Baton Rouge is home to one of the most iconic venues in all of college sports with LSU suiting up in the historic Tiger Stadium.
The venue has become one of the toughest places to play in all of college football with Nick Saban, SEC starting quarterbacks and more praising the atmosphere in Death Valley.
“Well, you know, let me just tell you a story, when I first went to LSU, they weren’t very good. I think they were 3-8 the year before. And in those days, you know, they picked what time you played based on how good you were,” Saban said last fall on the Pat McAfee Show.
“Because to be on the CBS game was 2:30 [CT], you had to be good, because they always picked the best game. So we got to be halfway decent, we started having lots of 2:30 games, and the fans just went berserk because we weren’t playing at night.
“They wanted to use the whole day to get tuned up for a night game. And you know, I tried to give them a coaching point and say, ‘Why can’t you get half tuned up, go to the game, then half an after party and get further tuned up?’ But they didn’t buy that. So my point being, they will be juiced and ready to go, and it’s hard to play at LSU at night.”
The noise levels in Tiger Stadium make is such a challenging place to play with passionate fans filling the venue.
Saban reflected on the difficult times he’s had in Death Valley; specifically when Tua Tagovailoa and Co. were unable to get in a groove.
“I mean, I remember when Tua [Tagovailoa] was playing for us and we had a really good team and we got the ball at the beginning of the game and we went right down the field. And we got down there on about the 20-yard line of the student section, we had like four straight false starts,” Saban said. “I mean we couldn’t go on silent; we couldn’t go on clap. We couldn’t get the ball snapped.”
Saban isn’t the only head coach to discuss the challenges of playing in Baton Rouge.
Oklahoma shot-caller Brett Venables chimed in prior to his first time playing in Tiger Stadium last fall.
“It’s going to be a great challenge in one of the loudest and most intimidating venues in all of college football,” Venables said. “I’ve never been there. I was hoping and praying and doing my rain dance for no night game, but no such luck.”
Now, former Ole Miss starting signal-caller, Jaxson Dart, has revealed the best atmosphere he’s been apart of.
During an interview at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Dart was asked which stadium has the most energy.
“One that definitely sticks out is Death Valley at night,” Dart said.
It’s no secret the iconic venue has both players and coaches praise the atmosphere with some of the most passionate fans in all of college sports filling the stands.
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