Several top-tier football programs around the country have rivals, other teams they and their fans despise.
Ohio State has Michigan. USC has UCLA. Texas has Oklahoma.
Even in the Southeastern Conference, Alabama and Auburn have “The Iron Bowl” every year, and Florida and Georgia annually host “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”
But the target of LSU’s enmity seems to be less clear.
“We have Arkansas for years and the boot and all that other stuff, but it’s not quite the same as some other schools have,” said Kirk Vidrine, graduate student in nutrition.
The Tigers historically face Arkansas in “The Battle for the Boot” and Tulane in “The Battle for the Rag,” but University students feel the tides are turning.
“Since little Nicky [former LSU coach and current Alabama coach Nick Saban] moved, to me [Alabama] is the game I’m looking forward to most this year,” Vidrine said.
Vidrine said “The Battle for the Boot” doesn’t have the same intensity as other rivalries – even in the SEC.
Adam Fontenot, accounting junior, echoed Vidrine’s thoughts about the Crimson Tide. He said he thought there was more to the LSU-Alabama rivalry than LSU fans’ contempt for Saban.
“There’s a lot of tradition [with Alabama] that’s been there for a long time,” Fontenot said. “Nick Saban has definitely sealed it if you didn’t know it before.”
Stephen Keel, physics sophomore, did not think things were so clear, mentioning both Alabama and Florida as LSU’s potentially biggest rivals. The Florida native mentioned he has an easier time hating the Crimson Tide since he has no ties to Alabama.
“I’m from Florida, so I can’t hate Florida,” Keel said. “I used to have a friend, and we would get into it because he was for Alabama.”
Karl Molden, biological sciences senior, said the Gators are the Tigers’ biggest foe.
“It’s got to be Florida,” Molden said. “At first it was Tim Tebow, but now, no idea – just Florida.”
Michael Bell, renewable resources senior, also recognized Florida as a big rivalry but had other ideas when asked who the Tigers hate the most.
“Auburn, I would say, and then for the SEC championship, Georgia,” Bell said.
Jordan Anderson, accounting sophomore, said he’s looking forward to seeing both Alabama and Georgia this season.
“It’ll be the first time back for Saban as coach back here at LSU,” Anderson said. “Georgia’s probably going to be tough this year. It’s a good thing it’s going to be at home because it’s probably going to be one of our tougher opponents.”
LSU Ticket Manager Brian Broussard said Alabama and Georgia are the two biggest games of the 2008 football season and are generally among the top games each year.
“Auburn, Florida and Alabama are always big games – or anytime we have a team that doesn’t come in that often,” Broussard said.
Nance Hixon, philosophy senior, added another candidate into the mix of LSU’s biggest rivals.
“Students have the most hate for – that’s easy, it’s Ole Miss,” Hixon said. “Even though they aren’t that good right now … we go to Mississippi State games and start chanting, ‘Go to Hell, Ole Miss.'”
The LSU-Ole Miss rivalry will bear the name “The Magnolia Bowl” beginning this season. The name was based on a vote by LSU and Ole Miss students.
Ashley Mitchell, chemistry sophomore, said it seems like LSU has too many rivals, and it would be better if the Tigers had just one big rivalry.
“We’ve got the one with Tulane and with ‘Bama, and this year we’re doing the Ole Miss thing,” Mitchell said. “It seems like we’re trying to hard to have all these rivals. We need like one major one.”
But Mitchell said she thinks not having one main rivalry has its benefits.
“It’s good in the fact that it gets everybody spirited up for more than one game,” Mitchell said. “But it’s a bad thing because there isn’t just that big one game.”
Keel said not having a premier rival helps the football team but is a negative for the fanbase.
“It’s better for the football team because they’re not looking for that specific game to win,” Keel said. “As far as fans are concerned, it’s not so good because we don’t have that one big game to look forward to.”
But Vidrine said he likes the way things are without a specific rival.
“It allows you to be open to the season and what happens in the season – not just one particular game,” Vidrine said. “It’s nice that everybody wants to beat Alabama this year, but I’m really interested to see how well they play this season and how well they do.”
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]