. Southern Miss, 7 p.m. back Ryan Huff made his first colTuesday on ESPN2 legiate start but showed promise Extra points: This squad is getting at 20-of-39 passing for 261 yards pretty hard to figure out. The com- with an interception and a score. petitive loss at Missouri earned the Receiver TJ Johnson caught five Trojans the benefit of the doubt, passes for 105 yards. but then Troy tossed three interceptions in a loss at Utah State. The 8. Georgia State Trojans won the clock battle 34:16 Record: 3-1 to 25:42 and in first downs 26-19. Last week: Defeated Northern IlTroy also got the benefit of 13 flags linois, 35-14 for 105 yards against Utah State. This week: vs. Old Dominion, Record: 1-2 Last week: Open date This week: vs. Army, 6:30 p.m. ESPN+ Extra points: Army’s running game is unlike any other and is leading the nation at 355.7 rushing yards a game. The Black Knights will find it tough against the Louisiana Tech defense, which is top 10 nationally in tackles for loss and sacks. The Bulldogs won’t face anyone with the kind of rushing attack Army possesses, so we might not get any reliable data until the next weekend against the Ragin’ Cajuns.

SUN BELT POWER RANKINGS

ranked Houston, which led 35-14 in the third quarter. The Cougars were too tough on the ground with a 202-66 bulge. This week is a huge matchup in Conway, South Caro2:30 p.m. ESPN+ lina, with the loser facing a pretty Extra points: Georgia State is of- big uphill climb. The Eagles have ficially on Sun Belt dark-horse shown progress on defense , but watch. The Panthers aren’t knock- will it find enough offense for a ing off powerhouses, but they’re strong finish? winning games handily. Quarterback Cameran Brown threw for 12. Coastal Carolina only 148 yards with two scores and Record: 1-3 an interception, but he was able to Last week: Lost to Liberty, 34-17 lean on running back Lanear McThis week: vs. Georgia Southern, Crary with 111 yards rushing and a 6 p.m. ESPN+ touchdown. Rodshaun Dorsey colExtra points: The Chanticleers have a lected five catches for 114 yards new head coach. Georgia Southern and two scores. If Georgia State added a new defensive coordinator can beat ODU, the Panthers might to hopefully fix its problem. One of have to be considered a contender. them is going to be 1-4 after this matchup. Coastal didn’t stop the run 9. South Alabama last week to the tune of 263 yards and also was sloppy with 15 flags Record: 2-2 Last week: Lost at Kentucky, 45-21 for 117 yards. Quarterback Deuce This week: vs. UL-Monroe, 6 p.m. Bailey is still productive with 213 yards passing and two touchdowns, ESPN+ Extra points: South Alabama lost to but his efficiency is slipping. Kentucky, but it wasn’t a discouraging setback. Playing with back- 13. Southern Miss up quarterback Jared Hollins, the Record: 1-3 Jags trailed only 24-21 at halftime. Last week: Lost at Tulane, 24-21 Hollins passed for 266 yards and This week: vs. Troy, 7 p.m. Tuesday two touchdowns. The defense was on ESPN2 certainly too generous, yielding Extra points: Despite losing to the 567 total yards. This week against Green Wave on a 74-yard TD run winless UL-Monroe, it may be with 5:26 left, the Golden Eagles time to see whether the Jaguars showed some progress. Quartercan get some separation. Starting back Landry Lyddy passed for 243 quarterback Bishop Davenport is yards and three scores. The bigexpected to return after missing gest issue was the Southern Miss two games. defense gave up 281 yards rushing, including a 200-yard night from 10. Arkansas State running back Maurice Turner. Southern Miss punted nine times Record: 2-2 Last week: Defeated Kennesaw but came up with enough big plays to nearly pull off the upset. We’ll State, 17-14 see if that momentum can be carThis week: at UL, 7 p.m. ESPN+ Extra points: The Red Wolves didn’t ried over to Troy on Tuesday. exactly wow anybody with a field goal in the middle of the fourth 14. UL-Monroe quarter to slip past Kennesaw Record: 0-4 State. Arkansas State posted 363 Last week: Lost to Florida Atlantic, total yards behind 244 yards pass- 45-17 This week: at South Alabama, 6 p.m. ing from Trey Owens. Solomon Baggett had 63 yards rushing on ESPN+ 13 carries, while Jaylen Bonelli Extra points: There was nothing decollected six catches for 78 yards. ceiving about the box score in the The Red Wolves offense remains a loss to Florida Atlantic. The Owls mystery as it enters Sun Belt play outrushed UL-Monroe 234-54, and Saturday in Lafayette. the Warhawks punted seven times. The passing game is showing im11. Georgia Southern provement with Aiden Armenta going for 278 yards and two touchRecord: 1-3 Last week: Lost to Houston, 42-28 downs. FAU converted 11 of 20 This week: at Coastal Carolina, tries on third down to only 4 of 13 6 p.m. ESPN+ for ULM. There doesn’t seem to be Extra points: Playing at home didn’t a lot of chances for ULM to post a do the trick for the Eagles against win this season.

Kevin Foote

SUN BELT STANDINGS Conf. W L JMU 1 0 App. State 0 0 Ga. State 0 0 Marshall 0 0 Coastal Ca. 0 0 Ga. Southern 0 0 ODU 0 1

UL Ark. State South Ala. Troy La. Tech So. Miss. UL-Monroe

Conf. W L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

East PF 46 0 0 0 0 0 20

PA 20 0 0 0 0 0 46

Games W L PF PA 4 0 179 49 3 1 139 89 3 1 155 85 3 1 94 130 1 3 100 94 1 3 93 95 1 3 89 120

West

Saturday’s Games

Games PF PA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

W 3 2 2 2 1 1 0

L 1 2 2 2 2 3 4

PF PA 123 77 100 94 125 123 85 86 113 87 98 118 85 171

Old Dominion at Georgia St., 2:30 p.m. Marshall at James Madison, 2:45 p.m. UL-Monroe at South Alabama, 6 p.m. Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina, 6 p.m. Army at La. Tech, 6:30 p.m. Arkansas St. at UL, 7 p.m.

