Geaux Tigers!

I can explain LSU Traditions for you, because there are a few things you just have to know if you’re going to be a good Tiger fan. First, there are some famous moments in LSU History that you need to be aware of:

2007 - Sugar Bowl -- #4 LSU defeats #11 Notre Dame 41-14 in the first Sugar Bowl since the reconstruction of the Louisiana Superdome.

2004 - Sugar Bowl -- LSU wins the BCS national championship by defeating #1 BCS ranked Oklahoma 21-14.

2002 - "The Bluegrass Miracle" -- #16 LSU survived an upset bid from unranked Kentucky by winning the game 33-30 on a miraculous 75-yard Hail Mary pass in the final seconds of the game.

2001 - SEC Championship Game -- #21 LSU staged a stunning upset victory over #2 Tennessee, winning 31-20. The victory earned LSU a spot in its first Sugar Bowl since 1986.

1997 - #1 Ranked Florida Taken Down by LSU -- After nine straight losses to Steve Spurrier-led Florida, #14 LSU shocked the #1-ranked Gators 28-21 in Tiger Stadium, making the cover of Sports Illustrated. It was the first time LSU beat a #1 ranked team.

1995 - Bring Back The Magic Game -- Wearing its white jerseys at home in Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1983, LSU staged an incredible upset victory over #5 Auburn, winning the game 12-6 as LSU DB Troy Twillie intercepted Auburn QB Patrick Nix's 11-yard pass into the end zone with no time remaining.

1988 - "The Earthquake Game" -- Unranked LSU staged a near literal earth-shattering upset victory over #4 Auburn in Tiger Stadium, winning the game 7-6 with 1:41 remaining on a TD pass from QB Tommy Hodson to TB Eddie Fuller.

1972 - Jones to Davis -- #6 LSU survived an upset bid from unranked Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium by winning the game 17-16 as time expired on a TD pass from QB Bert Jones to RB Brad Davis.

1966 - Cotton Bowl -- Unranked LSU staged an astonishing upset victory over #2 Arkansas, winning the game 14-7 and snapping Arkansas' 22-game winning streak.

1959 - Billy Cannon's Halloween Night Run -- Late in the game between #1 LSU and #3 Ole Miss, LSU was trailing 3-0. Then Billy Cannon returned a punt 89 yards for a TD, breaking seven tackles. It was the only TD of the game, resulting in a 7-3 victory for LSU in Tiger Stadium.

1959 - Sugar Bowl -- #1 LSU wins the 1958 national championship, beating #12 Clemson 7-0. The only score was a pass from Billy Cannon to Mickey Mangham.

You’ll also need to be aware of a few key terms and phrases. Here’s a brief list:

White Jerseys -- LSU is one of the few college football teams that wears white jerseys for home games. The tradition started in 1958, when Coach Paul Dietzel decided that LSU would wear white jerseys for the home games. LSU went on to win the national championship that year. Since then, LSU continued to wear white jerseys at home games. Then in 1982, new NCAA rules forbid teams from wearing white jerseys at home. Because of this, LSU wore purple jerseys during home games from 1983 to 1994. In 1995, LSU's new coach, Gerry DiNardo, was determined to restore LSU's tradition of white home jerseys. DiNardo personally met with each member of the NCAA Football Rules Committee, lobbying LSU's case. DiNardo was successful, and LSU again began wearing white jerseys at home when the 1995 season began. In LSU's first home game with the white jerseys, unranked LSU staged a stunning 12-6 upset victory over #6 Auburn. In 2000, LSU's new coach, Nick Saban, altered the tradition of the white home jerseys: now LSU only wears white jerseys for the home opener and for home games against SEC opponents. For non-SEC home games other than the home opener, LSU wears purple jerseys at home.

H style goal posts -- LSU's Tiger Stadium uniquely sports "H" style goal posts, as opposed to the more modern "Y" style used by other schools today. This "H" style allows the team to run through the goal post in the north endzone when entering the field.

Chinese Bandits -- Whenever LSU forces a turnover or gets the ball back via a defensive stop, the LSU band plays the Chinese Bandit tune. The term "Chinese Bandits" originated as the nickname that LSU Coach Paul Dietzel gave to the defensive unit he organized in 1958, which helped LSU to win its first national championship. The next season, the 1959 Chinese Bandit defense held their opponents to an average of only 143.2 yards per game. No LSU defense since has done better.

Yard lines -- Tiger Stadium also is notable for putting all yard line numbers on the field, not just those that are multiples of 10. However, the 10-yard-line numbers are the only numbers that get directional arrows, as the rules make no provision for 5-yard-line numbers.

The LSU Band's Pregame Show -- The famed LSU pregame show is one of the greatest rituals in college football. The unique show was created in 1964, and perfected over the next nine years into its current format. The marching band, hundreds strong, lines up along the end zone shortly before kick off. Then the band strikes up a drum cadence and begins to spread out evenly across the field. When the front of the band reaches the center of the field, the band stops and begins to blast into an electrifying version of "Tiger Rag" (Hold that Tiger). While it does this, the band turns to salute the fans in all four corners of the stadium. This incredible moment gives goose bumps to every Tiger fan and works the LSU crowd into a frenzy. Then the band, resuming its march across the field, begins playing "Touchdown for LSU." At this point, the LSU crowd begins to chant "L-S-U, L-S-U, L-S-U..." The band also plays a similar pregame show before it enters the stadium, while literally running down the hill into Tiger Stadium.