Tiger Stadium (LSU)
Encyclopedia
Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University
football team
.
Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924. Renovations and expansions have brought the stadium's current seating capacity
to 92,542, making it the tenth largest stadium in the NCAA and the seventeenth largest stadium in the world. When filled to capacity, Tiger Stadium ranks as the sixth largest "city" by population in the state of Louisiana
.
Despite being 14–2 at Tiger Stadium, famed Alabama head coach Bear Bryant
once remarked that "Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum." In 2001, ESPN sideline reporter Adrian Karsten
said, "Death Valley in Baton Rouge is the loudest stadium I've ever been in." In 2002, Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner
said of Tiger Stadium, "That's as exciting an environment as you can have ... we had communication problems we haven't had at Michigan and Ohio State." In 2003, ESPN's Chris Fowler
called LSU his favorite game day experience. In 2009 former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee stated on the Fox news with Sean Hannity show, "Unfair is playing LSU on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge."
Survey after survey has concluded that Tiger Stadium is the most difficult place for a visiting team to play, including surveys by the College Football Association in 1987, The Sporting News
in 1989, Gannett News Service in 1995, and Sport Magazine in 1998. More recently, in 2007, ESPN named Tiger Stadium "the scariest place to play," saying that "Tiger Stadium is, by far, the loudest stadium in the country."
In 2009, ESPN writer Chris Low listed Tiger Stadium's Saturday night atmosphere as unsurpassed in the country, ranking it No. 1 out of the conference's 12 stadiums.
, behind Neyland Stadium
at Tennessee
, Bryant-Denny Stadium
at the University of Alabama
, and Sanford Stadium
at Georgia
.
When the stadium opened in 1924, the seating capacity was 12,000, with grandstands on both sides of the playing field. In 1931, 10,000 seats were added to the existing grandstands.
In 1936 capacity was more than doubled to 46,000 when the north end zone was enclosed with a 24,000-seat addition. Money was not allocated in the state budget for the seating expansion, but money was allocated for dormitories. To bypass the legislature and increase his beloved school's stadium capacity, Governor Huey P. Long ordered that dormitories be built in the stadium, with seating above the student living quarters. Until the early 1990s, the West, North and South Stadium dormitories were featured as part of student housing at LSU. The dormitories were later converted to office space for Athletic Department staff and faculty and studios for the College of Art + Design's Fine Arts graduate students.
The horseshoe was eliminated in 1953 by the addition of the south grandstands increasing capacity to 67,720. Unlike the existing stadium structure, they were double-decked in order to fit within the space provided. The first of the two upper decks was added to the west side of the stadium in 1978 to bring capacity to approximately 78,000.
The stadium was upgraded multiple times in the 1980s beginning with replacement of bench seats with chair back seats and waterproofing of the east and west stands in 1985. The playing surface was moved eleven feet to the south to center the field in 1986. The north and south ends of the stadium were waterproofed and chair back seats added in 1987 to bring those sections up to date with the 1985 improvements. Also in 1987 the press box was redecorated, a few more seats were installed at the upper portion of the west lower stands, and all seating within the stadium was renumbered using a uniform seat-width. By the end of the 1980s the stadium held 80,150 spectators.
The official capacity of the stadium was lowered to 80,000 in 1994 when a section of seating was removed for renovations to the visiting team locker room. The east upper deck seating 11,600 was completed in 2000 and brought total capacity to 91,600. The west upper deck was torn down at the end of the 2004 season, and construction began on "The Stadium Club." The new suites contain over 3,200 special amenity seats as a well as a state-of-the-art press box. The "Paul Manasseh Press Box" has been named for and dedicated to the memory of the long-time and popular sports information director. Construction on this addition was scheduled to be completed by the beginning of September 2005, but delayed due to Hurricane Katrina
. Construction was completed for the 2006 season, bringing the stadium's capacity to its current official capacity of 92,400.