CAJUNS

Continued from page 5C expected — a week or two faster than we thought. So naturally, you might not get the best version of them right when they come back.” The next issue to address is a hole in the middle of the defense with the loss of leading tackler Conor McPherson. Linebacker Micah Johnson will replace McPherson, but it’ll likely be a group effort to replace his production. “Micah communicates so well and he’s really tough, really physical, really smart player,” Desormeaux said. “You feel really good about him stepping in there. Anytime you replace players that are unique, you need everybody

to kind of play well around them. The good thing is we played really well up front on defense.” The Arkansas State offense is still a bit of a mystery. Quarterback Trey Owens has thrown for 837 yards with four scores and four interceptions. “Trey Owens is not scared to throw it,” Desormeaux said. “Every week, a big part of it for us is not giving up the explosive pass play, because those are gamechanging plays. “Early in the year, they were kind of run, run, run setting up shots. Then last week, they kind of nickel-and-dimed it the whole game and spread it around.” His top three receivers — Hunter Summers (16-211, 1 TD), Chauncy Cobb (17-193, 1 TD) and Jaylen Bonelli (12-172, 1 TD) — all

have more receiving yards than any UL receiver. Solomon Baggett is the leading rusher with 160 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. “I think they got a veteran middle three (center, guards),” UL defensive line coach Dennis Thomas said. “They’ve played a lot of snaps for them over the years and they brought in two transfer tackles. Both guys are big, young men and very athletic.” Defensively, the strength of the Red Wolves is the secondary. “They deﬁnitely have a good secondary, probably one of our biggest challenges in the secondary so far this season,” UL receiver Landon Strother said. Strother, who missed the ﬁrst three games with a broken collarbone, hopes the UL receiving

corps will meet the challenge. “I think that’s going to be great for us,” Strother said. “I personally like going up against good DBs. It makes the precision in our routes and our technique show up more. The technique, it’s more schematic than others, but now we can really put it together ... a technique and our pass game, execution and just our overall whole offensive execution. Hopefully, we can put it all together.” Another “ﬁx” the Cajuns require is ball security. UL opponents already have turned three fumbles into touchdowns. “We’ll keep working ball security like we do every week,” Desormeaux said. “We’re all responsible for ball security. It (fumbling) is something that just can’t happen.”

8C ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

SCOREBOARD Prep football Acadiana 56, New Iberia 7 Acadiana Christian 40, Pickering 7 Amite 48, S. B. Wright 0 Ascension Catholic 51, Assumption 8 Ben Franklin 54, Springﬁeld 30 Buckeye 27, Holy Savior Menard 12 Country Day 49, Northlake Christian 0 Covington 40, Fontainebleau 7 Denham Springs 35, Live Oak 17 Easton 43, Riverdale 0 Elton 32, JS Clark Leadership Academy 26 Grand Lake 41, Port Barre 0 Gueydan 50, Pine Prairie 42 Hahnville 36, H.L. Bourgeois 9 Haughton 55, Parkway 36 Haynesville 48, Union Parish 27 Kennedy 42, Salmen 40 Kentwood 52, Ferriday 6 Lakeshore 41, Belle Chasse 34 Madison Prep 47, McKinley 0 Mandeville 22, Slidell 15 Mansﬁeld 46, Grant 23 Merryville 34, Linden-Kildare, Texas 30 Notre Dame 24, Cecilia 21 Northshore 41, Ponchatoula 38 Patrick Taylor 24, Fisher 7 Pearl River 54, Sumner 21 Pine 41, Loranger 12 Pope John Paul 57, Morris Jeff 0 Ringgold 50, Lena Northwood 28 Rummel 10, John Curtis Christian 9 Ruston 29, West Point, Miss. 2 Sacred Heart 49, Academy of Sacred HeartGrand Coteau 0 Saint Paul’s 14, Hammond 12 South Lafourche 42, Patterson 34 St. Augustine 51, Chalmette 13 St. James 42, Landry/Walker 6 St. Michael 45, Scotlandville 13 Terrebonne 29, South Terrebonne 26 Thibodaux 56, Central Lafourche 19 Tioga 45, Jena 26 Vandebilt Catholic 29, E.D. White 28 West St. Mary 38, Berwick 14 Westgate 43, Carencro 0 Westminster Christian (LAF) 55, Vermilion Catholic 25

Prep volleyball Area volleyball results

St. Thomas More def. Sam Houston, 3-0 ESA def. St. Martinville, 3-0 Marksville def. Breaux Bridge, 3-0 Jennings def. Northside, 3-0 Acadiana Renaissance def. Carencro, 3-0 Teurlings def. Beau Chene, 3-0 Cecilia def. Lafayette Renaissance, 3-1 Sulphur def. Southside, 3-0 Sacred Heart-GC def. Eunice 3-0 Opelousas Catholic def. Sacred Heart-GC, 3-2 Westminster def. Teurlings, 3-0 Cecilia def. Northwest, 3-0 Crowley def. Abbeville, 3-0 Catholic-PC def. Port Barre, 3-0 Notre Dame def. Vinton, 3-0 Lafayette Christian def. Rayne, 3-0 Iota def. Westminster-Lafayette, 3-0 Loreauville def. Vermilion Catholic, 3-1 Catholic-NI def. Ascension Episcopal, 3-0 Lafayette High def. Acadiana Christian, 3-0

Monday’s Schedule

Acadiana Christian at Cecilia, Church Point at Acadiana, Franklin at Highland Baptist, Centerville at Opelousas Catholic, Eunice at St. Edmund, Northside at Glencoe Charter, Westminster at Northside Christian, St. Martinville at Loreauville, Leesville at Iota, Hanson at Westgate.

Odds Sports Betting Line NFL

at BUFFALO at CHICAGO LA Rams Green Bay Arizona at BAL at MIN at SEATTLE Kansas City at SAN FRAN Detroit

Monday FAVORITE at N.O.

3 8½ 2½ 1½ 7 8½ 7½ 3 5½ 2½ 3

7 3½ 3½ 3½ 2½ 11½ 10½ 7 4½ 2½ 3½

(50) New Eng (43) NY Jets (42½) at PHILA (39½) at TAMPA (44½) at GIANTS (42½) Tennessee (38½) Miami (42½) Chargers (48½) at VEGAS (48) Denver (51) at CAR

