Auburn–LSU football rivalry

The Auburn–LSU football rivalry, also known as the Tiger Bowl,[2][3] is an American college football rivalry between the Auburn Tigers and the LSU Tigers. Both universities have been members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since December 1932, but the rivalry dates back to 1901. Auburn and LSU have played every year since the SEC instituted divisional play in 1992.

Tiger Bowl

Auburn Tigers LSU Tigers
First meeting	November 20, 1901 Auburn, 28–0
Latest meeting	October 31, 2020 Auburn, 48–11
Next meeting	October 2, 2021
Statistics
Meetings total	55
All-time series	LSU leads, 31–23–1[1]
Largest victory	Auburn, 48–11 (2020)
Longest win streak	LSU, 6 (1926–1937)
Current win streak	Auburn, 1 (2020)

🌍

Locations of Auburn and LSU

Notable games

1902

Players near the goal line in 1902 LSU vs. Auburn game at State Field

LSU beat Auburn in a hard-fought game 5–0. Captain Henry Landry scored the game's only touchdown.[4] "Nearly every business house in Baton Rouge closed at noon and everybody went to the game".[5] The trip to Louisiana made some Auburn players sick.[6]

1908

In 1908, both teams were undefeated and competing for the top spot in the SIAA. LSU beat Auburn 10–2, but both teams may claim SIAA championships, for LSU was charged with professionalism and for some stripped of the title. It was the only game LSU did not win by more than 20 points. “We won every game that fall except LSU,” Auburn star Walker Reynolds told Clyde Bolton in 1973. “But LSU had a pro team.”

The first touchdown came from LSU's John Seip. Later, Auburn's T. C. Locke blocked a punt, recovered by LSU quarterback and Hall of Famer Doc Fenton in the endzone for an Auburn safety. According to one source, Fenton was knocked unconscious by a spectator's cane as he tried to get out of the end zone.[7] LSU made the second score using conventional football.

1988

In 1988, #4 Auburn traveled to Tiger Stadium with national title aspirations. Auburn (4-0) entered the game outscoring its opponents 161–44, but were held to just two field goals. Auburn's outstanding defense kept LSU scoreless through 58 minutes. However, with 1:47 left, QB Tommy Hodson found RB Eddie Fuller open on a crossing pattern for a touchdown on fourth and goal. Ironically, it was the same play Fuller had caught on 1st and goal, only to step out of the back of the end zone. The crowd eruption was so intense that it registered as an earthquake on the seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, though much of the lore surrounding the game is largely apocryphal.[8] Both Hodson and Fuller later said it was the most physical game of their college careers.[9] College Football News ranks this game as the 17th best finish in the history of college football.[10] Auburn would have likely played Notre Dame for the National Championship had they beaten LSU, as Auburn finished the season with six consecutive wins, giving up only 31 points in the process. Auburn and LSU shared the SEC crown though Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl.

1994

Auburn was on a 14-game winning streak when LSU traveled to Auburn in 1994, but it was LSU who led 23–9 entering the fourth quarter. LSU quarterback Jamie Howard threw five fourth quarter interceptions - three were returned for touchdowns - as Auburn extended their winning streak to 15 games with a 30–26 win. Auburn made one first down in the second half, yet scored 27 points in the comeback. Multiple players were hospitalized for dehydration after the game.[11] After the loss Jamie Howard received multiple threats.

1996

LSU defeated Auburn 19–15 in 1996 while the old Auburn Sports Arena, affectionately called "the Barn", burned to the ground across the street from Jordan–Hare Stadium.[12] After scoring a touchdown, Auburn trailed 17–15 and attempted the two-point conversion. LSU intercepted the pass and returned it for a 19–15 win. The cause of the fire was officially undetermined,[13] though according to investigators the most probable cause was a grill placed too close to the building by tailgaters, possibly to take cover from heavy rainfall.[13] The fire was shown during ESPN's national broadcast,[14] flames being seen as high as the Jordan-Hare east upper-deck. The game was never delayed, and the Auburn public address announcer continually advised fans: "The flames [were] outside the stadium." Because of the fire and the thrilling finish, the game became known as the "Barn Burner" or "The Night The Barn Burned".