During construction on the west side, a then-record-breaking crowd of 92,664 fans packed Tiger Stadium in a game against Auburn
on October 22, 2005, as LSU defeated Auburn in overtime 20-17. On October 6, 2007 a new record was recorded when 92,910 fans watched as the #1 ranked Tigers defeated the #9 Florida Gators
28-24. A record-breaking attendance of 93,039 was again set on November 8, 2008 when #1 Alabama defeated #16 LSU in overtime 27-21. The record was breached yet again on October 10, 2009 when the #1 ranked Florida Gators
came in to Tiger Stadium and defeated #4 LSU 13-3. The attendance was 93,129.
" against Auburn in 1988. LSU won the game, 7-6, when quarterback
Tommy Hodson
completed a game-winning touchdown
pass to running back
Eddie Fuller in the waning seconds of the game. The crowd reaction registered as a legitimate earthquake on the seismograph in the Louisiana Geological Survey office on campus.
Other famous moments:
Tiger Stadium first opened its gates to fans in the fall of 1924 as LSU hosted Tulane in the season finale. Since the first game in Tiger Stadium, LSU has gone on to post a 354-138-18 (.716) mark in Death Valley. Moreover, Tiger Stadium is also known for night games, an idea that was first introduced in 1931 against Spring Hill
(a 35-0 LSU victory). In 2006, LSU celebrated its 75th year of playing night football in Tiger Stadium. LSU has played the majority of its games at night and the Tigers have fared much better under the lights than during the day. Since 1960, LSU is 201–59–3 (.773) at night in Tiger Stadium compared to a 20–22–3 (.476) record during the day over that span. LSU lost its first Saturday night game since 2002 against Florida on Saturday October 10, 2009.
Tiger Stadium at LSU served as a temporary relocation site for the New Orleans Saints
for four games of the 2005 NFL season
after Hurricane Katrina
damaged the Superdome
and left much of New Orleans
under water. The Saints, however, utilized only 79,000 of Tiger Stadium's seats (the new west side upper deck, which was still under construction, was closed for Saints games). The Saints' first two games in Baton Rouge came on the Sunday immediately following an LSU home game, meaning field crews had to repaint the field to NFL standards immediately following the completion of LSU's games, both of which kicked off at 7 p.m. Due to the time crunch, the NFL granted LSU's request to start the Saints' games in the late slot (3:05 p.m. CST).
The Saints went 0-4 in Tiger Stadium. The first game saw the triumphant return of Nick Saban
, who led LSU to the national championship two years earlier. Saban's Miami Dolphins
defeated the Saints 21-6. The Saints subsequently lost to the Chicago Bears
(20-17), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(10-3) and Carolina Panthers
(27-10).
Although none of the Saints' four Baton Rouge dates came close to selling out, the NFL exempted the Saints from the league's blackout rules following Katrina, and the games were televised locally by WAFB
and WGMB
.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
football team
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
.
Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924. Renovations and expansions have brought the stadium's current seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
to 92,542, making it the tenth largest stadium in the NCAA and the seventeenth largest stadium in the world. When filled to capacity, Tiger Stadium ranks as the sixth largest "city" by population in the state of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Testimonials
Tiger Stadium is well known nationally for having among the best game day atmospheres in college football as well as being one of the most difficult places for an opposing team to play. In the 1980's, a reporter called Tiger Stadium "DEAF Valley," as a play on words relating to Clemson's "Death Valley," which was coined such in the 1940's by an opposing coach.Despite being 14–2 at Tiger Stadium, famed Alabama head coach Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
once remarked that "Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum." In 2001, ESPN sideline reporter Adrian Karsten
Adrian Karsten
Adrian Karsten was a college football sideline reporter for ESPN known for wearing his trademark suspenders. He attended Northwestern University and graduated in 1982...
said, "Death Valley in Baton Rouge is the loudest stadium I've ever been in." In 2002, Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner was an American college football coach who served as head coach of the Miami RedHawks from 1999 to 2004 and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2005 to 2006...
said of Tiger Stadium, "That's as exciting an environment as you can have ... we had communication problems we haven't had at Michigan and Ohio State." In 2003, ESPN's Chris Fowler
Chris Fowler
Chris Fowler is a sports broadcaster for ESPN known best for his work on College GameDay for college football. Since 1989, Fowler has been the primary studio host for college football. Until 2006, he was also the lead studio host for men's college basketball on ESPN...
called LSU his favorite game day experience. In 2009 former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee stated on the Fox news with Sean Hannity show, "Unfair is playing LSU on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge."