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 2½ 2½ (48) Atlanta

College Football Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Memphis 22½ 20½ (52½) at CHAR Notre Dame 23½ 21½ (46½) at UNC at SMU 20½ 21½ (55½) B. College at KANSAS 21½ 19½ (50½) M. Tenn at AIR FORCE 1½ 3½ (45½) Navy at HOUSTON 11½ 11½ (51½) UCF at IOWA ST 1½ 3½ (53½) W. Virginia Syracuse 7½ 6½ (50½) at UCONN Michigan 8½ 5½ (43½) at MIN at W.F. 11½ 14½ (53½) Stanford Alabama 3 5½ (60½) at MISS ST at WISCONSN 9½ 9½ (43½) Mich St. at GEORGIA 23½ 25½ (51½) Vanderbilt W. Michigan 16½ 12½ (46½)at BUFFALO Toledo 13½ 21½ (52½) at BALL ST Florida 2½ 5½ (57½) at MISOU at UMASS 2½ 5½ (48½) E.Michigan at TEN 7½ 6½ (54½) Auburn at MIA (OH) 15½ 12½ (42½) B. Green Virginia 1½ 1½ (51½) at FSU Ohio State 14 14½ (45½) at IOWA at GSU 1½ 2½ (51½) Old Dom at C. MICH 5½ 6½ (47½) Akron Louisville 7½ 3½ (58½) at NC ST Ohio 3½ 3½ (50½) at KENT ST at UAB 30½ 30½ (53½) Samford at UNLV 1½ 2½ (53½) Cal at NDSU 21 17½ (44½) Wyoming at J/ MADISN 14½ 17½ (56½) Marshall at NEW MEX 21½ 22½ (47½) UTEP at NEBRASKA 11½ 14½ (52½) Maryland at ILLINOIS 9½ 9½ (62½) Purdue at S. CAROLINA 7 2½ (54½) Kentucky at FLA ATL 40½ 44½ (61½) Tex South Oregon State 5½ 6½ (62½) at CSU at TEX A&M 15½ 13½ (50½) Arkansas at S. BAMA 15½ 14½ (57½) ULM UTSA 10½ 11½ (56½) at RICE BYU 5½ 6½ (48½) at TCU Ga Southern 1½ 2½ (54½) at C. CAR. at BOISE ST 20½ 18½ (51½) Utah State Texas Tech 15½ 13½ (50½) at COL Miami (FL) 7 15½ (47½) at CLEMSN at USC 10 9½ (58½) Wash at S. FLORIDA 6½ 6½ (48½) Temple Army 3½ 1½ (47½) at LA TECH at LSU 48½ 53½ (62½) McNeese at UL 5½ 6½ (47½) Arkansas State Indiana 23½ 24½ (56½)at RUTGERS at WASH ST 1½ 1½ (45½) Fresno St. at ARIZONA ST 4½ 3½ (49½) Baylor Texas State 3½ 8½ (57½) at SDSU at ARIZONA 8½ 6½ (55½) Cincinnati

MLB

UNDERDOG White Sox N.Y Yankees

LINE +129 +114

UNDERDOG Atlanta San Diego

LINE +181 +178

WNBA Playoff Glance

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Indianapolis 1½ 3½ (47½) at WASH at CIN 2½ 2½ (51½) Ja at HOUSTON 2½ 3 (48½) Dallas

Sunday, September 27: Golden State 104, Dallas 80 Wednesday, September 30: Dallas 108, Golden State 100, OT Friday, October 2: Dallas at Golden State, n

Las Vegas 2, Indiana 1

Sunday, September 27: Las Vegas 102, Indiana 85 Tuesday, September 29: Indiana 99, Las Vegas 89 Thursday, October 1: Las Vegas 94, Indiana 83

Atlanta 2, Washington 0

Sunday, September 27: Atlanta 92, Washington 77 Wednesday, September 30: Atlanta 93, Washington 75

Pro football NFL Glance AMERICAN CONFERENCE East Buffalo N.Y. Jets New England Miami

W 3 1 1 0

L 0 2 2 3

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 101 78 0 .333 64 61 0 .333 36 51 0 .000 36 86

Jacksonville Indianapolis Tennessee Houston

W 2 1 0 0

L 1 2 3 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .667 82 36 .333 72 91 .000 37 59 .000 54 75

Cleveland Baltimore Cincinnati Pittsburgh

W 3 2 2 2

L 1 1 1 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .750 81 95 .667 92 78 .667 80 63 .500 77 87

Kansas City Las Vegas Denver L.A. Chargers

W 3 3 2 0

L 0 0 1 3

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 88 50 0 1.000 88 54 0 .667 60 70 0 .000 44 76

Philadelphia N.Y. Giants Dallas Washington

W 2 2 1 1

L 1 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .667 55 69 .667 46 55 .333 88 82 .333 75 92

Carolina New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay

W 1 1 1 0

L 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .333 89 83 .333 81 83 .333 51 68 .000 62 79

Minnesota Detroit Chicago Green Bay

W 3 2 2 1

L 0 1 1 2

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 71 41 0 .667 93 95 0 .667 89 53 0 .333 56 91

San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

W 3 2 1 1

L 0 1 2 2

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 98 50 0 .667 75 50 0 .333 61 63 0 .333 63 81

South

North

West

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East

South

North

Thursday’s Games

Cleveland 27, Pittsburgh 24

(x-if necessary) First Round (Best-of-3)

New York 2, Minnesota 0

Miami at Minnesota, 3:05 p.m. Denver at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m. Kansas City at Las Vegas, 3:25 p.m. L.A. Chargers at Seattle, 3:25 p.m. Detroit at Carolina, 7:20 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 5: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (Williams 14-8), 5 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/ HBO Max) Wednesday, Oct. 7: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, 4 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Thursday, Oct. 8: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, 5 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Saturday, Oct. 10: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 5 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max)

Monday’s Games

Atlanta at New Orleans, 7:15 p.m.

Late Thursday Cleveland 27, Pittsburgh 24

Tampa Bay vs. N.Y. Yankees

Pittsburgh 7 3 0 14 — 24 Cleveland 0 21 0 6 — 27 First Quarter Pit—R.Wilson 12 pass from Rodgers (Boswell kick), 2:56. Second Quarter Cle—McLaughlin 28 run (Szmyt kick), 12:14. Cle—Judkins 2 run (Szmyt kick), 8:28. Cle—Fannin 2 pass from D.Watson (Szmyt kick), 1:22. Pit—FG Boswell 31, :08. Fourth Quarter Pit—D.Washington 21 pass from Rodgers (pass failed), 10:10. Cle—FG Szmyt 44, 6:37. Pit—Freiermuth 3 pass from Rodgers (Rodgers run), 1:42. Cle—FG Szmyt 56, :10.

A—68,156.

