The Reveille 09-03-26

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Football P r e v i e w Spe ci al Edition T hu r s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 3, 2 02 6

TIGERS VS

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TIGER TAKEOVER

A look back at LSU football’s five previous games against Clemson BY ADAM KIRSCHMAN Staff Writer LSU and Clemson will play each other for the sixth time overall and second time ever in the regular season on Saturday. It is a rematch from last season’s week one showdown where No. 9 LSU beat No. 4 Clemson in South Carolina 17-10. LSU and Clemson are two of the most notable programs in college football, and despite facing off infrequently due to being in different conferences, they have played each other in memorable games. LSU holds a 4-1 edge all-time against Clemson, with two of these contests securing LSU a national championship. Other notable games from this series include a series split at the Peach Bowl, with LSU besting Clemson in 1996 and Clemson returning the favor in 2012. As a sixth battle between these two storied Tiger teams looms, here’s a look back at the five previous matchups. 1959 Sugar Bowl LSU closed out its first-ever recognized national championship season at the 1959 Sugar Bowl, beating Clemson 7-0. The win in its home state capped off a perfect 11-0 season for LSU. Clemson went into this game 8-2, hoping to get an upset win in front of a majority LSU crowd of 80,000 people in New Orleans, but couldn’t get anything past LSU’s historic defense. Despite being the better team on paper, LSU faced challenges in this contest. Most notably, it lost its starting quarterback, Warren Rabb, when he broke his hand in the second quarter. The injury forced Heisman-winning running back Billy Cannon to step in under center. After several drives where LSU came up scoreless near the goal line, Cannon threw a 9-yard touchdown to Mickey Mangham for the only score of the contest. Then-LSU head coach Paul Dietzel later relied on his legendary defense, known as the “Chinese Bandits,” to get the win. This unit, led by Mel Branch, was first thought of as a group of less experienced backups but would become fan favorites for their grittiness. They were known for not giving up easy yards, a trait that was on full display against Clemson. The LSU defense let up only 191 total yards and pitched a shutout. The unit left a legacy that continues to this day. The LSU band plays an arrangement known as “Bandits” after third-down stops to commemorate the defensive unit that was the backbone of the historic 1958 season. 1996 Peach Bowl It would be nearly 40 years until these two met again, this

time in Atlanta, to decide a Peach Bowl champion. LSU went into this bowl game ranked No. 17 after going 10-2, opposed to Clemson’s weaker 7-5 year. LSU was built off a strong run game and defense, with running back Kevin Faulk leading the SEC in rushing yards and touchdowns that season. Clemson’s offense was also driven by a strong run game, led by Raymond Preister, who broke Clemson’s career rushing record after racking up over 1,300 scrimmage yards that season. Clemson got off to a quick start, scoring a rushing touchdown in the first quarter, before LSU equalized only a few minutes later off a 3-yard Faulk rushing touchdown. LSU then took the lead later in the quarter with a field goal. Both defenses followed with a complete shutdown in the second half, where the two only managed to combine for five first-down conversions and no points. LSU secured the 10-7 win, with its quarterback, Herb Tyler, taking home the MVP award. 2012 Peach Bowl Clemson snapped its two-game losing streak in 2012. Ranked No. 14, it beat No. 8 LSU in that year’s Peach Bowl after a 25-24 shootout win in Atlanta. This contest marked the first time these two teams faced off against each other in what could be described as an offensive duel; both offenses combined for 664 yards. LSU struck first on a rushing touchdown, but Clemson matched that score later in the opening quarter with a rushing touchdown of its own. In the second quarter, LSU and Clemson scored matching passing touchdowns, but a Clemson missed extra point gave LSU a one-point advantage entering halftime. LSU managed to extend its lead to 11 points in the third quarter after a 57-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the half by Jeremy Hill was followed up with a field goal. With all the pressure on his team in the fourth quarter, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd started connecting on his passes. He set up drives that led to a field goal and touchdown with only three minutes left in the contest. After a disastrous three-andout from LSU’s offense, Boyd connected with star receiver DeAndre Hopkins three times in the ensuing drive, capping off a 191-yard game and setting up a game-winning field goal as time expired. Clemson became Peach Bowl Champions, winning 25-24. 2020 National Championship 2020 marked the second time these two teams faced off in a championship-deciding game. LSU was looked at as a favorite

