LSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd catches a touchdown pass with :01 left to lift LSU to a 30-24 victory over Auburn on Oct. 20, 2007 in Tiger Stadium
The Auburn Sports Arena burned on the night of LSU’s 19-15 victory on Sept. 21, 1996.
LSU kicker Cole Tracy is carried off the field at Auburn after making a game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired in LSU’s 22-21 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.
This is my 35th year covering LSU football. I figure Saturday will mark my 34th Auburn game from the press box or stands.
When it comes to this classic, crazy series, I feel like the late, great Skip Bertman did when he once told Ben McDonald about the “the inevitable two” runs that were about to be scored in an LSU baseball game:
“I’ve seen it all … twice!”
Famous things. Infamous things. Things you couldn’t believe. Over the past 50 years, it’s been by far the most colorful LSU football rivalry.
Like many things in the speeding-to-a-blur college football world we’re currently living in, the annual rivalry between the schools ended in 2023 with the dissolution of divisional play within the Southeastern Conference. This will be LSU’s first game at Auburn since 2022, and Auburn doesn’t return to Tiger Stadium until 2028.
Maybe that makes us savor the memorable games between the SEC’s original Tigers even more. Here are 13 games worth remembering:
1980: LSU 21, Auburn 17
No earthquakes, no cigars, but when did you ever see referees taking timeouts away from the home team because their fans were being too loud? That happened to LSU in this one as Auburn was driving for the go-ahead score. It ended when safety Marcus Quinn seemed to leap 10 feet into the air to intercept a Joe Sullivan pass in the north end zone.
1988: LSU 7, Auburn 6
“The Earthquake Game.” Tommy Hodson’s 11-yard, fourth-down touchdown pass to Eddie Fuller with 1:47 left set off a celebration that registered on the LSU geology department’s seismograph. Years later, I wrote that an LSU geologist said just about every Tiger Stadium touchdown registers as an “earthquake.” Readers got mad. Some folks want the legend, not the truth.
1994: Auburn 30, LSU 26
“The Interception Game.” LSU quarterback Jamie Howard threw three fourth-quarter interceptions that Auburn returned for touchdowns. Then he threw two more — one that Auburn fumbled on the return, another he threw after LSU got the ball back. It was the beginning of the end for coach Curley Hallman, which makes it the best loss LSU ever had.
1995: LSU 12, Auburn 6
“The Bring Back the Magic Game.” The title comes from a quote by first-year coach Gerry DiNardo at his introductory news conference. The actual game belonged to Howard, who quarterbacked LSU over No. 5 Auburn. Troy Twillie pulled a Quinn and intercepted Patrick Nix (Denver quarterback Bo Nix’s father) in the north end zone to end it.
1996: LSU 19, Auburn 15
“The Night the Barn Burned.” Raion Hill scored on a pick-six, then ran back a two-point pass with 0:36 left as Auburn tried to tie LSU while down 17-15. But the game is remembered for the enormous fire next door to Jordan-Hare Stadium that claimed the old wooden Auburn Sports Arena, a.k.a. The Barn. Auburn legend blames LSU fans for leaving a lit barbecue pit next to the building.
1999: Auburn 41, LSU 7
“The Cigar Game.” No fire hazards, just bad taste as Auburn players smoked victory cigars on the eye of the tiger logo at midfield in Tiger Stadium. Imagine if Lane Kiffin’s players did that Saturday.
2001: LSU 27, Auburn 14
This one is remembered not so much for the game — though the win did put LSU in its first SEC championship game — but more the circumstances. The contest was originally scheduled for Sept. 15 in Tiger Stadium but was postponed until Dec. 1 because of Sept. 11.
2004: Auburn 10, LSU 9
Auburn scored a touchdown to tie it 9-9 with 1:14 left, and John Vaughn missed the PAT. LSU’s Ronnie Prude was flagged for jumping over the line. No one had seen that penalty before. Or since. Vaughn made his second-chance kick as Auburn won.
2007: LSU 30, Auburn 24
LSU gives Auburn the “One Second Blues,” as Matt Flynn throws a 22-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Byrd, who lands with one second left on the clock. LSU coach Les Miles could have tried a 39-yard field goal to win, but oh no, that wouldn’t have been as sporting. LSU stayed on track for the BCS national championship.
2016: Auburn 18, LSU 13
Auburn kicked six field goals. LSU quarterback Danny Etling appeared to throw a game-winning 15-yard TD pass to DJ Chark as time expired, except time already expired before the ball was snapped. Miles was fired the next day. It was the most Miles’ way his LSU career could have ended.
2017: LSU 27, Auburn 23
Unranked LSU rallied from a 20-0 second-quarter deficit at home to beat No. 10 Auburn, thanks in part to a 75-yard punt return TD by Chark.
2018: LSU 22, Auburn 21
Cole Tracy’s 42-yard field goal as time expired lifted Joe Burrow-led LSU to a dramatic win at Auburn.
2022: LSU 21, Auburn 17
Brian Kelly’s first LSU team was down 17-0 at Auburn before rallying for 21 unanswered points to win. Auburn coach Bryan Harsin was fired three weeks later. Kelly was fired three years later.
No Brians or Bryans were harmed in the writing of this column.
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