After a soul-crushing loss in its season opener, LSU had the chance to work on its deficits in its second game against Grambling State. This was LSU’s first game of the season in Death Valley. Though Grambling was a more docile opponent than Florida State, Grambling remained aggressive until the last second of the game, forcing LSU to quickly remedy any faults in both offense and defense.
MORE FOOTBALL: Three takeaways from LSU football’s 72-10 win over Grambling State
LSU ended up taking the game 72-10, but this game was about much more than football. It was about bringing Louisiana communities together. It was about making history.
In fact, this was the first time in each program’s history that the two tiger teams played against each other.
“I think it’s important,” Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson said, before the matchup. “Obviously it’s important for in-state recruiting. I think there’s some tremendous football played in this state. I think it’s important for these schools to play, you know, cause it’s a chance to display the school, the football brand and everything that they are trying to accomplish.”
Similar to when LSU played Southern University, this game was a huge showcase of culture for the state as a whole. Not only do the two schools share the same home state, but they also share an immense love and appreciation for the game of football.
“This is exciting, I know, for anybody that follows college football,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said the week of the game. “To top it off, it’s a school in state. I know our team is excited about getting back out there and playing the game the way it’s intended to be played.”
Grambling State, originally founded in 1901, was initially an industrial school organized by a group of African American farmers who wanted to organize a place of learning for African Americans in their region of Louisiana. The school would later award its first baccalaureate degree in 1944.
Often times in college football, games featuring big conference teams versus much smaller ones are often seen solely as cash grabs for each school involved. In the case of LSU versus Grambling State, however, this wasn’t what either head coach had in mind.
“These guys are players who love to play these types of games every week,” Jackson said. “Obviously there’s a resource difference between the two schools, but I think from a player standpoint, a player wants to be tested.”
Grambling’s football program was ultimately put on the map when it was led by legendary head coach Eddie G. Robinson. Robinson started his coaching career not long after graduating college, but his outstanding leadership was evident from the very beginning. His no-nonsense nature as a coach quickly led to a perfect 9-0 season.
The program garnered national attention when former Grambling running back Paul “Tank” Younger signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 1949. Younger was the first player from a historically Black college to be drafted in the NFL.
In 1959, Robinson and his team joined the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Not long after, in 1963, the late Junious “Buck” Buchanan was also drafted in the NFL. The former Grambling Tiger was the first player from an HBCU to have been chosen first overall in an NFL draft.
In 1997, after 55 years, Robinson renounced his position as Grambling’s head coach. That same year, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Robinson ultimately noted 408 wins, 165 losses and 15 ties. The 408 wins set the record for a college football coach. With too many to list, Robinson received more awards than any other football coach in the history of the game.
“One of the biggest honors I had was getting the opportunity to speak at the Eddie Robinson Museum when it was opened up,” Kelly said in a 2022 press conference. “It was a great honor just being immersed in the great history of HBCUs.”
Robinson’s impact on the game of football goes far beyond the accolades he collected. He had an ability to bring people together for the love of the game. He worked tirelessly to not only improve the program he led, but to pave a way for football programs across the state of Louisiana and later on, across the nation.
This matchup presented the state’s ability to bring together two powerhouse college programs, armed only with the burning desire to play the game of football.
“I’m excited to be the head coach at LSU, and in particular, with these types of games,” Kelly said. “You know, they’re historic.”