in this contest thanks to a team that most fans say is the program’s greatest in history. Heading into the game, LSU’s record was 14-0 and it was coming off of a 35-point blowout win against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Peach Bowl. Despite being the underdogs, Clemson also tore up college football that season. The defending national champions finished the regular season 12-0 and defeated a stellar Ohio State team 29-23 in their semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl. The contest was also billed as a historic quarterback duel between that year’s Heisman winner Joe Burrow and reigning national champion Trevor Lawrence. The first half wouldn’t start as expected for these two top offenses, as the first four drives ended in punts. Clemson struck first, with Lawrence scoring a rushing touchdown at the goal line, but that lead only lasted a few minutes as Burrow found wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for a 52-yard touchdown. Clemson reignited the offense in the second quarter. Scoring a field goal. That score was followed by a 36-yard Tee Higgins rushing touchdown to give Clemson a 10-point lead. LSU answered with more chunk plays leading to scores, after another long reception by Chase set up an easy touchdown run to cut the deficit to three. The LSU defense then took control, holding the opposing Tigers scoreless for the rest of the half. On the other side of the ball, the offense raised LSU’s lead to 11, with two Burrow touchdown passes. Clemson managed to cut the difference to three points at the start of the third quarter after a Travis Etienne touchdown run, but the LSU offense stayed too powerful to stop. Burrow connected with Thaddeus Moss on a 4-yard touchdown pass to bring the lead back to double digits. Clemson then failed to score the rest of the third. After one more Burrow touchdown pass, the contest was all but over. LSU secured the national championship 42-25, off the back of a historic six-touchdown, 512yard game by Burrow. 2025 Season Opener 2025 marked the first regular season contest between the two programs. Both teams went into the year viewed highly. LSU was ranked No. 9, while Clemson sat No. 4 in the rankings. Both teams had similar situations going into week one, relying on veteran, gunslinging quarterbacks — Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik — and experienced head coaches — Brian Kelly and Dabo Swinney. Despite the high rankings, both teams had major question marks. No one had truly seen how these teams’ success the year

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LSU football freshman cornerback DJ Pickett (3) holds a sign reading “Ball Game” and celebrates Aug. 30, 2025, after LSU’s 17-10 win against Clemson at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, Sc. before would translate to the 2025-26 season. From the start, it was clear that both these offenses weren’t clicking the way many expected them to. A Clemson field goal was all that was scored in the first quarter. LSU equalized with a field goal of its own early in the second. The defensive battle continued into the final minutes of the second quarter before Clemson took a touchdown lead on a 1-yard touchdown run. Nussmeier started to get hot in the third as he connected on a few big passes to set up a game-tying rushing touchdown for Caden Durham. The scoring wouldn’t intensify from this touchdown, though. Both offenses struggled to score after an LSU missed field goal and a Clemson interception. The deadlock was eventually broken early in the fourth quarter. Trey’Dez Green made a spectacular catch over a defender for an 8-yard touchdown pass to bring LSU up 17-10. LSU’s defense then shut down the game for the rest of the fourth, leading to five straight scoreless drives and a 17-10 win on the road. Despite the major-ranked win for LSU early in the season, this game proved to be the peak of that squad’s season. The Brian Kelly experiment came to an end in his fourth year at LSU, as he was unable to win another ranked game that season before being fired in week nine. Nussmeier battled an abdominal injury all year, which significantly hurt his production. He never managed to live up to the top quarterback prospect people projected him to be at the start of the season. Clemson went on to have an even worse year, as it failed to beat many unranked underdogs and finished with a poor 7-6 record. This year’s rematch will take place in Baton Rouge, as fans hope this game doesn’t lead these teams down the same disappointing path it did last season.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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TIGERS TIMES TWO