Pit Cle First downs 24 22 Total Net Yards 361 372 Rushes-yards 19-92 27-112 Passing 269 260 Punt Returns 2-30 2-10 Kickoff Returns 4-96 4-99 Interceptions Ret. 1-0 2-0 Comp-Att-Int 22-40-2 24-33-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 5-30 2-8 Punts 5-51.8 4-62.75 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1 Penalties-Yards 8-50 14-88 Time of Possession 31:11 28:49 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Pittsburgh, Warren 17-93, Homer 2-(minus 1). Cleveland, Judkins 17-53, McLaughlin 1-28, D.Watson 7-22, R.Sanders 2-9. PASSING—Pittsburgh, Rodgers 22-40-2-299. Cleveland, D.Watson 24-33-1-268. RECEIVING—Pittsburgh, Metcalf 5-115, R.Wilson 3-74, Warren 3-33, Washington 3-27, Freiermuth 3-17, Pittman 2-15, Bernard 2-11, Skowronek 1-7. Cleveland, Judkins 6-43, Concepcion 5-64, Boston 4-89, Jeudy 3-36, Fannin 3-27, R.Sanders 2-7, Bond 1-2. MISSED FIELD GOALS—Pittsburgh, Boswell 48.

Major League Baseball MLB Postseason Glance All Times EDT x-if necessary

WILD CARD SERIES (Best-of-3)

American League

Chicago White Sox 2, Houston 0 Tuesday, Sept. 29: Chicago 6, Houston 3 Wednesday, Sept. 30: Chicago 7, Houston 3

New York 2, Boston 0

Tuesday, Sept. 29: New York 9, Boston 0 Wednesday, Sept. 30: New York 9, Boston 2 National League

Atlanta 2, Philadelphia 1

Tuesday, Sept. 29: Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 Wednesday, Sept. 30: Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3, 10 innings Thursday, Oct. 1: Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 2

San Diego 2, Chicago Cubs 0

Sunday’s Games

Indianapolis vs Washington at London, GBR, 8:30 a.m. Arizona at N.Y. Giants, noon Dallas at Houston, noon Green Bay at Tampa Bay, noon Jacksonville at Cincinnati, noon L.A. Rams at Philadelphia, noon N.Y. Jets at Chicago, noon New England at Buffalo, noon Tennessee at Baltimore, noon

Pro basketball

Sunday

Golden State 1, Dallas 1

West

Saturday

American League FAVORITE LINE at CLEVELAND -157 at TAMPA BAY -138 National League FAVORITE LINE at LA DODGERS -224 at MILWAUKEE -221

Sunday, September 27: New York 91, Minnesota 75 Tuesday, September 29: New York 87, Minnesota 71

Tuesday, Sept. 29: San Diego 8, Chicago 0 Wednesday, Sept. 30: San Diego 4, Chicago 1 DIVISION SERIES (Best-of-5) x-if necessary

American League

(TBS, TruTV, HBO Max)

Cleveland vs. Chicago White Sox

Saturday, Oct. 3: Chicago White Sox (Smith 3-3) at Cleveland (Messick 12-9), 1 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max)

Saturday, Oct. 3: N.Y. Yankees (Cole 10-9) at Tampa Bay (Rasmussen 16-5), 6:30 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) Monday, Oct. 5: N.Y. Yankees (Schlittler 14-6) at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) Wednesday, Oct. 7: Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Thursday, Oct. 8: Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Saturday, Oct. 10: N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max)

National League (FOX, FS1)

L.A. Dodgers vs. Atlanta

Saturday, Oct. 3: Atlanta at L.A. Dodgers, 4 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Sunday, Oct. 4: Atlanta at L.A. Dodgers, 8 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Tuesday, Oct. 6: L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta, 6 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Wednesday, Oct. 7: L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta, 6 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Friday, Oct. 9: Atlanta at L.A. Dodgers, 8 p.m. (FOX/FS1)

Milwaukee vs. San Diego

Saturday, Oct. 3: San Diego at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 16-5), 8:30 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Sunday, Oct. 4: San Diego at Milwaukee (Henderson 11-3), 4 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Tuesday, Oct. 6: Milwaukee at San Diego, 9:30 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Wednesday, Oct. 7: Milwaukee at San Diego, 10 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Friday, Oct. 9: San Diego at Milwaukee, 4:30 p.m. (FOX/FS1)

Late Thursday Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 2

Philadelphia Atlanta ab r h bi ab r h bi Turner ss 3 0 0 1 Baldwin c 4 0 00 Schwrbr dh 3 1 2 0 Acuña rf 3 1 10 Harper rf-1b 4 0 1 0 Olson 1b 3 2 11 Bohm 1b-3b 4 0 1 1 Harris cf 3 1 13 Stott 2b 4 0 0 0 Dubón ss 4 0 00 De La Crz rf 4 0 1 0 Yastrzemski lf 4 0 0 0 Sosa 3b 1 0 0 0 Riley 3b 2 1 00 Marsh ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Albies 2b 3 1 12 Kemp ph 1 0 0 0 Smith dh 3 0 20 Realmuto c 3 0 0 0 Crawford cf 2 0 0 0 Hill ph-cf 1 1 1 0 Totals 31 2 6 2 Totals 29 6 6 6 Philadelphia 000 001 010 — 2 Atlanta 300 200 10x — 6 DP_Philadelphia 1, Atlanta 1. LOB_Philadelphia 5, Atlanta 5. 2B_Harper (1). 3B_Hill (1). HR_Harris (1), Albies (1), Olson (1). SF_Turner (1). IP H R ER BB SO Philadelphia Nola L,0-1 1 2⁄3 2 3 3 2 1 1 Mayza ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Wheeler 4 3 2 2 3 3 Bowlan 1 1 1 1 0 0 Duran 1 0 0 0 0 2 Atlanta Kerr 3 1⁄3 1 0 0 1 2 Holmes W,1-0 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 Suarez ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 Fuentes 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Dodd ⁄3 1 1 1 0 0 Sale 1 1⁄3 1 0 0 0 3 Holmes pitched to 2 batters in the 6th. HBP_Bowlan (Harris). WP_Holmes. ABS Challenge_Acuña (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Fuentes (Ball-Conﬁrmed). Umpires_Home, Mark Ripperger; First, Jordan Baker; Second, Nestor Ceja; Third, Charlie Ramos; Right, Adam Beck; Left, Dan Merzel. T_2:46. A_41,731 (41,149).

