Down on the Bayou, these Bengals know how to throw a party. Whether its downtown or down on campus, it is all about LSU college football. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ranks 10th on our Top 100 College Football Towns of America Countdown.
To celebrate 100 days until the start of the college football season, HERO Sports is counting down the Top 100 FBS College Football Towns in America. Each day, through Aug. 24, a new city will be revealed. We will analyze the city, the program, the good and bad of the city as well as the bottom line. If you got a problem, @me on Twitter.
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10. Baton Rouge, Louisiana — LSU
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2018 may be more about surviving than succeeding in Baton Rouge. ( Photo: LSU Athletics)[/credit]
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The Program
While LSU has had success throughout its program's history, including a 1958 national championship, the real spirit of Tigers football had not reached its full potential until Nick Saban took over in 2001. Some might argue that the Charles McClendon-era is when things really started to get rolling, but that time and space was dominated by Auburn and Alabama.
Under Saban, the Tigers became a national powerhouse. In five years, Saban won one national title. The Tigers were ranked every season, won three SEC West crowns and two conference championships. He laid the groundwork for Les Miles to take LSU to its present state as one of top ten premier programs in all of college football. Miles won another national title in 11 years down on the Bayou. Affectionately known as the Mad Hatter for his fondness for risk-taking in huge moments, Miles' gambling ways ultimately wore out its welcome.
The current state of LSU football just feels right.
Has there ever been a more suited coach to lead a program than Ed Orgeron at LSU? He talks like he just killed a gator and ate it for dinner. He is as brash as he is loveable and has said all the right things so far. If he wants to continue, however, he'll have to stop losing at home to Troy.
Things probably won't get better in 2018. LSU has the talent and potential, but games against Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and Miami may have the Tigers back at the Citrus Bowl rather than the Sugar.
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The City
For a major city with over 200,000 residents, Baton Rouge lacks the feel of a metropolis. Only recently has there been a revival downtown. Once an area reserved for corporate and government offices, the central hub of Baton Rouge has witnessed an influx of restaurants, bars and retail shops completely transforming downtown into a thriving representation of Louisiana. Third Street is the heart. As residential units continue to be built, scores of people return to this epicenter to enjoy life alongside the Mississippi River.
The campus is a 10-minute drive from downtown. As you depart the city center and travel south along the Mississippi River, some of Baton Rouge's major landmarks greet you on the way to the game. The Louisiana Art and Science Museum and USS Kidd Destroyer Museum among them. The closer you get to campus, the closer you are to a life-altering experience.
Tailgating in "Deaf Valley" (you read that right) is an event in itself. Throngs of people get there early and don't leave until politely asked. It is a party from dawn to dusk, where costumes, music and revelry are as commonplace as the scenes down on Bourbon Street. Cajun food is the name of the game, and an assortment of spicy chicken wings, gumbo, jambalaya and fried fish will make you wonder who you wronged to not be able to do this every Saturday.
While New Orleans may be known as a constant party, Baton Rouge is no slouch on Saturdays at Tiger Stadium.
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The Good
Music is obviously the backbone of the city, and while we can point to the many institutions that have come and gone in Baton Rouge, "Pitch Perfect" was filmed here.
Ask any student or alumni, however, and they'll say this (or a variation of this):
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The Bad
The home of Exxon Baton Rouge is a pollutant's wet dream. Thanks to the third-largest oil refinery, every breath you take puts you that much closer to death's door. In a recent American Lung Association report, East Baton Rouge Parish was given an F grade for ozone pollution and a C grade for 24-hour spikes of soot and other particle pollution.
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Bottom Line
Baton Rouge can party like few others on game day, and for good reason. Just make sure to find the tailgating party with the oxygen bar.
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NEXT: Top 100 College Football Towns in America: No. 11 Columbus, Ohio
NEXT: The Ultimate College Football Road Trip