1999

On coach Tommy Tuberville's birthday, Auburn blew out LSU 41–7 during a rare day game in Baton Rouge. In celebration, Auburn players and coaches smoked cigars on the field at Tiger Stadium, much to the chagrin of LSU players and fans. The intensity of the rivalry grew with this game, and it was used as motivation in 2001 when LSU beat Auburn 27–14 on the way to their first SEC title since splitting it in 1988. Coach Gerry DiNardo was fired before the season ended.[15]

Game results

Auburn victories

LSU victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winning team Losing team 1 November 20, 1901 Baton Rouge, LA Auburn 28 LSU 0 2 October 27, 1902 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 5 Auburn 0 3 November 11, 1903 Auburn, AL Auburn 12 LSU 0 4 October 31, 1908 Auburn, AL LSU 10 Auburn 2 5 November 9, 1912 Mobile, AL Auburn 7 LSU 0 6 November 1, 1913 Mobile, AL Auburn 7 LSU 0 7 October 25, 1924 Birmingham, AL Auburn 3 LSU 0 8 October 16, 1926 Montgomery, AL LSU 10 Auburn 0 9 October 15, 1927 Montgomery, AL LSU 9 Auburn 0 10 October 13, 1934 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 20 Auburn 6 11 November 2, 1935 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 6 Auburn 0 12 November 14, 1936 Birmingham, AL #7 LSU 19 #9 Auburn 6 13 November 13, 1937 Baton Rouge, LA #12 LSU 9 #14 Auburn 7 14 November 12, 1938 Birmingham, AL #9 Auburn 28 LSU 6 15 November 18, 1939 Baton Rouge, LA Auburn 21 LSU 7 16 November 16, 1940 Birmingham, AL LSU 21 #9 Auburn 13 17 November 15, 1941 Baton Rouge, LA Tie 7 Tie 7 18 November 14, 1942 Birmingham, AL #14 Auburn 25 #9 LSU 7 19 October 25, 1969 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 21 Auburn 20 20 October 24, 1970 Auburn, AL #14 LSU 17 #6 Auburn 9 21 October 14, 1972 Baton Rouge, LA #8 LSU 35 #9 Auburn 7 22 October 13, 1973 Auburn, AL LSU 20 Auburn 6 23 October 11, 1980 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 21 Auburn 17 24 October 10, 1981 Auburn, AL Auburn 19 LSU 7 25 October 8, 1988 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 7 #4 Auburn 6 26 October 14, 1989 Auburn, AL #12 Auburn 10 LSU 6 27 September 19, 1992 Auburn, AL Auburn 30 LSU 28 28 September 18, 1993 Baton Rouge, LA Auburn 34 LSU 10 29 September 17, 1994 Auburn, AL #11 Auburn 30 LSU 26 No. Date Location Winning team Losing team 30 September 16, 1995 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 12 #5 Auburn 6 31 September 21, 1996 Auburn, AL #21 LSU 19 #13 Auburn 15 32 September 20, 1997 Baton Rouge, LA #12 Auburn 31 #10 LSU 28 33 September 19, 1998 Auburn, AL #7 LSU 31 Auburn 19 34 September 18, 1999 Baton Rouge, LA #24 Auburn 41 LSU 7 35 September 16, 2000 Auburn, AL #25 Auburn 34 #22 LSU 17 36 December 1, 2001 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 27 Auburn 14 37 October 26, 2002 Auburn, AL Auburn 31 #10 LSU 7 38 October 25, 2003 Baton Rouge, LA #9 LSU 31 #17 Auburn 7 39 September 18, 2004 Auburn, AL #14 Auburn 10 #5 LSU 9 40 October 22, 2005 Baton Rouge, LA #7 LSU 20 #16 Auburn 17^OT 41 September 16, 2006 Auburn, AL #3 Auburn 7 #6 LSU 3 42 October 20, 2007 Baton Rouge, LA #5 LSU 30 #18 Auburn 24 43 September 20, 2008 Auburn, AL #6 LSU 26 #9 Auburn 21 44 October 24, 2009 Baton Rouge, LA #10 LSU 31 Auburn 10 45 October 23, 2010 Auburn, AL #5 Auburn 24 #6 LSU 17 46 October 22, 2011 Baton Rouge, LA #1 LSU 45 #19 Auburn 10 47 September 22, 2012 Auburn, AL #2 LSU 12 Auburn 10 48 September 21, 2013 Baton Rouge, LA #6 LSU 35 Auburn 21 49 October 4, 2014 Auburn, AL #5 Auburn 41 #15 LSU 7 50 September 19, 2015 Baton Rouge, LA #13 LSU 45 #18 Auburn 21 51 September 24, 2016 Auburn, AL Auburn 18 #18 LSU 13 52 October 14, 2017 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 27 #10 Auburn 23 53 September 15, 2018 Auburn, AL #12 LSU 22 #7 Auburn 21 54 October 26, 2019 Baton Rouge, LA #2 LSU 23 #9 Auburn 20 55 October 31, 2020 Auburn, AL Auburn 48 LSU 11 56 October 2, 2021 Baton Rouge, LA Series: LSU leads 31–23–1[1]