Survey after survey has concluded that Tiger Stadium is the most difficult place for a visiting team to play, including surveys by the College Football Association in 1987, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
in 1989, Gannett News Service in 1995, and Sport Magazine in 1998. More recently, in 2007, ESPN named Tiger Stadium "the scariest place to play," saying that "Tiger Stadium is, by far, the loudest stadium in the country."
In 2009, ESPN writer Chris Low listed Tiger Stadium's Saturday night atmosphere as unsurpassed in the country, ranking it No. 1 out of the conference's 12 stadiums.
Construction and seating capacity
With an official seating capacity of 92,542, Tiger Stadium is the sixteenth largest stadium in the world by capacity. It is the tenth largest stadium in the NCAA and the fourth largest in the Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
, behind Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
at Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant–Denny Stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team. The stadium opened in 1929, and was originally named Denny Stadium, in honor of former Alabama president George Hutchenson Denny...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, and Sanford Stadium
Sanford Stadium
Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States. The 92,746-seat stadium is the seventh largest stadium in the NCAA. Architecturally, the stadium is known for the fact that its numerous expansions over the years have been...
at Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
.
When the stadium opened in 1924, the seating capacity was 12,000, with grandstands on both sides of the playing field. In 1931, 10,000 seats were added to the existing grandstands.
In 1936 capacity was more than doubled to 46,000 when the north end zone was enclosed with a 24,000-seat addition. Money was not allocated in the state budget for the seating expansion, but money was allocated for dormitories. To bypass the legislature and increase his beloved school's stadium capacity, Governor Huey P. Long ordered that dormitories be built in the stadium, with seating above the student living quarters. Until the early 1990s, the West, North and South Stadium dormitories were featured as part of student housing at LSU. The dormitories were later converted to office space for Athletic Department staff and faculty and studios for the College of Art + Design's Fine Arts graduate students.
The horseshoe was eliminated in 1953 by the addition of the south grandstands increasing capacity to 67,720. Unlike the existing stadium structure, they were double-decked in order to fit within the space provided. The first of the two upper decks was added to the west side of the stadium in 1978 to bring capacity to approximately 78,000.
The stadium was upgraded multiple times in the 1980s beginning with replacement of bench seats with chair back seats and waterproofing of the east and west stands in 1985. The playing surface was moved eleven feet to the south to center the field in 1986. The north and south ends of the stadium were waterproofed and chair back seats added in 1987 to bring those sections up to date with the 1985 improvements. Also in 1987 the press box was redecorated, a few more seats were installed at the upper portion of the west lower stands, and all seating within the stadium was renumbered using a uniform seat-width. By the end of the 1980s the stadium held 80,150 spectators.
The official capacity of the stadium was lowered to 80,000 in 1994 when a section of seating was removed for renovations to the visiting team locker room. The east upper deck seating 11,600 was completed in 2000 and brought total capacity to 91,600. The west upper deck was torn down at the end of the 2004 season, and construction began on "The Stadium Club." The new suites contain over 3,200 special amenity seats as a well as a state-of-the-art press box. The "Paul Manasseh Press Box" has been named for and dedicated to the memory of the long-time and popular sports information director. Construction on this addition was scheduled to be completed by the beginning of September 2005, but delayed due to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. Construction was completed for the 2006 season, bringing the stadium's capacity to its current official capacity of 92,400.
During construction on the west side, a then-record-breaking crowd of 92,664 fans packed Tiger Stadium in a game against Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
on October 22, 2005, as LSU defeated Auburn in overtime 20-17. On October 6, 2007 a new record was recorded when 92,910 fans watched as the #1 ranked Tigers defeated the #9 Florida Gators
2007 Florida Gators football team
The 2007 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2007 college football season...
