BRETT MARTEL Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - An aerial overall exterior general view of Caesars Superdome and the Smoothie King Center with the New Orleans skyline in the background is seen after an NFL preseason football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman, file)

New Orleans to host the 2027-28 college football national championship, AP source says

September 29, 2025

A person familiar with the decision says New Orleans has been awarded the college football national championship game for the 2027 season. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because a formal announcement involving Gov. Jeff Landry is not scheduled until Wednesday. The game will be held in the Superdome on Jan. 24, 2028. The last title game held in the dome was in January 2020 when LSU defeated Clemson. Miami is the host city for this season’s national title game. The College Football Playoff for the 2026 season will end in Las Vegas.

Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) evades a tackle attempt by LSU linebacker Whit Weeks (40) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Chambliss’ 385 scrimmage yards propels No. 13 Mississippi past No. 4 LSU, 24-19

September 27, 2025

Trinidad Chambliss passed for 314 yards and a touchdown and No. 13 Ole Miss defeated No. 4 LSU 24-19. Kewan Lacy ran for a 15-yard touchdown and former LSU running back Logan Diggs added a 6-yard scoring run for Ole Miss. which outgained the Tigers 480 yards to 254 while improving to 5-0. LSU played without top running back Caden Durham and gained just 57 yards on the ground. That placed added pressure on LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, but also was intercepted once as the Tigers fell to 4-1.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) carries against Florida Jaiden Braker in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

No. 3 LSU intercepts 5 of Florida QB DJ Lagway’s passes in the Tigers’ 20-10 victory

September 13, 2025

Garrett Nussmeier threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Dashawn Spears returned one of his first two career interceptions 58 yards for a touchdown and No. 3 LSU beat Florida 20-10 on Saturday night. After the ejection of LSU preseason AP All-America linebacker Whit Weeks for a targeting penalty in the game’s opening minutes, the Tigers (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) intercepted five of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s passes and sacked him three times. Lagway’s career high in interceptions came in what was widely seen as a pivotal bounce-back game for the Gators (1-2, 0-1) and fourth-year coach Billy Napier after a surprising home loss to South Florida a week earlier.

Why some football coaches are ditching college jobs for the NFL

September 9, 2025

Recent changes in college football are prompting some long-time college coaches to more eagerly pursue NFL opportunities. One of them is Saints first-year defensive backs coach Terry Joseph, who says he loved working in college football for most of the past 19 years. But he left the Texas Longhorns because of how recruiting had changed since recent rule changes liberalizing player movement and payments. Joseph and other long-time college coaches say those changes have largely ended the days when lifelong relationships could be built out of years of mentoring and developing players. They say college coaches now constantly must monitor whether players they’d successfully recruited previously are looking to leave for better financial or playing-time opportunities.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half of an NFL preseason football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Rattler rallies Saints to 17-all preseason tie with Jaguars as competition with Shough continues

August 17, 2025

Spencer Rattler connected with Dante Pettis for a 20-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left and scrambled for a 2-point conversion to help the New Orleans Saints salvage a 17-17 tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars in a preseason game. Rattler passed for 199 yards with an interception after relieving Tyler Shough, who played the first half and threw for 66 yards without a turnover. He led the Saints to one field goal as he continues to battle with Rattler for the starting job. Starting QB Trevor Lawrence played two series for the Jaguars and threw a TD pass.

New Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff, a transfer from BYU, shows off the Star of David on his necklace after football practice at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Brett Martel)

Jake Retzlaff still loves BYU but expresses faith in his fresh start at Tulane

August 1, 2025

Jake Retzlaff says he still loves BYU but expressed faith in his decision to start fresh at Tulane. Retzlaff is trying to move past recent reputational harm in Utah, learn a new offense and outperform three other transfer QBs at Tulane. Retzlaff led BYU to an 11-2 record last season but recently withdrew while reportedly facing a suspension for violating the university’s honor code. He’d been named in a now-dismissed civil sexual assault lawsuit. Retzlaff declined to discuss the lawsuit or discipline he faced at BYU.

FILE - Milwaukee Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. (44) and Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) in action during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Washington, Nov. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Pelicans trade McCollum and Olynyk to the Wizards for Poole and Bey, AP source says

June 24, 2025

The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade veteran guard CJ McCollum, center Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for guard Jordan Poole, wing Saddiq Bey and the 40th overall pick in the second round of the NBA draft, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the trade hasn’t been announced. The Wizards will gain a ton of financial freedom in the deal, which they can use going forward to continue their rebuild. The Pelicans also are rebuilding under newly hired basketball operations chief Joe Dumars.

BRETT MARTEL Sports Writer.