Tiger Stadium becomes the fifth-largest city in Louisiana when 92,000-plus fans gather for LSU home football games. Saturday night’s home opener at Death Valley marked the first opportunity for many young Tiger fans to be part of the thousands.
 
It was unforgettable for Tiger Band members who hadn’t marched in Tiger Stadium before.
 
“That was probably one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had, especially when the football team came out and we played the fight song,” said biology freshman and trombone player Devin Austin. “Just playing it and watching them run out sent chills up my spine.”
 
The home opener’s atmosphere enchanted mass communication junior Jordan Stage, who was in the LSU student section for the first time after transferring from Arizona State.
 
“The student section was crazy,” Stage said. “Fourth quarter and we’re winning by 20 or something, and we’re still doing chants. If it was our fourth quarter at ASU, the stadium’s cleared.”
 
Biology engineering freshman Stefan Wojkowski sat in general seating at Tiger Stadium as a child but experienced his first game in the student section Saturday.
 
“You look around and see tons of friends and tons of people you know,” Wojkowski said. “It was a lot more fun than being in the general public.”
 
He said the fans were animated but not as loud as Saints fans at the Superdome.
 
“It was Mississippi State, so I’m hoping for a more electric vibe with some of the better games,” Wojkowski said.
 
Many underclassmen were amazed at the magnitude of an LSU football game, but some veteran Tiger fans wanted more from the student section Saturday.
 
International studies junior Josh Taylor said he had a good time but felt fans weren’t as “pumped” as they were at previous home openers.
 
“There was kind of a general consensus among a lot of my friends that the student section was not as good as it was in the last two years,” Taylor said. “Whenever they played songs people weren’t really singing or dancing like usual.”
 
Sociology sophomore Cullen Brooks agreed that the stadium wasn’t as loud as last season’s home opener against Vanderbilt.
 
“Because of the lack of offense, it was kind of lacking in the excitement,” Brooks said. “I think       whenever Alabama comes, it’ll work itself out.”
 
 
 
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]