A collaborative letter from the sports editors of the Reveille and The Tiger

Dear readers, this other to start the season. Only h eac ttle ba on ms Cle d an U LS , For the second year in a row ll host the clash. wi y lle Va ath year, a different De public igiously behind their respective rel ing nd sta tes sta lt Be le Bib a, South Carolina and Louisian universities. ms with national championgra pro d rie sto o tw — of am ll fans dre It’s a matchup college footbaen aches leading the charge. co ry da leg d an lts be ir the r ships unde e rld. Though they share just fiv wo ll tba foo ge lle co the of t me LSU- Clemson is the Halley’sgaCo s couldn’t have been higher. me se tho in s ke sta the s, up match ee meetnal champion at the end, thr tio na a ed wn cro t tha s e me ga of ir week clash. No matter the sid ing en The two have played in a paan op g ttin -se ge sta r’s yea t . ll world s d las ings at New Year’s Six bowlniz and success in the college footba ce en val pre s er’ oth the e og you fall on, each can rec son top -10 2025 edition put two preseapo the r, lla ste n tha s les nt we ints, and s greater than seven d lea a Though both schools’ season k too e sid er ith Ne g. lin its bil ez Green teams together and lived up—tocoming on a fourth-quarter touchdown reception by Trey’D LSU’s sole lead of the night ge in lead that mattered the most. — ended up being the chan down to the wire, there will be ing go up tch ma r’s yea t las d an share ult. With the histor y these teams s down to a similarly thrilling res me co r yea s thi sh cla ’s on ms Cle no surprise if LSU and rtbo Swinney across the sidelinee sta Da d an U LS for lm he ir the the at me tak ga ders with the tools to lea ve With Lane Kiffin in his first ms ha es sid th bo , ach co ad he on’s ing his 18th full season as Cle teams to success. rhouse e coin of college football powe sam the of es sid o tw U see to le nt r, the new environme at LS yea t las In this edition, you will be ab e lik up tch ma -10 top a y. t ugh no r’s rivalr programs full of histor y. Altho is no lack of hype behind this yea re the an me m tea h eac of l tia and the unknown poten tage nt journalists provide uniquegavan de stu u, yo ba the to y last wa me its s d perspectives for this ine As the national media make mb co lle vei Re the d an er The Tig points on their teams. Af ter together for 2026’s encore. me co to season, we are proud verage u support, we hope that our co yo e rpl pu the g tin en lem mp co Whether it’s gold or orange re to be a thrilling matchup in Baton Rouge on Saturday. will set the stage for what’s su

Sincerely, The Tiger Brett Porter, spor ts ed itor for the Reveille Alex Sheesley, spor ts ed itor for

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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Reveille, The Tiger writers take sides on Kiffin-Swinney debate

WHY DABO? BY BRETT PORTER Sports Editor | The Tiger

There are few coaches alive today who hold the same prestige as Dabo Swinney. Swinney comes into the matchup in his 18th full season at the helm for the Clemson Tigers. In the modern age, Swinney embodies the traditional values of loyalty to his program — a figure who truly bleeds Clemson orange. Across the sideline on Sept. 5 in Baton Rouge will sit the opposite image — Lane Kiffin. A coach who received backlash after he left Mississippi seemingly overnight, just days after leading Ole Miss to its first College Football Playoff berth. Still, it’s hard to argue with either coach’s success, but the statistics speak for themselves. Swinney holds a 187-53 re-

cord in his Clemson career, cementing his status as the fourth-winningest coach in their first 20 seasons. To add on, Swinney took Clemson to the top of the football world twice in his tenure, in 2016 and 2018, while appearing in two others and also bringing the Tigers to a bowl game in each season he coached. Kiffin, on the other hand, still seeks his first national championship. Additionally, he trails Swinney in total record and win percentage, at 116-53, as he prepares to take the reins at his fifth different university. Swinney’s coaching philosophy holds the same value toward loyalty as he has shown to the orange and purple. Since the emergence of the transfer portal and NIL, Swinney has been clear: he wants Clemson to build a team rather than buy one. In an age when many college football traditionalists believe the game is being ruined,

Swinney wants to prove that the original character-driven values on which college football was based for over a generation still reign supreme, making Clemson a place sought after by high school recruits. Above all, Swinney remains not only a model coach but a model character. After his final game in a Clemson uniform, current NFL quarterback Cade Klubnik detailed how he looked up to Swinney. “My favorite coach I’ve ever had,” Klubnik said, “the best thing that I admire about Coach Swinney and something that I try to live after is he’s the exact same person every single day.” Few people can have an impact on a player more than Swinney can — a coach who cares less about money and more about developing his players in both skill on the field and character off of it.

WHY KIFFIN? BY HANNAH GARCIA Staff Writer | The Reveille

Lane Kiffin has been the name on the tip of every college football fan’s tongue this offseason — and for good reason. After leaving Ole Miss for greener pastures in Baton Rouge, Kiffin has built what fans hope to be a championship roster, backed by former College Football Playoff quarterback Sam Leavitt. However, the head coach must overcome some hurdles on his way to the playoffs, starting with the season opener against the Clemson Tigers and veteran head coach Dabo Swinney. Swinney has long been a prominent figure in the college football world. Entering his 18th season at the helm of the Clemson Tigers, he has accumulated an 187-53 record and two national championships; however, his teams have struggled in recent years. The Clemson head coach has refused to adapt to the modern world of college football. He does not pursue many players in the transfer portal, and he does not believe in paying younger players through

