The ongoing budget crisis in Louisiana will negatively affect higher education in the state if a series of tax increases proposed by new Governor John Bel Edwards are not approved by the state legislature.

And as a result of the potential cuts to higher education that Edwards laid out in a statewide address Thursday night, college football would also be threatened.

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

He said new revenue was needed to prevent universities from running out of money before the semester ends. LSU, the state's wealthiest higher education institution, would only be able to pay its bills through April 30, unless some tax increases went into place.

The governor went so far as to say that LSU football was also in jeopardy, due to a threatened suspension of spring classes that would put college athletes' eligibility in danger next year. He said the state would no longer be able to afford one of its most popular programs with middle class residents -- the TOPS college scholarship -- without tax hikes.

"Student athletes across the state would be ineligible to play next semester," Edwards said. "I don't say this to scare you. But I am going to be honest with you."

ICYMI: full video of Governor John Bel Edwards quote of the future of college football in Louisiana. pic.twitter.com/G42INObiBz — Kelsey Wingert (@KelsWingert) February 12, 2016

In his speech, Edwards said the state’s budget deficit has reached $940 million – a huge mountain to climb by the time the fiscal year ends on June 30.

“As I sit here with you tonight, we now have a more than $940 million budget deficit for this current fiscal year, ending June 30. In the year that starts July 1, we are facing a $2 billion budget deficit,” Edwards said. “And because the Louisiana Constitution does not allow us to fix either of these budget deficits in the regular legislative session this year, we have just three weeks, starting this Sunday, to make the changes we need.”

In addition to higher education, other “vital state services,” like the health care system, “will face unimaginable cuts,” Edwards said.

“These are not scare tactics. This is reality – an unstable state budget will not only hurt children and working families in our state, it will devastate communities, businesses and local government as well,” Edwards said.

For more LSU news, visit TigerBait.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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