LSU Sports Insider

The LSU women's basketball team beat Kentucky 65-58 on Sunday, notching another tight win against a top 25 team in what's been a fabulous 27-2 season. It was also coach Kim Mulkey's 750th career victory as a head coach. What is it about Mulkey — and specifically about this LSU team — in close games? The Tigers are now 7-1 in games decided by seven points or less, and they continue to find ways to...

The LSU Sports Insider is back with an inside look at the SEC and Big Ten meetings in New Orleans this week. What exactly do the big-time conferences want when it comes to College Football Playoff expansion? Why four auto-bids? And if the other conferences don't go along, can the SEC and Big Ten force this through? Our Insiders — Advocate columnist Scott Rabalais and LSU football beat writer Wilso...

It was very nearly a perfect weekend for LSU athletics, which saw top-10 teams in gymnastics, baseball and softball all go unbeaten, including the gymnastics team's seismic victory over No. 1 Oklahoma. Even the men's basketball team got in on the act, rallying late for a road win. The only stone in the shoe was the women's basketball team, which had a second-half lead at No. 3 Texas but couldn't h...

Advocate beat writer Koki Riley is back along with sports columnist Scott Rabalais to finish a comprehensive preview of the upcoming LSU baseball season.  In the last preview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3afboHn7kTw), we discussed the LSU roster and where it's strongest and weakest. This time, it's a look at the schedule and what expectations should be for the Tigers, who are ranked No. 2 or N...

The LSU women's basketball team won another nail-biter on Sunday, downing Tennessee 82-77 in a game that featured six lead changes and was close throughout. The Tigers are now 25-1 overall and 10-1 in SEC play with a massive trip to No. 3 Texas coming up next. We break down how LSU keeps finding a way, the matchup with the Longhorns and what the Tigers' path to a No. 1 seed looks like with Advocat...

As the LSU baseball team prepares for its 2025 season opener next week, Advocate beat writer Koki Riley joins host Zach Ewing for Part 1 of a two-part season preview. In this episode, Koki breaks down the roster from starting rotation to bullpen to lineup, taking a look at returners and newcomers for a team that Baseball America has ranked No. 2 in the country in its preseason poll. Will Kade Ande...

Many pundits have revealed "way too early" college football top 25s for 2025 that include LSU prominently — as high as No. 4. Is that too high? And how much does it ratchet up the pressure on Brian Kelly, Garrett Nussmeier and the Tigers? Our LSU Sports Insiders — Advocate beat writer Wilson Alexander, columnist Scott Rabalais and editor Zach Ewing — break down the issue. In addition, we'll take a...

After a battle at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday, the LSU men's basketball team turns around and must face No. 1 Auburn at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Wednesday night. It's a big week at the PMAC, as the next night, the No. 7 LSU women's team faces No. 13 Oklahoma. Our LSU Sports Insiders — Advocate beat writers Reed Darcey and Toyloy Brown with editor Zach Ewing — break down the matchups, the...

The LSU women's basketball team stayed perfect on the season with a victory at Florida on Sunday. Now comes the tallest task of all, a trip to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks, who have handed the Tigers four of their 10 losses over the previous three seasons. What are the keys to the matchup, and what does this one mean to LSU? Advocate women's basketball beat writer Reed Darcey joins host Za...

While Brian Kelly's LSU football team has failed to reach the College Football Playoff in his three years in Baton Rouge, his old school — Notre Dame — will play Ohio State in the national championship game Monday night in Atlanta. Is that development an indictment of Kelly? Does it put more even pressure on him? Or should he be credited with planting the seeds for Notre Dame's success? Our LSU Sp...

The LSU Sports Insider welcomes a special guest for today's show: LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson, who gives us insight on the 2025 Tigers, who are about to begin practice with a preseason No. 2 ranking and championship aspirations. • Who are the newcomers to keep an eye on? • How does Johnson feel about this team compared to years past? • New-look pitching staff • Position battles at catcher, thir...

Ordinarily, an 0-2 start to SEC play would be no more than a mild irritation for LSU's men's basketball team. But given the strength of the conference this season and a schedule with the stronger teams still to come, the Tigers may be in for a difficult road. Advocate men's basketball beat writer Toyloy Brown joins the show to talk about the path forward and how LSU can turn it around. Also, Adovc...

