If you've been to Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge, you know there's nothing else like it in college football. And it's not an accident — LSU has cultivated their Tiger identity longer than almost any program in the country.
The Civil War connection
The "Tigers" nickname dates back to 1896, when LSU's first head coach Charles Coates picked it as a tribute to a Louisiana brigade in the Civil War known as the "Louisiana Tigers." It's one of the few college mascots with direct historical roots in the state.
Mike the Tiger
In 1936, students raised $750 to buy a live Bengal tiger from the Little Rock Zoo. They named him Mike, after LSU's then athletic trainer Mike Chambers. Mike I lived on campus until 1956. Today, Mike VII (the seventh tiger to bear the name) lives in a 15,000-square-foot habitat right next to Tiger Stadium.
Death Valley
The combination of the Tiger identity and the legendary night-game atmosphere is what gave Tiger Stadium its "Death Valley" nickname. ESPN has called it the toughest place to play in college football. We don't disagree.
Our Baton Rouge Hoodie features an original retro Tiger illustration — purple and gold, naturally.