NIL to bring them onto the roster. It begs the question of whether Swinney’s program can survive in today’s college football landscape, which is built upon transfers and NIL deals. Kiffin, on the other hand, has made use of every resource available in building his roster. He attacked the transfer portal aggressively during the offseason, bringing in the No. 1 transfer class in the country, according to 247Sports. The class included three five-star players and 14 four-star players. Multiple commits followed Kiffin in his move from Oxford to Baton Rouge. LSU brought in the 11th-ranked recruiting class this offseason, compared to Clemson’s 20thranked class, according to 247Sports. Swinney prides himself on recruiting young players over experienced ones, but he seems to have been beaten at his own game heading into 2026, unable to bring a fivestar commit to his program. Kiffin also brings multiple levels of coaching experience to the table. He was the head coach of the then-Oakland

Raiders for two seasons in the NFL, and coached under Nick Saban at Alabama during its 2015 National Championship season. He also led Florida Atlantic to two conference championships in two seasons, compiling a 27-13 record. Kiffin has proven his willingness and ability to adapt to various situations, something that Swinney has refused to do. The LSU head coach’s recruiting style allowed him to build a program from the ground up at Ole Miss. Kiffin transformed the Rebels into an SEC contender and brought them their first-ever 11-win season. The team went from a l o we r - c o m p e t i n g team to a championship contender in a matter of years. While Swinney’s resume has historically spoken for itself, its relevance in today’s football landscape is declining. Kiffin’s willingness to adapt has made him a better coach for the modern era of college football.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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Breaking down LSU’s opening week contest against Clemson BY TRIPP BUHLER Staff Writer Saturday’s game will be extravagant across the board. LSU is set to unveil its new offense and play its first game under recently-hired head coach Lane Kiffin. It is the most mediaand celebrity-credentialed game in the history of Tiger Stadium, LSU told ESPN. All eyes will be on Death Valley this Saturday, and LSU has prepared for all of it. From staying at the team hotel this past Friday night to walking down Victory Hill and playing a mock game, LSU has seen everything but its opposite Tigers — the ones visiting from Clemson. This game also brings together two of the best coaches in football, ones who are familiar with each other at that. Kiffin game planned against Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney for the 2015 national championship when Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at Alabama. “Really tough opponent in Clemson,” Kiffin said. “[They’re] very well coached, veteran staff, guys that won a lot of games. [Dabo Swinney’s] one of the best ever to do it, and has done it for a long time. So this is a great matchup, one we’re excited to be a part of.” Pressure is going to crumble whoever isn’t ready to perform. Penalties are going to be a big factor in what will be an emotional matchup that may feature decibel figures high enough to register earthquakes. Fortunately for LSU, it brings a lot of big-game experience all over the field, featuring multiple guys who have played in the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is

the key for LSU to have success this year and this game. He led Arizona State to a playoff appearance in 2024 before missing the back half of 2025 with a foot injury. He comes to LSU fully healed and ready to prove himself. “There’s been a lot of noise throughout the offseason that I’ve blocked out, and [I] just put my head down and went to work,” Leavitt said Tuesday. “We’re finally able to go put it on tape and make something special out of it.” Leavitt comes into Saturday with 20 career starts, while his opposite only has one. Clemson’s quarterback, senior Christopher Vizzina had one start against SMU last year, and threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns. His offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, is also a relatively fresh face. He is in his third stint at Clemson after taking a year off from coaching. “[Vizzina is] really talented, really throws well on the move,” Kiffin said. “Coach [Morris] hasn’t called for a little bit of time, and so we’re not sure exactly what they’ll look like. That’s always scary.” Morris is an intentional coordinator in the way that he manipulates defenses, moving sideline to sideline before calling big vertical plays. If Vizzina can get comfortable, this Clemson offense won’t look like the one that only managed 261 yards of total offense against LSU last year. The biggest matchups of the game will come in LSU’s secondary. Clemson wide receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore are two of the best players on the team, let alone in a strong Clem-

ALEXIS PERISCKE / The Reveille

LSU football redshirt sophomore Paul Mubenga (65) and fifth-year senior offensive line Josh Thompson (56) congratulate sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green (14) Oct. 11, during their 20-10 win against South Carolina at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. son receiver room. They have the ability to change the game if Vizzina can get them the ball. In LSU’s secondary, its cornerbacks — DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland — have the talent to keep up. Even if Clemson’s twoheaded receiving monster gets free, pre-season All-American safety Ty Benefield can cover every blade of grass. The biggest question mark for each team comes in the trenches. LSU center Braelin Moore said that his unit is good enough to win the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the best offensive line in America. The group has the talent, but the

