Game Day on the campus of LSU

The dog days of summer are almost through and the start of fall camp is right around the corner for the LSU Tigers. The football team will report on August 6th and that signals the beginning of the football season for Tiger fans everywhere. As the Tigers prepare for the start of the regular season, Tiger fans also gear up for what is the most anticipated event other than the game itself; Game day in Baton Rouge.

With eight homes games slotted for the 2009 season, the first thing that crosses the minds of fans is the schedule. Most of the marquee games are on the road this year. However, home dates with Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas provide plenty enough fire power for the even the casual fan to witness a Saturday night in Death Valley. The starting times of these games will go a long way of determining what type of experience you will have on the campus at LSU. Day games are cursed, not as in spell bound, but with extreme profanity from the diehard veteran tailgaters. Tiger fans wisdom says that LSU plays better at night, when the bourbon is flowing and the stadium is rocking. History says that Tiger fans are right. Since 1960, LSU has a 210-59-3 record at night in Tiger Stadium, while sporting a less than stellar 22-26-3 record during the day. If you only have one chance to come to Baton Rouge this year, pick a game that has starting time after 5:00pm. So, what can you expect if you attend a game at Tiger Stadium?

First and foremost get to campus early. If you want to experience all that game day has to offer in Baton Rouge, you will need as much time as possible. The party begins the evening before when the motor homes come in and set up. When you think about tailgating at LSU, the first thing that comes to mind is the food. The three “B’s” are always packed; beer, bourbon, and barbeque. A journey around campus will net you all kinds of different foods, drinks and traditions from seasoned tailgaters. If barbeque and jambalaya is not your food of choice, you can always visit The Chimes or Walk-On’s just outside the gates of campus.

If you plan to tour the campus, you should go by Mike the Tiger’s new habitat, the state of the art, 15,000 square foot home of LSU’s live mascot. It is located on North Stadium Drive between Tiger Stadium and The Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Just up the street are the Indian Mounds, a popular place for kids and tailgaters to gather and enjoy the festivities. There are numerous spots to buy LSU paraphernalia, the most popular being the book store in the student union, just across from the famous bell tower and parade grounds. Walking from place to place, you will see hundreds of purple and gold tents, chairs, televisions and thousands of Tiger fans. The stadium hold 93,000 fans, but the campus usually has 150,000+ fans on a typical game day.

Just about two hours before game time, the players and coaches take their walk down victory hill and into the stadium. Large crowds gather down North Stadium Drive to catch a glimpse of their football heroes and to get ready for the band to come marching down the hill. When the All-American Golden Band from Tigerland makes their march to the stadium, it signals to the crowd that game time is approaching and it’s time to get loud. The band steps off at the band hall on Dalrymple Dr., turns onto North Stadium Drive, passing by the Indian Mounds, and down victory hill towards the stadium. If you can’t get a spot along the barricades on either side of the street, a good suggestion would be to watch the band go by at the Indian Mounds and follow them down the street. A great view is from atop victory hill looking down on the people and the band as they stop and play the Pregame Salute. It is quite a scene to see thousands of fans chanting “LSU,” “LSU,” “LSU” and following the band into the stadium.

Once in the stadium, some good advice would be to get your concessions early because you don’t want to be standing in line during the pre-game activities. Some suggestions: A tiger dog, peanut m & m’s, and a mixer. Being inside of Tiger Stadium feels like your standing inside a “drum,” as Bear Bryant once described his visits to Tiger Stadium. Over the loud speaker you hear the voice of the Tigers, "Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen. This is Dan Borne'. On behalf of Louisiana State University and the LSU Athletic Department, welcome to Tiger Stadium for tonight's Southeastern Conference football game between the (opponent) and your Fighting Tigers of LSU." The band marches out on the field, plays the Pregame salute, and welcomes the Tigers out onto the field. It’s time for kickoff and one of the greatest experiences in college football.
 

For more info: LSU Schedule