Notre Dame defeats Cecilia to stay perfect BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

It’s been a fun football season thus far for the Notre Dame Pios. That tends to happen when you pile up victories the way the Pios have been in the first half of the season. On Thursday, the Pios continued their winning ways as they defeated the Cecilia Bulldogs 24-21 at Gardiner Memorial Stadium. “There’s not enough I can say about our guys,” Pios coach Lew Cook said. “I’m happy for our guys.” At 5-0, the Pios are off to their best start since 2019, when they won their first six games. “What we’ve gone through… I’m just really proud of these guys,” Cook said. “They’ve got a lot of fight.” Against Cecelia, the Pios were led by a rushing attack

that ﬁnished with 260 yards on 42 carries. The ground game was spearheaded by running backs Braxton Meche and Gabe Smith, as well as quarterback Parker Menard. Meche ﬁnished with a team-high 125 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, Menard was second with 60 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Smith chipped in with 53 yards on six carries. “As a quarterback, Parker’s best attribute is his ability to run,” Cook said. “He gives you an extra dimension, and the way Braxton, Will (Lavergne) and Gabe Smith all ran with the football was big. Gabe, last week he was a tight end and (Thursday) he’s a fullback. But that’s what we had to do all week long, mix and match.” Defensively, the Pios were stout for majority of the game, holding the Bulldogs to 224 yards of total offense (139 rushing, 85

passing) through the first three and a half quarters. During that timeframe, the Pios defense kept Bulldogs star and LSU commit Braylon Calais in check. Other than a fumble recovery that he recovered and returned 46 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, Calais had only 84 yards on 13 carries. “You saw what Calais can do,” Cook said. “It doesn’t take but one play and they are back in the game. But to contain him for the most part… The first touchdown they dribbled it and it bounces off the ground, to who? The best guy in the state.” The Pios responded after falling behind 7-0 following Calais’ touchdown, as they outscored the Bulldogs 17-0 behind a 50-yard touchdown run by Meche, a 25yard field goal by Ty Savant and a 43-yard touchdown pass from Menard to Luke Frank for a 17-7

Acadiana shows off RB depth in win BY NICK FONTENOT Contributing writer

Acadiana rolled past New Iberia 56-7 on Thursday, and the lopsided result allowed the Wreckin’ Rams to showcase some roster depth. No position benefited more from the backups being in than the running backs as key contributors have battled a bevy of injuries through the first half of the season. Sy Joseph missed the first two games with an injury. Holden Sam, who had a breakout performance in Week 1, has been sidelined since. And DaShun Lightfoot, the Arkansas State commit, has been less than 100% since Week 1. Acadiana coach Doug Dotson said it’s been difficult to navigate the injury bug, but the Rams’ depth has allowed them to get off to a 4-1 start. “The bug has hit us, no question,” Dotson said. “We worked in the offseason to develop young kids. We didn’t want to get into

the situation we were in last year where we ran out of kids. They’ve taken that next-man-up mentality. They’re all ready. Nobody gets out there wide eyed.” Joesph, who finished Thursday’s game with three firstquarter touchdowns, said his injury was difficult as he watched from the sidelines. “I wanted to be out there,” he said. “I wanted to come back and be there for the team. I think we just have a strong running back group, and we support each other. We make plays for each other.” Lightfoot echoed Joseph’s statements of playing for each other. Lightfoot, who sat out Thursday, said despite not being on the field, he did his part in motivating his teammates. “It’s definitely hard not playing, but I’m here for the guys,” Lightfoot said. “I want to do whatever I have to do to make sure everybody is confident. When someone goes down, we know there is someone else that will be ready.”

Rams quarterback Cohen DiBetta said it’s been fun watching running backs Ashton Fontenot, Ashton Barras and James Brown get ﬁrst-team snaps. DiBetta said even he is getting more opportunities to run lately. “I love running the ball,” DiBetta said. “Our O-Line and our running backs really do a great job, but I like mixing it up. I don’t get too many opportunities, but when I do, I get the yards we need and we can get back to running our offense.” Dotson said having depth is not something that’s handed to you. He credited his team with putting in work in the offseason to get to the point where they have a stable of viable options in the backﬁeld. “Some of those younger guys are showing up,” Dotson said. “Ashton Barras got some good carries tonight. James Brown got some good carries tonight. We think Ashton Fontenot can be a great back for us when we need him to be.”

lead at halftime. Menard finished with 63 yards and a touchdown on 3-of-8 passing. “(Menard) made a heckuva throw right before the half,” Cook said. “When you get a score right before the half, sometimes you look back at that and you go ‘That ends up being the difference in the game.’ ” After a scoreless third quarter, the Pios milked the clock as they took more than six minutes with their drive in the fourth quarter. But their punt attempt was blocked and went out of bounds at the Pios’ 33-yard line. Calais showed off his explosiveness, taking the first play 33 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-14 with 5:41 remaining in the game. Calais finished with a game-high 181 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, while completing 8 of 19 passes for 85 yards and an interception.

Again, the Pios answered with a 2-yard touchdown run by Menard, capping off an impressive eight-play, 71-yard drive that gave Notre Dame a 24-14 lead with 2:20 remaining. However, Calais and the Bulldogs wouldn’t go away as the senior again took the first play for a touchdown, this time a 64-yarder that cut the deficit to 24-21 with 2:05 remaining. But that’s as close as the Bulldogs (3-2) would get, as the Pios successfully recovered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock. “We both made a lot of mistakes,” said Bulldogs coach Cody Champagne, whose team had two turnovers. “We have to look at the film, but we left a lot of points on the board, and I’m sure they did, too. It was a great game, and they do what they do at the end. They make it tough on you.”

YEARS

11 teams. 6 conferences. 1 state.

TODAY•10AM & 10:30AM and also streaming at www.lpb.org/gamenotes

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S at u r d ay, O c t O b e r 3, 2026

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Are we tired, or overly stimulated? A counselor’s advice I’m leaving town today for a self-imposed retreat to help me disconnect, rest and rejuvenate. I try to do this for a few days each year. This year, it has me reflecting on all the things I do while I’m supposedly relaxing. Think about it. We finally get home after a long day, sit down in our favorite chair, turn on the television … and pick up our phone. Apparently, one screen is no longer enough. We watch a show while checking email, scrolling Facebook, answering a text, checking the weather and searching an actor because we’re absolutely certain we’ve seen him in something before. Then we go to bed exhausted and wonder why we can’t sleep. We often say that we’re tired because we’re so busy. And certainly, many of us are. Work, kids, school, appointments, practices, meetings, errands and responsibilities can wear us down. But I’m starting to think some of our exhaustion comes from something else. We’re constantly taking something in. News. Music. Podcasts. Texts. Emails. TikToks. Reels. Notifications. Sports scores. Group chats. Breaking news alerts about things that, if we’re being honest, did not need to be broken to us. Even our downtime has become filled with input. Stand in line at the grocery store for 45 seconds? Phone. Wait at a red light? Phone. Sit in a waiting room? Phone. Walk across a parking lot? Apparently we need entertainment for that now too. We have almost eliminated boredom from our lives. And I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Our brains need periods when nothing particularly interesting is happening. We need moments when there is nothing to respond to, nothing to watch and nothing demanding our attention. Those empty spaces are often where we process our lives. It’s where thoughts settle. Where emotions catch up with us. Where creativity shows up. Where we notice things we’ve been too distracted to notice. And yes, sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Silence has a funny way of introducing us to ourselves. This is especially important for our kids. Many young people have grown up with almost unlimited access to stimulation. The moment boredom appears, there is a device nearby capable of making it disappear. As parents, we sometimes feel responsible for fixing boredom. We’re not. “I’m bored” is not an emergency. In fact, boredom may be one of the few remaining places where imagination, curiosity and creativity get a chance to stretch their legs. We adults probably need some boredom too. Maybe we don’t need another app to help us relax. Maybe we don’t need another podcast about becoming more peaceful. Maybe we don’t need to watch a video explaining the five things peaceful people do before breakfast. Maybe we just need to sit on the porch for a little while. Drink some coffee. Take a walk without headphones. Drive