play of right tackle Weston Davis is going to be a big factor in the game, as he played inconsistently last year. Clemson’s offensive line doesn’t bring much power conference experience and is exploitable by LSU’s stacked edge group, highlighted by Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen. Defensive tackle is a worry for both sides. LSU has two freshmen — Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson — who have enough raw talent to change games. Saturday will be their first collegiate game ever, though. For Clemson, the projected

starters at defensive tackle also don’t have many snaps under their belt. These teams match up well together in most aspects of the game, but Clemson doesn’t have pre-season All-American tight end Trey’Dez Green, one of the best athletes in college football. He needs to be a game changer for LSU. On Saturday, Green and the LSU offense will get a chance to show what they’ve been working on all season — speed. LSU has one of its biggest games ever, and Clemson is standing in the way of Kiffin’s first result as LSU’s head coach being a win.

What’s on the line for Saturday’s Clemson-LSU matchup? BY RAMI BURKS Deputy Sports Editor LSU football has had a rough past in opening games. With the changes head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff have made to the Tigers’ program, the stakes are higher than ever for 2026’s opening game, and LSU needs it to go off without a hitch. From his portal class to attempting to take advantage of every rule possible, Kiffin has built high expectations for LSU fans ahead of his debut game on Saturday against Clemson. Kiffin’s plans to build the offense of a program that’s historically defense-dominant has led to him tapping into the resources previous coaches didn’t. LSU’s head coach has brought in the No. 1 transfer class for 2026, and most of those transfers have gone to bolster the offensive line. During a fall camp press conference, Kiffin said that his additions to the LSU offense have become a strength in practice.

ERIN BARKER / The Reveille

The LSU football team prepares to run out on the field Aug. 30, 2025, before the game against Clemson at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, Sc. He also said that it should make LSU a tougher team all around because of it. “We retooled [the offensive] room almost from top to bottom, and it’s been very competitive,” Kiffin said. “It’s really one of the better rooms from the

bottom of it, which is important because that’s what makes your practice better, because they’re the service team that [the starters are] going against.” Kiffin also mentioned that he feels the defense was already well established when he got

to LSU, which only adds to the harrowing stakes entering the matchup with Clemson. Part of the stakes Kiffin has to fight comes from failures during former head coach Brian Kelly’s tenure at LSU. Kelly had a rough history with the season opener, but managed to pull off a 17-10 win over Clemson in 2025 to shake that narrative before he was fired later in the same season. As a head coach, Kiffin has never faced Clemson or its head coach Dabo Swinney, and to further thicken the plot entering the 2026 season, LSU leads the all-time series 4-1 versus Clemson. Historically, Swinney has brought in teams of strong defenses, which makes the rivalry even tougher. This approach has led to several low-scoring nailbiters, including 2025’s 1710 game. While that appears to be what Swinney and staff are emphasizing entering 2026, Kiffin’s emphasis on offense is expected

to be a standout from past seasons. In a midweek press conference, Kiffin said he expects his team’s offense to get better as the season progresses. His promises might put him in an early hot seat with some fans, but there will be diehard fans in his corner as the season draws out. “While the dynamic between coach [Ed Orgeron] and coach Kiffin is keeping our hopes high,” LSU sophomore animal science major Sammie Keith said, “we need to take into account that it will take time for LSU to get back on its feet as champions.” Kiffin may have made big promises to rebuild the LSU offense to match its historically strong defense, but as the clock ticks down to the opening game of 2026, the stakes are getting higher. It will all begin to play out as the two teams of Tigers face off on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.

NEWS TAILGATING TIPS

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LSU tailgating wil look different this year. Here’s how officials say to prepare

BY MADELYN LONG Deputy News Editor As the 2026 football season nears, LSU tailgaters can anticipate changes that meet new guidelines set by Louisiana lawmakers and LSU officials. From navigating the new Parade Ground layout to abiding by upgraded substance laws, here is how LSU officials suggest enjoying the game day as safely as possible. After the closing of Unity Field in October 2025, many National Pan-Hellenic Council chapters were left without a designated area to tailgate. LSU faced backlash over the closing of the field, with many students deeming it simply unfair that their Greek organizations were not treated the same as others. New this year, NPHC chapters were given the opportunity to choose if they wanted a designated tailgating area on the Parade Ground. Only Panhellenic organizations were given the opportunity to tailgate on the Parade Ground in previous years. Beth Newell, director of LSU Greek Life, confirmed seven of the nine NPHC organizations have chosen to tailgate on the Parade Ground. The other two have chosen the Acadian Field near The 459 Common. It is not confirmed which two chapters decided against tailgating on the Parade Ground.