28-24. A record-breaking attendance of 93,039 was again set on November 8, 2008 when #1 Alabama defeated #16 LSU in overtime 27-21. The record was breached yet again on October 10, 2009 when the #1 ranked Florida Gators
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
came in to Tiger Stadium and defeated #4 LSU 13-3. The attendance was 93,129.
Lore
Tiger Stadium was the site of the legendary "Earthquake GameEarthquake Game
The Earthquake Game is the name given to a famous college football game played in front of a crowd of 79,431 at Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium on October 8, 1988....
" against Auburn in 1988. LSU won the game, 7-6, when quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tommy Hodson
Tommy Hodson
Thomas Paul Hodson was an American football quarterback for the LSU Tigers and the National Football League.-Early life:...
completed a game-winning touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass to running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Eddie Fuller in the waning seconds of the game. The crowd reaction registered as a legitimate earthquake on the seismograph in the Louisiana Geological Survey office on campus.
Other famous moments:
- The Billy CannonBilly CannonWilliam Abb "Billy" Cannon is an All-American, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and 2008 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and one of the American Football League's most celebrated players.He was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and moved...
touchdown run on HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
night in 1959 when #1-ranked LSU scored late in the game to win against #3 Ole Miss by a score of 7-3; - The last-second Bert JonesBert JonesBertram Hays "Bert" Jones is a former LSU and NFL quarterback who played for the then Baltimore Colts and, briefly, the Los Angeles Rams. At Ruston High School, he was given the nickname, "The Ruston Rifle"...
touchdown pass in 1972 against Ole Miss. LSU was down 16–10 with four seconds left in the game when Jones made an incomplete pass. At the end of the play, fans looked at the clock which surprisingly showed one second remaining. LSU used the last second of the game for a touchdown pass from Bert Jones to Brad Davis. According to Ole Miss lore, a sign was put up at the Louisiana–Mississippi border reading "You are now entering Louisiana. Set your clocks back four seconds."; and - On October 11, 1997, #14 LSU upset #1 FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
with a 28–21 victory.
Tiger Stadium first opened its gates to fans in the fall of 1924 as LSU hosted Tulane in the season finale. Since the first game in Tiger Stadium, LSU has gone on to post a 354-138-18 (.716) mark in Death Valley. Moreover, Tiger Stadium is also known for night games, an idea that was first introduced in 1931 against Spring Hill
Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College is a private, Roman Catholic Jesuit liberal arts college in the United States. It was founded in 1830 on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, by Most Rev. Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile, Alabama...
(a 35-0 LSU victory). In 2006, LSU celebrated its 75th year of playing night football in Tiger Stadium. LSU has played the majority of its games at night and the Tigers have fared much better under the lights than during the day. Since 1960, LSU is 201–59–3 (.773) at night in Tiger Stadium compared to a 20–22–3 (.476) record during the day over that span. LSU lost its first Saturday night game since 2002 against Florida on Saturday October 10, 2009.
Hurricane Katrina
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
for four games of the 2005 NFL season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
damaged the Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
and left much of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
under water. The Saints, however, utilized only 79,000 of Tiger Stadium's seats (the new west side upper deck, which was still under construction, was closed for Saints games). The Saints' first two games in Baton Rouge came on the Sunday immediately following an LSU home game, meaning field crews had to repaint the field to NFL standards immediately following the completion of LSU's games, both of which kicked off at 7 p.m. Due to the time crunch, the NFL granted LSU's request to start the Saints' games in the late slot (3:05 p.m. CST).
The Saints went 0-4 in Tiger Stadium. The first game saw the triumphant return of Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
, who led LSU to the national championship two years earlier. Saban's Miami Dolphins
2005 Miami Dolphins season
-Schedule:-References:...
defeated the Saints 21-6. The Saints subsequently lost to the Chicago Bears
2005 Chicago Bears season
-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against-Week 1: at Washington Redskins:-Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals:-Week 5: at Cleveland Browns:...