Miscellaneous

From 2000 to 2005, Auburn or LSU won or tied for the SEC West Division championship every season.

From 2000 to 2007, the home team won eight straight games. (Immediately before then, the road team had won four straight, from 1996 to 1999.)

The 2006 game was the lowest scoring contest between the two schools since 1935, when LSU defeated Auburn 6–0 in Baton Rouge.

9 of the first 13 meetings were shutouts; however, neither has been shut out since.

LSU leads the series 31–23–1. LSU leads the series in games played in Baton Rouge and Montgomery, Alabama, with a 17–5–1 and 2–0 record, respectively. Auburn leads games played at Jordan–Hare Stadium (13-6), Birmingham, Alabama (3–2), and Mobile, Alabama (2–0). When the SEC expanded, Auburn and LSU were placed in the SEC's West Division. The Auburn–LSU game quickly became a highly anticipated and respected rivalry.

Since becoming permanent SEC opponents in 1992, the majority of the series has been played in September. Only ten times have games been scheduled in October. The 2001 game was played in December after being rescheduled from September 15 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. "Winsipedia - Auburn Tigers vs. LSU Tigers football series history". Winsipedia.
2. "Sensational endings highlight Auburn-LSU rivalry - ESPN Video". ESPN.com. October 14, 2017.
3. "LSU vs Auburn live stream: Watch Tiger Bowl online".
4. "L. S. U. 5, Auburns 0". The Times-Democrat. October 28, 1920. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Louisiana State Downs Red Haired Auburnites". Atlanta Constitution. October 28, 1902. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Clemson Wins From Auburn". Atlanta Constitution. November 16, 1902. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "George Doc Fenton".
8. "What really happened at the Auburn-LSU 'Earthquake Game'? - The War Eagle Reader". Retrieved 22 August 2016.
9. (LSU), Louisiana State University. "Page Not Found". Archived from the original on 20 June 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2016. Cite uses generic title (help)
10. "Scout.com: 100 Greatest Finishes - No. 11 to 20". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
11. "Multiple players were hospitalized for dehydration after the 1994 Auburn-LSU Interception Game - The War Eagle Reader". Retrieved 22 August 2016.
12. "Remembering the forgotten victims (and 'rumors') from the 'Night the Barn Burned' - The War Eagle Reader". Retrieved 22 August 2016.
13. "Remembering the forgotten victims (and 'rumors') from the 'Night the Barn Burned' - The War Eagle Reader". Retrieved 22 August 2016.
14. "Video from the broadcast of the 1996 Auburn-LSU Barn fire game - The War Eagle Reader". Retrieved 22 August 2016.
15. Marcello, Brandon. "Auburn's Unlucky Cigar - AL.com", 16 September 2015. Retrieved on 8 July 2017.