“Additionally, they must now register their events and participate in a tailgating workshop that outlines all the new processes for registration, set up and take down,” said LSU Chief Communications Officer Meg Casper Sunstrom. One student expressed mixed feelings regarding the changes and how different organizations will mix during the chaos of game day. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to be able to have a fun game day experience with more of the Greek community coming together,” said junior art history major Olivia Waters. “But, I’m also wary of the blatant racism that will undoubtedly be shown from members who might be feeling territorial over their coveted Parade Ground.” Students and LSU community members are also advised to comply with new state marijuana laws to avoid consequences during game day. Even though LSU has been a smoke and drug free zone for many years, anyone in possession or found using marijuana within 2,000 feet of campus will be charged with a felony in comparison to misdemeanor charges that were enforced in previous years. “On game day, LSU partners with our entire local law enforcement community to keep campus safe so that everyone enjoys their time on campus and in the sta-

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Students tailgate on the Parade Ground Nov. 18, 2023, prior to an LSU football game in Baton Rouge, La. dium, and that is the expectation again this year,” Sunstrom said. Sunstrom also suggested reading the LSU Fan Guide, which has information about how to tailgate safely and have a great experience. “Being familiar with the Fan Guide is a great way to stay safe and get a feel for the rules surrounding game days,” said Sunstrom. Sally Stiel, LSU Alumni Association’s vice president of marketing, agreed with Sunstrom, saying that

reviewing the Fan Guide before tailgating is a great way to prepare for these new changes. Fans on campus during game days will also have the opportunity to download and use the LSU Shield app for access to police and security assistance through their phone. This, on top of the increased LSUPD surveillance during game days, provides a mindset of safety first, according to Stiel. Even with changes and challenges throughout the years, the

heart of the LSU community is fully exemplified during football season, Stiel said. “LSU sporting events provide a shared experience that brings together students, alumni, faculty, staff and supporters from around the world,” Stiel said. “The spirit of ‘Tigers Helping Tigers’ helps preserve the welcoming, spirited atmosphere that makes LSU game days so special, while reminding us to look out for one another and make safety a shared priority.”

SAFETY

Public Safety Day informs students of emergency resources BY VIVIAN SARHAN Staff Writer The LSU Police Department hosted its annual Public Safety Day on Wednesday in front of the Student Union on Tower Drive. Sgt. Marlon Hawkins with LSUPD said safety is one of the most important topics on campus, so LSUPD holds this event every year with tables ranging from first responders to emergency preparedness experts. This year’s event was from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hawkins has been with LSUPD for six years and said that the event has been going on for as long as he’s been at LSU. “Students might have to deal with Louisiana State Police, Baton Rouge Police Department or even East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.” Hawkins said. “So we have all those agencies here to show that we’re all here for the betterment of the students.” LSUPD set up an incentive of Kona Ice snowballs and Lit-

tle Caesars Pizza for students after they filled out their “visit counter” and visited at least 10 booths. LSU alumnus and trooper for Louisiana State Police Shelby Mayfield attended the event and explained that LSP was recruiting LSU students to join. Mayfield said LSP came out to engage with the public, provide information and answer any questions students may have. “We do static displays, we teach sudden impact and other classes that engage and educate people on the dangers of driving impaired or distracted. All with the goal to bridge the gap between LSP and the public,” Mayfield said. “I really thoroughly enjoy it each and every day.” Nearby the LSP table was the Baton Rouge Fire Department. According to BRFD Public Information Officer Billy Zachary, the department has been the longest continually maintained Class One department in the country. “There’s no other feeling like it if you ever get a chance

to save someone’s life,” Zachary said. “There’s no other satisfaction greater than that for us as a firefighter. It’s always our top priority to try and save someone; it’s our greatest job satisfaction.” With tailgating season coming up, Zachary and the rest of the department handed out flyers about grill safety. He said that grill operators should stay with the grill and make sure it is a safe distance from any building. He also said for charcoal pits, wait until the coals are cooled before tossed in the trashbin. The BRPD and EBRSO also tabled at the event, handing out key chains, note pads and hand sanitizers. Corporal Mohamed Sayed with EBRSO was one of the sheriffs in attendance. Sayed explained that because the LSU campus is in East Baton Rouge Parish, students may also come in contact with their office. “We’re offering some resources for students regarding public safety in case of emergencies,” Sayed said. “They can