The LSU women's basketball team has checked the first two boxes of SEC play, routing Arkansas and holding off Auburn. Now comes the Tigers' toughest test yet, a trip to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Lady Vols in a game between two top-15 teams. What can we take away from LSU's 2-0 start in the SEC? Where will Tennessee challenge the Tigers? And why was the Kim Mulkey Lookalike Contest so great?...

The LSU women's basketball team opens SEC play Thursday at Arkansas, and the men's team does the same a couple of days later at home against Vanderbilt. The SEC is loaded on both sides, so our LSU Sports Insiders — Advocate beat writers Reed Darcey and Toyloy Brown and editor Zach Ewing — break down what we learned in non-conference play, what LSU's teams need to do better in conference and how we...

The LSU football team concludes its 2024 season on New Year's Eve with a Texas Bowl matchup against Baylor. Our LSU Sports Insider crew of Advocate beat writer Wilson Alexander, columnist Scott Rabalais and editor Zach Ewing break down the matchup between the Tigers and Bears, including new weapons for LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, a new-look defense and a surging Baylor team. We finish off w...

The LSU football team has made another seven additions via the transfer portal in the past week, including Florida State edge rusher Patrick Payton, Oklahoma wide receiver Nic Anderson and Virginia Tech defensive back Mansoor Delane. Our LSU football beat writer at The Advocate, Wilson Alexander, breaks down the new additions, why they can make a big impact on the 2025 team and gives his list for...

In today's episode of the LSU Sports Insider, our experts from The Advocate provide an LSU gymnastics season preview. The Tigers won the national championship last year and returned Monday with their "Gymnastics 101" exhibition. Advocate columnist Scott Rabalais and editor Zach Ewing cover it all: returning stars Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan, injured phenom Konnor McClain, newcomers like Kait...

It hasn't taken Brian Kelly and staff long to make an impact in the transfer portal. LSU has landed starting-caliber players at five (and live during the recording, make it six!) positions. Our Advocate LSU beat writers, Wilson Alexander and Koki Riley, join host Zach Ewing to discuss the additions, which might have the biggest impact and what else the Tigers are still searching for in the transfe...

A month into basketball season, LSU women's basketball team is unbeaten and ranked No. 4 in the country. More surprising, the men's team is 8-1 and looks like a strong contender for an NCAA tournament berth. Advocate beat writers Reed Darcey and Toyloy Brown III break down the teams' hot starts, what's gone right and what could still be improved, with editor and host Zach Ewing in this episode of...

LSU starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier announced Wednesday evening that he's returning to Baton Rouge for his final season of eligibility. Advocate beat writer Wilson Alexander and editor Zach Ewing break down the decision, where Nussmeier can grow in his final season with the Tigers and how LSU moves forward with its offseason. #lsu #geauxtigers #lsutigers #collegefootball

The college football transfer portal officially opened Monday morning, and LSU plans to be more active than in the past several years. What exactly are Brian Kelly and the Tigers looking for? And what might they lose off of their roster? Our LSU Sports Insider crew breaks it down and also offers thoughts on the Texas Bowl matchup with Baylor and the College Football Playoff selection. #lsu #geauxt...

Brian Kelly and the LSU football team had plenty of good things happen on signing day — three new 5-star recruits, the top player in Louisiana, a late flip on the offensive line — so why is everyone so angry? Start with who they missed out on and why the coach is complaining about NIL dollars. Our LSU Sports Insiders — Advocate beat writer Koki Riley and editor Zach Ewing — break down the situatio...

Get ready for college football National Signing Day at LSU with our preview. Advocate beat writers Wilson Alexander and Koki Riley and editor Zach Ewing break down who's expected to sign with the Tigers, why the class is still worth celebrating despite the loss of Bryce Underwood to Michigan and other big questions. We break down: • What type of player LSU is getting in top-rated cornerback D.J. P...

LSU football coach Brian Kelly said after the Oklahoma game that he expected several "key players" to return for the 2025 season. Who could he have meant? Top of the list is quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, but there are several other potential candidates. Our LSU Sports Insider crew of Wilson Alexander, Koki Riley and Zach Ewing go through the candidates and the likelihood that they return? Besides...

Extra-large Thanksgiving meals? Try an extra-large podcast, with the LSU Sports Insiders — Advocate beat writers Wilson Alexander and Koki Riley and editor Zach Ewing — recapping LSU's victory over Vanderbilt and looking forward to their regular-season finale against Oklahoma this weekend. Also included in this episode: • Thanksgiving dinner — how to cook the turkey, favorite side dishes and Zach'...