(20-17), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year....
(10-3) and Carolina Panthers
2005 Carolina Panthers season
-Regular season:-Postseason:-Wild Card playoffs:The Panthers forced five turnovers, limited the Giants to only 109 yards of total offense, and became the first club to shut out a home playoff team since the Los Angeles Rams shut out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1980 NFC Championship Game...
(27-10).
Although none of the Saints' four Baton Rouge dates came close to selling out, the NFL exempted the Saints from the league's blackout rules following Katrina, and the games were televised locally by WAFB
WAFB
WAFB is the CBS-affiliated television station for Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter southwest of Arlington. Owned by Raycom Media, WAFB is sister to Class A MyNetworkTV affiliate WBXH-CA. The two share studios on Government...
and WGMB
WGMB
WGMB-TV is the local Fox affiliate for Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is owned by Communications Corporation of America, and is sister station to the area's The CW affiliate, WBRL-CD. WGMB also shared facilities and staff with WVLA-TV and KZUP-CD...
.
1930s–1960s
- October 3, 1931: Tiger Stadium's first night game. LSU defeated Spring Hill 35-0
- October 31, 1959: Billy CannonBilly CannonWilliam Abb "Billy" Cannon is an All-American, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and 2008 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and one of the American Football League's most celebrated players.He was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and moved...
returns a punt 89 yards for a touchdown as LSU downed undefeated Ole Miss, 7–3. - November 25, 1961 and November 20, 1965: The Tigers rout archrival Tulane 62-0 twice to go along with a 1958 victory over the Green Wave at Tulane StadiumTulane StadiumTulane Stadium was an outdoor football stadium located in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1926 to 1980. Officially known as the Third Tulane Stadium, it replaced the "Second Tulane Stadium" where the Telephone Exchange Building is now located...
by the exact same score. - November 8, 1969: LSU coach Charles McClendonCharles McClendonCharles Youmans McClendon , also known as Charlie or "Cholly Mac," was an American football player and coach. He served at the head coach at Louisiana State University from 1962 to 1979. McClendon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.-Early years:McClendon was born on...
defeats his mentor, Alabama coach Bear BryantBear BryantPaul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
for the first time. However, the Tigers' 20-15 victory would be their last at home over the Crimson Tide until 2000.
1970s
- December 5, 1970: The Tigers take out two years of frustration against Ole Miss and quarterback Archie ManningArchie ManningElisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League, playing for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings...
, crushing the Rebels 61-17 to win the SEC championship. Manning was sacked late in the second quarter by LSU defensive tackle Ronnie Estay for a safety. - November 20, 1971: LSU avenged a prior year loss by defeating Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, 28–8, in the Irish' first visit to Baton Rouge. - November 4, 1972: Bert JonesBert JonesBertram Hays "Bert" Jones is a former LSU and NFL quarterback who played for the then Baltimore Colts and, briefly, the Los Angeles Rams. At Ruston High School, he was given the nickname, "The Ruston Rifle"...
makes a last-second touchdown pass to Brad Davis, giving LSU a comeback victory against Ole Miss, 17–16. - September 11, 1976: LSU plays No. 1 Nebraska, led by future NFL quarterback Vince FerragamoVince FerragamoVince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
, to a 6-6 tie. The Tigers miss an opporutnity to win when Mike Conway's 44-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds sails wide. - September 29 and November 10, 1979: LSU loses two games to top-ranked teams, 17–12 to Southern California and 3–0 to Alabama, in coach Charles McClendonCharles McClendonCharles Youmans McClendon , also known as Charlie or "Cholly Mac," was an American football player and coach. He served at the head coach at Louisiana State University from 1962 to 1979. McClendon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.-Early years:McClendon was born on...
's final season.
1980s–1990s
- November 20, 1982: With a thick fog enveloping the playing surface, the Tigers crush Florida State 55-21 to earn their first Orange Bowl berth since 1973. As time winds down, oranges rain down from the stands.
