One No. 18 took to social media to congratulate the latest addition to the club.
LSU announced its special jersey assignments for the 2023 season, and defensive tackle [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] will wear the No. 18 jersey this fall. He’ll take over from [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag], an edge rusher and second-round pick who wore it in 2022.
With Wingo being the next player to carry on the legacy, a former No. 18 took to social media to congratulate him in star fullback [autotag]Jacob Hester[/autotag]. A player at LSU from 2004-07, Hester received the jersey in his senior season as he led the Tigers to a national championship.
Wingo will hope to become the latest No. 18 bearer to lead LSU to the promised land.
A transfer from Missouri, Wingo was elevated to the starting lineup after Maason Smith suffered a season-ending injury in the first game. He ultimately picked up All-SEC honors as he had a fantastic campaign, and he should lead one of the best interior defensive lines in the league.
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Tiger Stadium is truly one of the most feared venues in all of college football.
Tiger Stadium is one of the most intimidating venues in college football. As former coach Ed Orgeron stated, “Death Valley is where opponents’ dreams come to die.” What is it about Saturday nights in Death Valley that strikes fear into the heart of opponents?
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It’s the History
Since LSU started playing in Tiger Stadium in 1924, the Tigers have an overall record of 433-153-18. Since 2003, LSU is 117-20 when they play at home. (including perfect home records in ’04, ’06, ’10, ’11, ’13, and ’19). Think of the great names that have come through the program over the years, [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag], [autotag]Patrick Peterson[/autotag], [autotag]Tyrann Mathieu[/autotag], [autotag]Leonard Fournette[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] — the list goes on and on. When you step foot into Tiger Stadium, you know that you are stepping onto hallowed ground.
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It’s the Fans and the Band
It’s the 102,000+ people that pack out the stands no matter if the game kicks off at 11 a.m. or 7 p.m. Tiger fans are the best fans in college football. They show up early and tailgate for hours. They stay until the clock hits triple zeros in the fourth quarter and long after the game is over. If your team has a tough night in Baton Rouge, The Golden Band from Tigerland will let you know about it. Let the band play “Neck” as your team walks off the field with their heads hung low.
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IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT IN DEATH VALLEY!
It is a pantheon of concrete and steel. It is a city that rises defiantly in the delta alongside the father of waters. It is the humidity of Autumn evenings that drapes stately oaks and broad magnolias. It is haunted and it is loud. It is Halloween night and cannon blasts. It is a Louisiana gumbo of humanity that cheers its Tigers to victory and destroys the dreams of invading foes. The chance of rain is…never. It is the cathedral of college football and worship happens here. When the sun finds its home in the western sky, it is a field of glory, for sure. But much more than that, it is a sacred place. And it is Saturday Night in DEATH VALLEY. – Dan Borne
There is no better place to be in the world on a Saturday night in the fall. When the sun sets in the western sky and the lights shine the brightest, something magical happens. Is it cajun voodoo? Is it black magic? No, it’s LSU football, and it’s here to stay.
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The countdown continues with the next 10 players on our list.
LSU football has been around for a long time. Since 1893, to be exact.
In that span, plenty of great football players have come through the program. Before we begin the journey of the 2022 season, I thought I’d take a stab at ranking the 101 best players in LSU history.
I have tried to avoid recency bias as much as possible. It can be hard to get enough information about older players, but I did my best to get them about in the ballpark of where they should be.
Anytime there’s a list this big, people will disagree. There’s so little that separates the 50th player from the 70th, and so on.
I tried to balance consistency over multiple seasons with some players that had one great year. Both have been rewarded here. With that in mind, let’s continue the countdown.
Kelly said the decision to award the two prestigious jersey numbers will ultimately rest with the players.
LSU has a number of football traditions, but one of its proudest are the pair of honorary jersey numbers. Each year, players are selected to hold the prestigious No. 7 and No. 18 jerseys, with No. 7 traditionally being given to a top playmaker and No. 18 being worn by a (usually veteran) player who exemplifies on and off-field excellence.
Last year, cornerback [autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag] wore No. 7 while linebacker [autotag]Damone Clark[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Chris Curry[/autotag] wore No. 18.
When LSU released its first roster for 2022, many noticed that neither jersey had been assigned. At his press conference on Saturday, new coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] offered some clarification.
Kelly said that he will leave it up to the players whether those jerseys are assigned this season.
Brian Kelly said he's done the research on No. 7 and No. 18 and understands the history it holds, but he wants to leave it up to the team as to whether they give the jerseys out to guys this year.
It’s hard to imagine no one on this year’s squad will wear either number, but given that Kelly is still learning the leadership dynamics within the team, it makes sense that he would leave that decision ultimately up to the players’ discretion.
Both jerseys have been worn by a number of stars and future NFL players. [autotag]Patrick Peterson[/autotag], [autotag]Tyrann Mathieu[/autotag], [autotag]D.J. Chark Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Grant Delpit[/autotag] all wore No. 7, while No. 18 has been shared by [autotag]Matt Mauck[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Lloyd Cushenberry[/autotag] and [autotag]K’Lavon Chaisson[/autotag].
We’ll have to wait and see who (if anyone) receives those honors this season, but it seems that decision will ultimately rest with the players.
The 2007 LSU Tigers opened with a 45-0 rout at Mississippi State.
The LSU Tigers opened their 2007 season on the road against Mississippi State in Starkville, entering the year ranked at No. 2 in the country.
Tigers quarterback Matt Flynn finished 12-of-19 passing for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Jacob Hester ran the ball 14 times for 68 yards, and Early Doucet led the Tigers in receiving with 78 yards and one touchdown on nine receptions.
This game was monumental because it was the beginning of a season-long title chase for LSU. The Tigers would eventually defeat Ohio State in the BCS National Championship to conclude the season and the program’s third national championship in program history.
But the opening game in Starkville was what set the tone for what was to come.
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LSU allowed just 146 total yards of offense to the Bulldogs. State had seven turnovers in the game and only recorded nine first downs to the Tigers’ 22.
Mississippi State quarterback Mike Henig went 11-of-28 passing for 120 yards and six interceptions. Fielding one of the best defenses in team history, the Tigers’ defense came alive in Starkville in the 45-0 rout to open the season.
LSU accounted for 347 total yards of offense and held the ball for over 19 minutes during the game. Head coach Les Miles earned another opening season victory for the program, and this time it was in astounding fashion.
Beating the Bulldogs at home is one thing, but to allow less than 150 yards of offense and hold them scoreless is an even greater accomplishment.
The 2007 LSU football team was special, and they showcased that with a statement win on their way to a national championship.