ä See ADVICE, page 10C

Customers read and work while at Highland Coffees in Baton Rouge.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

HUDDLE UP, CHOW DOWN Students, staffers share picks on where to eat on game day near LSU

BY JAN RISHER Staff writer

Students in a class at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication got one question this week: Where is the best place to eat on game day in Baton Rouge? Hands went up fast, with one answer ending with a solemn “Amen.”

From the students Chimes (3357 Highland Road) — Sophia Martin, an LSU junior, picks Chimes. “It’s really, really close to all the tailgates, and it’s really, really good,” she said. Modesto (3930 Burbank Drive) — Ava Burrell, also a junior at LSU, goes to Modesto because it’s close to campus. Her order is the skillet queso and the birria tacos. Raising Cane’s (3313 Highland Road) — The Cane’s faithful call the original Cane’s “The Mothership.” It’s one of a kind with its original Todd Graves-selected decorations. Lydia Quinn, a junior, kept her choice and reasoning short: “The

PROVIDED PHOTO

Chicken deluxe taco from Barracuda Tacos and Margarita Garden best place to eat on game day is Raising Cane’s. Amen.” Torchy’s Tacos (3658 Nicholson Drive) — Cat Sollenberger, a junior, thinks about the clock on game day. “It’s quick. It’s easy. Tacos come out fast,” she said. Features food writer Maddie Scott seconds the Torchy’s recommendation. “It’s my favorite queso in the city,” she said. “I get that and a Trailer Park taco.” For the uninitiated, a Trailer Park taco comes with fried chicken, green chiles, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar-jack cheese and poblano sauce. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux (3838 Bur-

bank Drive) — Noah Saucier, a senior, says Walk-On’s is always a good bet. The restaurant often has LSU game-day events, and ESPN sometimes sets up there when the network is in town. He orders whatever burger he’s in the mood for. Newsroom staffers recommend the spinach and artichoke dip with chips.

Near-campus per the newsroom Highland Coffees (3350 Highland Road) — Features reporter Joy Holden orders a chai latte, hot or iced. She says the pastries are delicious, and the shop has “great LSU campus vibes.”

ä See GAME DAY, page 10C

Chick O’ Fish opens location in Baton Rouge Chick O’ Fish is opening inside of the former Chicky Sandos building.

STAFF PHOTO BY MADDIE SCOTT

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

CHICK O’ FISH 8121 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge;

A fried ﬁsh chain called Chick Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday O’ Fish just opened its ﬁrst Baton through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rouge location, according to the Sunday business’s social media. After Chicky Sandos closed According to the business’s one of its locations in July, a new business took shape at 8121 website, Chick O’ Fish is a LouFlorida Blvd. It’s called Chick O’ isiana-based chain with 13 locaFish, and it soft opened on Sept. tions across the South, seven 23, equipped with indoor dining ä See FISH, page 10C and a drive-thru.

10C ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Some people call this ‘making conversation’ Dear Miss Manners: I took a new col- dinner, and she said, “You know, Mom bullied both of us.” I was league to lunch. We were having tempted to say, “Well, a nice conversation about bully for Mom.” baseball when he said, What is it with these in“I’ve always felt inferior for being short.” stant confessions? It’s like Huh? I said, “Maybe they are bragging — but you’ll grow up.” about how miserable they Stupid and mean, but are, not how important. Judith what was I supposed to Am I a monster for not Martin wanting to hear all this? say? “Everyone loves MISS you anyway”? How was I If a real friend ﬁnally MANNERS supposed to react? He IS told me a secret about short. Should I have told themselves, that would be him he’s not, but that maybe he different. I would listen and offer should get a better haircut? Kidsympathy. But with these folks, it’s like their problems are their ding. identity. It was like when I ﬁrst met my Are they warning me that I’m sister-in-law’s sister at a family

RELIGION BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Unitarian Church hosts Brass Sunday Service

The Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, 8470 Goodwood Blvd., will host its annual Brass Sunday Service this weekend featuring two performances from the Michael Foster Project. The two morning services will be held at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Those unable to attend in person can watch the 9 a.m. live stream at www.youtube.com/@UnitarianBR. All guests are invited for coffee, snacks, fellowship and classes for all ages between the services.

10:45 a.m. service. “End It Now” is a global initiative focused on raising awareness and advocating for an end to violence, particularly violence against women and children. A meal will follow the service. An afternoon program from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. will feature Kenisha Wooders, MSW, LMSW, and others addressing domestic abuse affecting children and the elderly. The public is encouraged to attend. For more information, email Berean women’s coordinator Irma Martin at bereanbatonrouge@gmail.com.

Berean Seventh-day holds Berean to observe ‘End It Now’ program Holy Communion Faith and Berean Seventh-day Adventist churches will partner for an “End It Now” Emphasis Day on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Berean, 5100 Osborne Ave., Baton Rouge. The Rev. Darriel Hoy, pastor of Faith Seventh-day Adventist Church, will speak during the

Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5100 Osborne Ave., Baton Rouge, will observe Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper) during its 11 a.m. service on Saturday. The Ordinance of Humility (foot washing) will precede the service.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Saturday, Oct. 3, the 276th day of 2026. There are 89 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 3, 1990, West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country. Also on this date: In 1873, Modoc leader Kintpuash was hanged at Fort Klamath, Oregon, after being convicted of his role in the deaths of U.S. negotiators during the Modoc War, a conflict in which his people resisted relocation. Kintpuash was the only Native American leader charged and convicted of a war crime by the U.S. In 1951, the New York Giants captured the National League pennant by a score of 5-4 as Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers, which became known as the “Shot Heard ’Round the World.” In 1974, Frank Robinson became the American League’s first Black manager after he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. In 1993, 18 U.S. service members and hundreds of Somalis were killed in the Battle of Mogadishu — the deadliest battle for U.S. troops since the Vietnam War. The battle inspired the film “Black Hawk Down.” In 1995, the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles found the former football star not guilty of the 1994 killings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. In 2008, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. (Simpson was later sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison; he was granted parole in July 2017 and released in October of that year. He died at age 76 on April 10, 2024, after battling prostate cancer.)