contact the sheriff’s office and we’ll be ready to help anytime we can.” In addition to first responders, there were representatives there from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Jancie Corie, planning manager for the office, said representatives were there to share information regarding safety and emergency plans. Corie said her office assists individual parishes if they reach out, but parishes can usually sustain themselves unless it is a big disaster. There was also a table for a rideshare program for LSU students called Commuter Krewe, an initiative to reduce traffic in the Baton Rouge Metro Area. Kenyatta Robertson is the travel demand management program coordinator for the rideshare service. She said the program covers East and West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston and Iberville Parishes. “Our program incentivizes

carpool drivers to reduce all the congestion and traffic we have in our area,” Robertson said. With the I-10 widening project and local road construction projects, there’s a lot of traffic in this city.” Lance DiNicola, a junior interdisciplinary studies major, attended the event and learned more about the Commuter Krewe. He explained that these events are very beneficial for students to get familiar with LSU and Baton Rouge resources. “I think it’s important that we as LSU students try and come to these events,” said DiNicola. “I think these types of events are really good, so I want more of these things to happen.” Hawkins agreed and has spoken with people saying they come every year and appreciate what they learn from it. “That’s the highlight, being able to get information out there, education on safety and awareness, and then on the back end we incentivize [students] by giving them pizza and snowballs,” Hawkins said.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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Too Good to Geaux gives students a chance to thrift for free BY KALLIE ROMERO Staff Writer The Olinde Career Center hosted its Too Good to Geaux Thrift Pop-Up on Wednesday, giving students the opportunity to shop for free in the Student Union. Students browsed through racks of donated clothes and were allowed to take as many pieces as they liked during the event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Too Good to Geaux first launched in spring 2026 after the Career Center received a large number of donations of casual clothes that did not fit the Tailored Tiger Professional Clothing Closet’s guidelines, Tailored Tiger manager Megan Elliott-Smith Rainwater said. Different from Too Good to Geaux, Tailored Tiger offers professional attire and career fair clothes. Students can book an appointment through Handshake and shop for up to four articles each semester. Rainwater said the Career Center briefly thought about adding a casual clothing rack to the Tailored Tiger closet, but concluded there was not enough space available to hold the clothes. Rather than de-

clining casual clothing donations, the Career Center tested the waters with a thrift pop-up. “Students let us know it was something they wanted to see again, so we hosted a second one at the end of the spring semester and decided this was something we wanted to keep doing,” Rainwater said. According to Rainwater, Wednesday’s event drew in 361 attendees, with over 550 articles of clothing handed out. For the previous Too Good to Geaux events, the turnout was between 100 and 150 students. Rainwater said the Career Center plans to hold two of these events each semester depending on donations, which typically come from community members, alumni and employers who recruit at LSU. Before the event, Rainwater estimated that there would be between 600 and 700 pieces of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories available. Animal science freshman Skye Nicolosi found out about Too Good to Geaux through the LSU Campus Life Instagram account. Nicolosi said thrifting is already how she normally buys her clothes.

“In my opinion, I don’t want to contribute to fast fashion, so the less waste I can make is more sustainable,” Nicolosi said. Nicolosi said thrifting her clothes when possible helps her reduce waste. She also said that having access to free clothing events can be beneficial to students who may not have extra spending money to buy clothes. “Having free clothes [for] students who may not be able to afford it at a certain time or anything, I really appreciate it,” Nicolosi said. Freshman environmental science major Dominique Banfield heard about the event through word of mouth. Banfield said free thrifting was a great way to find clothes she needs while staying within her college budget. “I feel like going out and shopping for some [clothes] is kind of difficult, especially if I’m trying to budget,” Banfield said. She also said she wanted to expand her wardrobe past free Tshirts she’s been given throughout Welcome Week and find clothing that felt more elevated and fit her personal fashion. The Tailored Tiger closet launched in September 2024 with

ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille

People look through the clothing rack on Sept. 2 at the LSU Student Union in Baton Rouge, La. support from LSU Student Government and the Student Sustainability Fund. It initially focused on closet operations and student awareness for the first year and a half. Rainwater said both Too Good to Geaux and Tailored Tiger focus on sustainability and community. Both programs give clothing a second life while providing it to students at no cost. Rainwater explained that any remaining clothing after the event will be donated to Purple Cow, a thrift store in Baton Rouge.

Many students at the event said that they have plans to attend future Too Good to Geaux pop-ups. Nicolosi said she would be in attendance regardless of whether she needed the clothes, and explained that showing up at the events can help LSU students show that they want the program to stay. “Even if I don’t need new clothes, it’s still showing up and showing support to LSU as you scan your Tiger Card, [saying] ‘hey, this is needed for students,’” Nicolosi said.