- October 8, 1988: "The Earthquake Game" - LSU beats Auburn 7–6
- October 9, 1993: LSU suffers its worst loss in 100 seasons of football, 58-3 to Florida.
- October 11, 1997: Unbeaten and ranked #1, Florida loses to LSU 28–21. This is the first time in Tiger Stadium history the goal posts were pulled down.
2000s
- September 30, 2000: The goalposts are torn down again after LSU defeats No. 7 Tennessee in overtime, 38–31.
- November 4, 2000: LSU beats Alabama for the first time in Tiger Stadium in 31 years (1969). The goalposts are pulled down again, but have not been touched since this game.
- October 30, 2005: The first NFL game ever in Tiger Stadium takes place as the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, coached by former LSU football coach Nick SabanNick SabanNicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
defeat the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, 21–6. The Saints would lose all four Tiger Stadium games, against the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(20–17 on November 2), against the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
(10–3 on December 4), and the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
(27–10 on December 18) - September 8, 2007: The new record for the largest crowd in Tiger Stadium was set at 92,739 when the No. 2 LSU Tigers beat the No. 9 Virginia Tech Hokies2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football teamThe 2007 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
, 48–7. - October 6, 2007: A raucous crowd of 92,910 saw the No. 1 LSU Tigers beat the defending national champion No. 9 Florida Gators2007 Florida Gators football teamThe 2007 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2007 college football season...
, in a 4th quarter comeback, 28–24. - October 20, 2007: LSU defeated Auburn, 30–24, when Matt Flynn threw a touchdown pass, through the hands of Auburn defender Jerraud PowersJerraud PowersJerraud Powers is an American football cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft after declaring following his junior year...
in the end zone, to Demetrius ByrdDemetrius ByrdDemetrius Byrd is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
with one second left, giving the home team eight consecutive victories in the LSU–Auburn series. - August 30, 2008: For the first time ever, the defending champions of both football subdivisions of NCAA Division I played a regular-season game, as the Tigers2008 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2008 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Les Miles who entered his fourth year at the helm of LSU Football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
opened their season against three-time defending FCS champions Appalachian StateAppalachian State Mountaineers footballThe Appalachian State Mountaineers football team is the college football team at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers have competed in the Southern Conference since 1972, and are currently a Division I Football Championship Subdivision member of the National...
. Due to logistical issues related to the approach of Hurricane GustavHurricane GustavThe name Gustav has been used for five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean:* 1984's Tropical Storm Gustav - Spent most of its existence as a tropical depression hovering over Bermuda, no major damage was reported....
, the kickoff was moved to 10:06 am local time, the earliest in the history of the stadium. LSU avoided the fate of the 2007 Michigan team2007 Michigan Wolverines football teamThe 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 college football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after...
, who were victims of one of the biggest upsets in college football history2007 Appalachian State vs. Michigan football gameThe 2007 Appalachian State-Michigan game was a college football game held on September 1 at Michigan Stadium on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It pitted the #5 ranked Michigan Wolverines against the two-time defending champions of the Division I FCS, the...
when they opened the season against Appalachian State. The Tigers scored a touchdown on their second play from scrimmage, went out to a 31–0 halftime lead, and cruised to a 41–13 win. - November 8, 2008: A crowd of 93,039, then the largest crowd in Tiger Stadium history, were on hand to witness the return of former LSU coach Nick SabanNick SabanNicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
to Death Valley as head coach of the #1 ranked Crimson Tide of Alabama. With the score tied, a chip shot field goal that would have given Alabama the win was blocked by LSU lineman Ricky-Jean Francois as time expired and sent the stadium into an absolute frenzy. The game went into overtime where LSU quarterback Jarrett LeeJarrett LeeCalen Jarrett Lee is an American football quarterback. He currently attends Louisiana State University where he is the starting quarterback...
threw his fourth interception of the game. Alabama scored on their ensuing possession to win the game by a score of 27 to 21. - May 30, 2010: Tiger stadium hosted its first concert series headlining Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney.
