Tiger Stadium attracts thousands of people to Baton Rouge each year, but of the 102,321 who pack Death Valley on Saturday nights in the fall, a dozen stand-alone.
In the front row of the student section stands a line of shirtless LSU students who spell out messages with body paint.
They’re called the Painted Posse, a faith-based, student-run organization that has established itself as a staple on LSU game days since its inception over two decades ago.
But what exactly is the Painted Posse? What drives these passionate Tiger fans to paint their bodies on Saturdays?
“We believe that every good gift is from God, and that includes LSU football,” said Sam Waggener, a former member of the Painted Posse who graduated from LSU in the fall. “So we want to show people that God wants you to have fun.”
The Painted Posse wears their faith on their chest, literally.
People first started painting up for LSU home games back in the ’90s. In 2003, during the team’s football season, legendary LSU athletics equipment manager Jeff Boss died after a lengthy 10-month battle with brain cancer. He had been a part of the university’s athletics department for nearly a quarter-century and was only 54 years old.
In his honor, a group of Christian friends who had been painting out on Saturdays for a couple of years marked their chests with his initials for the No. 11 Bayou Bengals’ brawl with the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs.
“After the game, the guys kind of convened and they’re like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s someone even more important to us,'” said Jonathan Skipper, a former member of the Painted Posse.
That someone was Jesus Christ. For LSU’s next home game against the Florida Gators, Boss’ initials became a Holy Cross. The rest is history.
“Faith is our foundation, and then LSU is the house that is built on the foundation,” Waggener said.
The Painted Posse had grown a lot since Waggener’s freshman year. Waggener was one of only five people who painted up during his sophomore year when the Tigers hosted the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels in 2022.
In 2024, the Painted Posse averaged 13 per game, including seven core members: Waggener, Carter Grace, Jake Mathis, Skipper, Christian Bouler, Jayden Slaughter and Brayden Blackburn.
With Waggener graduating and multiple students on temporary leave while studying abroad, the Painted Posse has shrunk to four core members this spring: Mathis, Bouler, Slaughter and Blackburn; the crew expects numbers to return to normal next semester.
The group has its fair share of guests who join them on Saturdays, including many Painted Posse alumni returning who want to paint up one last time.
They aren’t picky; the Painted Posse lets everybody paint out, regardless of where you come from or whether or not you are Christian.
“We’re all coming from different corners of campus and life in general,” Mathis said.
Most of these corners converge at LSU’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry. It’s how the Painted Posse has nearly tripled in size in just under two years.
The barrier for entry is low, and for good reason. The group is always looking to grow. Skipper didn’t need much convincing; he was interested right from the start.
“The second they asked me, I was like,’ This sounds awesome,'” Skipper said. “Like painting your chest for a football game? That sounds amazing.”
The Painted Posse gives its members a sense of community under God.
“Ever since that first game, I never really turned back,” Mathis said. “I’ve seen myself making so many meaningful connections, both with the guys in the group, people associated with LSU to other extents, and really, it’s been an opportunity I would not trade for the world.”
The Painted Posse is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a chance for these LSU students to represent the university and their Christian beliefs on a national stage.
The group finalizes their game day lineup by Wednesday so that they can agree on the phrase they will paint on themselves.
“We have done jabs at the opponent (Pick A Mascot), their rivals (Go Navy for the Army game last year) and even just recruit names (Bryce Underwood),” said Logan Pergola, a member of the Painted Posse. “[It] really depends on the game and what mood we’re in.”
On the big day, the members meet at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry six to seven hours before kickoff. Mats are rolled out on the floor as volunteers begin painting the guys for the next two hours.
The Painted Posse then begins its parade towards Death Valley, walking through the tailgates on LSU’s campus while taking pictures with fans and performing chants.
Once they reach Victory Hill, just down the street from Tiger Stadium, the boys line up down the center of the road. They begin the final home stretch of their theatrical march down North Stadium Drive toward the venue.
For most games, the Painted Posse are the first in line before gates open two hours before kickoff.
When the No. 15 Tigers hosted the No. 11 Crimson Tide, the Painted Posse arrived at Tiger Stadium four hours before kickoff. Around 50 fans lined up ahead of them, all willing to let the Painted Posse cut the line to be in their trademarked front row and spread their love for Jesus.
“The mission is definitely to spread Christ’s love through being the best fans of the university,” Grace said. “So displaying the cross is No. 1, and No. 2 is just being a great representation of the university and being the most passionate LSU sports fans.”
When they put on the paint for Saturday, the Painted Posse became unmistakable LSU celebrities — almost like an alter-ego. The paint gives the posse a superpower on Saturdays that is stripped away come Sunday.
“When I’m in there, I’m Superman; when I’m out here, I’m Clark Kent,” Skipper said.
But that’s not why they don the paint. The posse paints their bodies for something bigger than themselves — for the Holy Cross marked over their hearts.
“I think the biggest thing is to share the love of Jesus Christ with everybody, and it’s also to support the LSU Tigers in any way we can,” Skipper said.
The Painted Posse will make their first public appearance of the spring when LSU baseball hosts Purdue Fort Wayne at Alex Box Stadium on Friday.
So the next time you watch a Tigers’ home game on television, wait and watch closely until the broadcast cuts to the raucous crowd.
You might spot LSU’s No. 1 fans.