ADVICE

In 2011, an Italian appeals court freed Amanda Knox of Seattle after four years in prison, tossing murder convictions against Knox and an ex-boyfriend in the stabbing of their British roommate, Meredith Kercher. An Italian high court definitively vindicated Knox in 2015, throwing out the convictions once and for all. In 2013, a smugglers’ ship packed with African migrants sank off the coast of a southern Italian island, killing more than 365 people. In 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — the first time in U.S. history a speaker had been ousted from the position. Though McCarthy had the support of many fellow Republicans, several hard-right detractors from his party essentially forced him out. In 2025, Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to four years and two months in prison for transporting people across state lines for sexual encounters, capping a federal case marked by harrowing testimony and a forceful reckoning over one of hip-hop’s most influential figures. Today’s birthdays: Composer Steve Reich is 90. Rock ’n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 85. Musician Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) is 77. Blues musician Keb’ Mo’ is 75. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 75. Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley is 72. Rock drummer Tommy Lee is 64. Actor Clive Owen is 62. Film director Denis Villeneuve is 59. Singer-TV personality Gwen Stefani is 57. Pop singer Kevin Richardson (Backstreet Boys) is 55. Actor Neve Campbell is 53. Actor Lena Headey is 53. Rapper Talib Kweli is 51. Actor Seann William Scott is 50. Actor Tessa Thompson is 43. Actor-singer Ashlee Simpson is 42. Actor Alicia Vikander is 38. Rapper A$AP Rocky is 38. Actor Ayo Edebiri is 31. Actor Noah Schnapp (TV: “Stranger Things”) is 22.

And strangely enough, we might discover that what we’ve been Continued from page 9C calling exhaustion isn’t always a need for more sleep. Sometimes our bodies aren’t somewhere without immediately asking us to stop moving. Our turning something on. Let the dog minds are asking us to stop consniff the same patch of grass for suming. three ridiculous minutes. Do abPetitﬁls is a licensed solutely nothing productive. The world will survive without professional counselor in Youngsville. our attention for a few minutes.

supposed to be especially nice to them, even though they haven’t shown any interest in me? I don’t want to be nasty, I just don’t want to be everyone’s therapist. That old saw “Thank you for sharing” sounds like a put-down, but is that what I need? Gentle reader: “I guess we all have something. But we soldier on, don’t we?” And back to the baseball conversation. Dear Miss Manners: My wife and I enjoy weekly outings to local establishments. We make our rounds, rotating our visits to four or ﬁve different places. To keep costs low, we visit during these businesses’ happy

hours, and we have a rough estimate of what the total expenses will be ahead of time. There is one location we use as a benchmark for comparing prices to other places. There are times when we visit a new location to mix things up. At new places, we find it awkward to politely ask the cost of things. Menus sometimes do not clearly define an item’s price. My wife and I are not the kind to simply order something without knowing the cost first. Without embarrassing ourselves or allowing those around us to overhear our request for the price, how can we (or should

we) ask what a glass of wine or a favorite beer will cost? Gentle reader: When you consider buying an item in a store, are you embarrassed to ask the price before deciding? Miss Manners has always been puzzled when people fail to recognize that restaurants, however splendid, are businesses that sell cooked food. And atmosphere, sure. But they are not coy about charging you, and there is no reason for you to be coy about asking for prices. Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com.

Walking as if one’s on a tightrope Dear Heloise: With so many elderly folks falling and breaking a hip, arm, etc., I’ve started mentioning this idea to lots of my (older) friends, and I’ve gotten very positive feedback. When you’re preparing to walk, put your arms out like you are walking on a tightrope. It provides balance, Hints from especially at night Heloise when it’s difficult to walk steadily. When you get to a door, merely bring your arms around and proceed. This works, and it saves people money and — more importantly — a lot of pain. I hope you can pass this hint on, Heloise! — Burt S., in Lynchburg,Virginia Burt, when I need to walk somewhere at night, I take a small handheld light with me, which are usually sold in hardware stores, some gas stations, or even grocery stores. You could also use the flashlight on your smartphone. If I’m walking my dog in the evening, he has more flashing lights on him than a squad car. I’ve never tried your method, though, and I’ll give it a try whenever I don’t have

my light handy. — Heloise

Cold weather reminder Dear Readers: It’s starting to get rather chilly outside, especially at night, in certain areas of the country. Be sure to bring all your pets indoors on cold days and nights. They feel the cold as much as you do. Also, be sure to give them plenty of water and extra food to help them cope with the cold, especially if they aren’t used to it. Always remember your pet is a family member, too. — Heloise

Updating a will Dear Heloise: My husband and I made out a will about 18 years ago, but I think it’s time we made out a new one. My husband seems to think that just writing out what we want on paper and signing our names is good enough. I disagree. Even if it’s legal (and in my state, I don’t think it is), it won’t stop any ﬁghts over who gets what. — H. and J., in Ohio H. and J., have an attorney do your will. There are probably a hundred different things you never thought about, such as whether you acquired a valuable asset in the past 18 years, if grandchil-

dren were born during this time, if anyone who was mentioned in the original will died, if you want to donate to your favorite charity, and much more. You might want to have a family meeting about this matter, but don’t let anyone talk you out of making a will or make any demands for certain items. Each one gets what you decide to give them. — Heloise

Maine coon cats Dear Heloise: My husband wants to get a Maine coon cat. I know nothing about this breed and worry that it might be aggressive because of its large size. Do you know anything about this breed? — Casey F., in Fairborn, Ohio Casey, Maine coon cats are often called gentle giants, as they’re usually very affectionate and love being played with and petted. They are generally longhaired and need to be brushed frequently. They’re skilled hunters, and if you let them outside, they just might bring you a gift like a dead mouse or a bug. Personally, I’ve always loved this breed. They’re smart, beautiful and great companions. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@heloise. com.

GAME DAY

Continued from page 9C Inga’s Subs & Salads (254 W. Chimes St.) — Sports reporter Reed Darcey says Inga’s is underrated. His pick is the Cuban. Crime reporter Olivia Tees also recommends Inga’s, but her sandwich of choice is one that’s called “The Best.” Umami (3930 Burbank Drive) — Umami is a local favorite sushi spot and, depending on the crowd, can be a great option on game days. Umami’s caterpillar roll is top-notch, and the Umami Salad is a winner. The service is great, and it’s a 20-minute walk to Tiger Stadium.