- November 25, 2011: LSU completed its first 12-0 regular season in school history, its first undefeated regular season since 1958, and just its third undefeated regular season overall, with a 41-17 romp over Arkansas2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football teamThe 2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represents the University of Arkansas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks will be led by fourth year head coach Bobby Petrino and will play five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and two at War Memorial Stadium...
in the Battle for the Golden Boot. The attendance of 93,108 was the second-highest in stadium history, only 21 fans behind the record set in the 2009 Florida game.
Unique features
- Student Dormitories built into the stadium were lived in until the 1980s. Today the space is used for storage.
- Unlike most football fields, where only the yard lines ending in "0" are marked, Tiger Stadium also marks the yard lines ending in "5".
- LSU's Tiger Stadium uniquely sports "H" style (or "offset") goal posts, as opposed to the more modern "Y" ("slingshot" or "tuning fork") style used by other schools today, although they are not the true "H" goal posts which were once ubiquitous on American football fields, since the posts are behind the uprights and connected to the uprights by curved bars. This "H" style allows the team to run through the goal post in the north end zone when entering the field. Tiger Stadium is one of only three Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools college stadiums in the nation who still uses the H style goal posts. The only other FBS stadiums that use goalposts with two posts all season are Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida StateFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
and Martin StadiumMartin StadiumMartin Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pullman, Washington, United States, on the campus of Washington State University. It is the home field of the Washington State Cougars of the Pacific-12 Conference, and is the smallest football stadium in the conference...
at Washington StateWashington State UniversityWashington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
. Many other schools use the two post goals during rivalry games only to prevent them from being torn down in victory, a real safety concern in recent years. They received special permission from the NCAA prior to the November 20, 1993 game against TulaneTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in conjunction with LSU's football centennial. These goal posts remained intact for the four New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
games held in 2005, with dispensation from the NFL. Under NFL rules in place since 19671967 NFL seasonThe 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and...
, goalposts for NFL games must be slingshot style and bright gold in color. Tiger Stadium's goalposts are white with the NFL-standard 30-foot uprights. Many schools' uprights are the NCAA-minimum 20 feet high. (LSU used the NFL-style goalposts from 1985 through the first four home games of 1993). - At the beginning of the 2009 season LSU unveiled a 27 X 80 Daktronics HD video Board. The $3.1-million display is situated in the north end zone and features (on the back) the football team's three national championships and (on the front) the phrase "Welcome to Death Valley" (the stadium's well-known moniker).
Largest crowds
| Rank | Attendance | Visiting Team | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 93,129 | Florida | Oct. 10, 2009 | Florida, 13-3 |
| 2. | 93,108 | Arkansas | Nov. 25, 2011 | LSU, 41-17 |
| 3. | 93,098 | Auburn | Oct. 22, 2011 | LSU, 45-10 |
| 4. | 93,039 | Alabama | Nov. 8, 2008 | Alabama, 27-21 (OT) |
| 5. | 93,022 | Florida | Oct. 8, 2011 | LSU, 41-11 |
| 6. | 93,013 | Arkansas | Nov. 28, 2009 | LSU, 33-30 (OT) |
| 7. | 92,969 | Alabama | Nov. 6, 2010 | LSU, 24-21 |
| 8. | 92,932 | Tennessee | Oct. 2, 2010 | LSU, 16-14 |
| 9. | 92,915 | Ole Miss | Nov. 20, 2010 | LSU, 43-36 |
| 10. | 92,910 | Florida | Oct. 6, 2007 | LSU, 28-24 |
| 11. | 92,904 | Georgia | Oct. 25, 2008 | Georgia, 52-38 |
| 12. | 92,739 | Virginia Tech | Sept. 8, 2007 | LSU, 48-7 |
| 13. | 92,710 | Mississippi St. | Sept. 27, 2008 | LSU, 34-24 |
| 14. | 92,664 | Auburn | Oct. 22, 2005 | LSU, 20-17 (OT) |
| 15. | 92,654 | Auburn | Oct. 24, 2009 | LSU, 31-10 |