ATHENS, Ga. -- There has been a lot of talk about an early season scare from Nicholls as Georgia has prepared for this weeks visit from Louisiana-Lafayette.Georgia held on late for a 26-24 win over Nicholls on Sept. 10. It was a shaky win that gave first indications of struggles to come against Southeastern Conference opponents.This is a dangerous week for Georgia, which is coming off last weeks 13-7 win over then-No. 8 Auburn and plays state rival Georgia Tech next week. Linebacker Lorenzo Carter says the Bulldogs learned an important lesson against Nicholls.Definitely. Its still sitting there in the back of our heads, Carter said. That game was really close and Nicholls played a great game. Weve got to come out here and weve got to be sharp on everything.Georgia (6-4) held Auburn without a first down in the second half. The Bulldogs have won two straight, and a win over the Ragin Cajuns would keep alive the chance for a strong finish under first-year coach Kirby Smart.Louisiana-Lafayette also is coming off an impressive defensive performance in the state of Georgia.The Ragin Cajuns (4-5) held Georgia Southern, the top rushing team in the Sun Belt Conference, to only 52 yards rushing in last weeks 33-26 win in Statesboro, Georgia.Louisiana-Lafayette coach Mark Hudspeth said his defense played hard and played physical. He was equally happy his offense had its highest-scoring game since a 41-39 loss at Tulane on Sept. 24.We made some big plays and that was something our offensive had been lacking, Hudspeth said.Georgia cornerback Maurice Smith already has played against Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Anthony Jennings, a transfer from Louisiana State.Hes athletic and mobile, said Smith, the Alabama transfer. He can throw the ball as well as run it. Hes decisive when he stays in the pocket but he can also scramble and make plays that way.----Some other things to watch when Louisiana-Lafayette visits Georgia:VERSATILE RILES: Al Riles, who leads Louisiana-Lafayette with 44 catches for 513 yards, threw a 48-yard touchdown pass on a trick play and had five catches for 81 yards in the win over Georgia Southern. He was all over the field, Hudspeth said. It was great to see him contribute so many different ways. Hes a really gd athlete. Hes been a big contributor already this year but did a little bit more.NEW LK: For the first time since the 2008 season, the Bulldogs will wear black jerseys instead of their normal red home jerseys. Georgia also is encouraging fans to wear black to the game.SNAP IT TO ME: Redshirt freshman Dion Ray, who scored on a 16-yard run, was one of four players to play quarterback last week for the Ragin Cajuns, thanks to wildcat plays. Ray impressed Hudspeth, even though he didnt attempt a pass, which could lead to more time against Georgia. I was really pleased not just with his performance but how he just handled himself getting his really first true action at quarterback, Hudspeth said. I thought he was just control of the offense, managed the game and he tk care of the ftball and made some big plays when he got the opportunity.KNOCK ON WD: Smart was rapping his knuckles against the wden podium even before a reporter could finish his question about freshman quarterback Jacob Easons streak of four games without an interception. Easons last interception came against South Carolina on Oct. 9. Overall, he has 11 touchdown passes with only five interceptions. He has done a gd job at that, Smart said. ... He hasnt had a whole lot of bone-headed plays.THIN AT RECEIVER: Georgia receivers Michael Chigbu, Reggie Davis and Jayson Stanley could miss the game with injuries. Chigbu hurt his knee against Auburn and Davis missed the game with a shoulder injury. Georgia also could hold out offensive guard Isaiah Wynn (sprained knee) and linebacker Natrez Patrick (shoulder).---More AP college ftball: tball.ap.org" target="_blank">www.collegeftball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. C.J. McCollum Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Clyde-Drexler-Blazers-Jersey/ . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Brandon Roy Blazers Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Zach Collins Blazers Jersey . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. GENEVA -- The richest clubs and biggest leagues in Europe are set to tighten their grip on the Champions Leagues future format and prize money this week.A deal being prepared by UEFA should end threats by some elite clubs to break away and form a closed European Super League before 2021.However, it could ensure that more guaranteed places in the 32-team group stage and bigger shares of billion-dollar prize money each season will go to teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus from the four highest-ranked national leagues.In the hours before the group-stage draw on Thursday, a series of meetings with clubs and UEFA executive committee members in Monaco is expected to agree changes to entry slots for the 2018-2021 seasons.UEFA and the influential European Club Association declined to comment on reports that the top leagues -- in Spain, Germany, England and Italy -- will each get four direct entries into the groups.In a statement to The Associated Press, UEFA said only that it expects to announce the evolution of the Champions League at a news conference on Friday.Italian clubs are lking to be the big winner. Serie A would offer four direct entries to the group stage, compared to two in the current three-season commercial cycle which expires in 2018.Spain, England and Germany would also benefit by ending the risk of its fourth-placed club losing in the playoff round each August. Advancing through the playoffs is worth tens of millions of euros (dollars) as UEFA will share 1.3 billion euros ($1.47 billion) among the 32 group-stage clubs this season.Italy has a dire recent record in playoffs. Serie A sends its third-placed team to the final qualifying stage and only AC Milan in 2014 has advanced in the past six seasons.Changing the Champions League format is possible only every three years. It must be agreed before UEFAs retained marketing agency can sell Champions League and Europa League rights to broadcasters and sponsors for the next cycle.The debate this year has been intense with clubs seeming to take advantage of a UEFA leadership gap since outgoing president Michel Platini was suspended by FIFA last year.It should be resolved ahead of a Champions League draw missing recent winners Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan and Inter Milan. They all failed to qualify, but would expect to join an American-style closed European league where the likes of surprise English champion Leicester would not automatically appeal to most broadcasters.Options favorable to the most influential clubs includedd more entries for the top leagues, bigger shares of the prize fund, protected places for storied clubs with a global fan base, and playing matches on Saturdays rather than midweek to appeal to Asian and American audiences.ddddddddddddOutside Europe, viewers are judged to want more games between high-profile teams.The deal now reportedly on UEFAs table gives clubs some concessions, while keeping Platinis vision for the worlds most prestigious club competition.Platini, who played in the 1980s-era European Cup when only national champions were in a pure knockout bracket, had worked to protect entries for more teams from middle-ranking countries.This season, Bruges, Basel and Besiktas -- title winners in Belgium, Switzerland and Turkey -- are among 22 teams with direct group-stage entry. It is unclear how those places could be squeezed if the big-four leagues get 16 guaranteed slots instead of 11 at present.Basel president Bernhard Heusler declined to comment to The AP ahead of attending Thursdays meeting of the UEFA club competitions committee.UEFA acknowledged the next format is being agreed sner than expected. A deadline of Decembers meeting of the UEFA executive committee was set after tense meetings in Milan on May 28, ahead of the Champions League final.The new timetable should see the tournaments immediate future settled before the UEFA presidential vote on Sept. 14 to replace Platini.The election front-runner, Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia, has won public support from countries like Denmark and Sweden, whose title-holders regularly qualify for Champions League groups but are not seen as commercially attractive.Some club leaders, including Juventus president Andrea Agnelli, say the Champions League is undervalued despite UEFA raising 2.24 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in annual commercial revenue for the Champions League and Europa League combined in the 2015-2018 cycle.That gives a 12 million euro ($13.6 million) basic fee to each team in the Champions League groups. The top earner can get around 100 million euros ($113 million) from UEFA when results bonuses and TV rights shares are added.Still, that is barely more than the English Premier League pays its last-place team from TV money, and the top European clubs want a bigger share of Champions League money from the next deal.That deal could be struck, fittingly, on Thursday in a five-star hotel in Monte Carlo. ' ' '