Farther from campus Cecilia (421 N. 3rd St.) — Deputy features editor Lauren Cheramie is brave enough to go further aﬁeld and head to downtown Baton Rouge to eat on LSU game days. What to get at Cecilia? “Obviously the cornbread,” she said. It’s skillet cornbread with cinnamon and butter. She also recommends the boudin balls over red remoulade sauce and the

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY EMMA DISCHER

Torchy’s Tacos on Nicholson Drive serves up tacos like the Bayou Pirate and the Trailer Park. short ribs, which are served with whipped potatoes and broccolini. Phil’s Oyster Bar and Seafood (4335 Perkins Road) — Phil’s is a Baton Rouge institution and hard to beat for an authentic LSU experience, even though it’s 3 miles from campus. The meatball quesadilla is a winner — meatballs, red gravy, cheddar cheese and fontina in a crispy tortilla. Phil’s salad dressings are homemade and local favorites. The charbroiled oysters are stellar. Rev Coffee (8211 Village Plaza Court, Building 4) — Tees said she starts most game days at Rev. “It’s far enough away from game day,” she said. As kickoff gets closer, she works her way toward campus. Barracuda Taco Stand (2504 Government St.) — Tees orders the steak taco and the ﬁsh taco at Barracuda. The restaurant’s margarita of the month has ginger and guava. “It’s very good actually, and it’s very pretty,” she said, adding that the drink is a bright pink.

STAFF PHOTO BY JAN RISHER

The Chimes’ steak burger comes with grilled mushrooms and onions. The burger with its ground ribeye patty and spicy garlic mayo comes with a plate full of fries.

Food reporter Scott said the burrito has deer, pork and pepper jack cheese and is excellent. The burrito is sold at four or more stands on the upper and lower levels of the east and west sides. Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade is a great cup of fresh-squeezed lemonade, made locally. Off the Hook sells shrimp wraps, PROVIDED PHOTO In the stadium swamp fries, crawfish étouffée, BY CHRISTINA STEPHENS Cajun & Craft inside Tiger Stadium gumbo, boudin balls and hush pupThe skillet cornbread is listed on sells Day’s Smokehouse Game pies. the appetizer menu, but swimming Day’s Deer Burrito. Day’s Smokein maple bourbon glaze, it makes house is a family-owned business Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ founded in Denham Springs. theadvocate.com. for an optional dessert.

FISH

The menu features Southernstyle fried ﬁsh, shrimp and chicken Continued from page 9C in the form of po-boys, salads and baskets. The business also offers burgers and Philly cheesesteaks of which are in the Shreveport as entrees, and for sides, there’s area. There are also locations in coleslaw, red beans and rice, hush Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and puppies, fries and green beans. There are also burgers, fried Alabama.

chicken gizzards, crab cakes, oysters and several dipping sauces such as cocktail sauce, ranch and tartar sauce. The menu offers family meals ranging from 25-piece to 100-piece ﬁsh, shrimp or chicken dinners. Each family dinner also comes with two large sides, rolls and dipping sauces.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● 11C

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zodIAC LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Take time to sort through your thoughts and differences before revealing how you feel or what you plan to do next. Distance yourself from anyone showing aggressive or manipulative behavior. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Do your own thing, and enjoy pursuing your dreams. Educating yourself to ensure you head in the right direction will put your mind at ease and deter interference. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take charge and make things happen. Declutter your space, visit surroundings you find inspiring and engage in pastimes that uplift you. A change of scenery will offer insight into new possibilities. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It's time to rein in what's out of control. Distance yourself from poor influences, and cap your spending. Pay more attention to how you use your skills and experience. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Don't let anger precede common sense. Choose kind words and get along. Gather information, and make moves that are smart, articulate and send a subtle message. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) It's how you handle yourself, others and your money that matter. Don't offer to pay for someone else's mistakes. Be a good listener and offer solutions, but don't do the work for someone who needs to learn a lesson. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) What you perceive when dealing with partners and

organizations that are giving back will encourage you to take a greater interest in community, family and regulating how you spend your time. TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Put an emphasis on honest conversations that resolve issues before they turn into arguments. Don't let stubbornness lead you down a lonely path. Choose your words wisely. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Plan your schedule around the activities and people you enjoy. Conversations and challenges will offer unique alternatives to ponder over. A change is imminent. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Entertainment will cost you more than anticipated. Joint ventures will cause a rift between you and your partner. Choose quiet moments, romance and activities that lead to personal growth. LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) You can be forthright without being nasty. Your highest return will come from being honest and empathetic. Show how much you care and how sincere you are. Put your energy into finding solutions. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) If you mix business with pleasure, you'll feel good about what you accomplish. If you use your charm and intelligence, you'll motivate others to see things your way. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

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12C ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday. Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● 13C

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Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Jennifer Hudson, an actress and singer, said, “Extreme exercise doesn’t save you from poor food choices.” All week we have been looking at deals in which the declarer or a defender wanted to make good play choices to maximize the chance of making or breaking a contract. Today’s deal seems to be another — but is it? Look at the North and East hands. After South opens one spade, he ends in four spades. West leads the heart ace, under which East encourages with his nine — always signal as high as possible. West cashes his heart king and plays his third heart. What should East do after winning with his queen? South, with such a weak six-card suit, might have raised to three clubs, but four spades would still have been the final contract. It was hard — impossible? — to stop in three no-trump, which cannot be defeated. It is tempting for East to shift to a club at trick four. However, if East does that, South wins the trick, draws trumps and claims. East should pause and count up the high-card points. He has seven, there are 13 in the dummy, and West has already produced seven. That leaves 13 unaccounted for, but since South opened the bidding, surely he has the club ace-king, diamond ace and spade queen. So, from where might a fourth defensive trick

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come? If the defenders have taken every possible side-suit trick, they must try for a trump trick. Then, giving a ruff-and-sluff cannot cost and might gain. East must lead his last heart. When West ruffs with his spade nine, it effects an uppercut, generating a spade trick for East. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

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Previous answers:

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word game InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAy’s WoRD — PATRIcIAn: puh-TRIH-shun: A person of high birth; aristocrat.

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Average mark 24 words Time limit 55 minutes Can you find 41 or more words in PATRICIAN? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — MATRons manor mart mason mast matron moan moat morn most arms arson

atom tarn taro torn tram trans transom tsar ransom rant roam

roan roast roman oast norm santo smart snort soar sonar sora

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loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 Jesus can give you the life that is filled with purpose. G.E. Dean

14C ● Saturday, October 3, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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