ENVIRONMENT

Gulf Scholars completed projects off the coast over summer BY JORJA ETHRIDGE & MAIA TYLER News Editor | Staff Writer Over the summer, members of LSU’s Gulf Scholars Program completed projects alongside faculty mentors. This year’s cohort consisted of 16 undergraduate students from various disciplines. Program Manager Ella Magerl said the program officially ran from May 28 to Aug. 10, but the students planned their projects during the spring semester. Emily Shapiro, a senior majoring in coastal environmental science, was part of this year’s cohort. For her project, she worked with Kaelyn Fogelman, an assistant professor of aquaculture. Fogelman has been study-

ing management practices for red swamp crawfish, specifically, determining how much dissolved oxygen should be in the water to optimize crawfish productivity. Shapiro said they studied crawfish hypoxia — a lack of sufficient oxygen — tolerances using the painted devil crawfish species. “We would put them in isolated chambers, and we would let them basically run out of oxygen until 5% dissolved oxygen. Then we would start introducing fresh water so we wouldn’t kill them,” Shapiro said. “We were trying to understand if different salinities were affecting their tolerance to low dissolved oxygen.” After the summer, Fogelman hired Shapiro to work in her lab

CURTESY OF ELLA MAGERL / Gulf Scholars

Members of this year’s Gulf Scholars cohort take an excursion in Buras, Louisiana, on July 16.

in the School of Renewable Natural Resources, where they will continue to work on this project. Jordan Holcomb is Fogelman’s graduate assistant and also works in the lab. Shapiro said they plan to run these same trials at night instead of during the day. They noticed that light affected and stressed the crawfish. Shapiro said she learned a lot in the small amount of time they had to do these projects. She added that she usually focuses on plants, so learning about maintaining crawfish was new and exciting. “At times it was really hard,” Shapiro said. “There was a learning curve in the beginning, and I wasn’t even sure if I could go through with it. But, having a mentor and a graduate student as well, really encouraged me and helped me get on the right path.” In addition to working on their projects, the scholars went on boat excursions throughout the summer. Magerl said they took a day trip to Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in June. She added that the Mississippi River Delta Transition Initiative offers opportunities for the scholars to go on a science cruise in the Gulf and gain hands-on experience with data collection. The scholars also had the opportunity to go on an overnight trip to Buras, Louisiana. Magerl said Captain Ryan Lambert with Cajun Fishing Adventures takes the students by boat across the Mississippi River and through Neptune Pass into Quarantine Bay and Bay Denesse. The students learn about coastal land

loss and rebuilding efforts. “Students get to actually stand on newly formed land in the bay and see firsthand that coastal restoration is possible,” Magerl said. Students can tackle environmental challenges in the Gulf Coast through the GSP, no matter what field of study they’re in. For senior ceramics major Tigerlily Wolowitz, this program gave her the opportunity to mix two passions: ceramics and birds. “I was tying it in with land loss and how these coastal habitats are disappearing,” Wolowitz said. “There are so few spots left, and they’re all constantly at risk of being bulldozed.” Wolowitz traveled from Baton Rouge to Venice, Louisiana, where the road ends and the only way to get to the rest of the state is by boat. She studied six different types of birds down there, including blackneck stilts, black skimmers and common gallinules and made ceramic versions of the birds. “There’s always a space for arts in ecology. They really do play off of each other, and they’re both worth preserving,” Wolowitz said. She explained how they saw where the ocean meets the marsh when they went to Buras. “So, you saw a lot of overlap of species that you wouldn’t normally see,” Wolowitz said. Being a south Florida native, Wolowtiz believes that anyone can be involved in change to help the southeastern coast. Despite what someone’s interest might be, she believes that every-

one can come together to make an impact. “I had been told that this is the most diverse [Gulf Scholars cohort] there has been. We had two art majors, some geology and anthropology, some engineers and a history major,” Wolowitz said. “It really was an encompassment of what LSU is as a whole, and bringing everyone together and working towards one goal of preserving the Gulf.” Magerl highlighted some of the other projects students completed this summer. She said projects ranged from developing underwater autonomous vehicles for collecting water samples to creating an animated short film that reflects how rural communities respond to climate change. One student studied the retreat of the subaqueous — underwater — Mississippi River Delta. Another student focused on public perception of interventions to combat threats to urban biodiversity. The scholars presented their projects on Aug. 6 at the fourth annual Gulf Scholars Program Summer Showcase. Magerl said many students continue their work during the school year with their faculty mentors. She emphasized the personality and togetherness of this year’s cohort, whose name was “Marsh Pit.” Magerl said the students get to pick the name; the only rule is that it has to be Gulfrelated somehow. Magerl said applications for the fifth cohort of the Gulf Scholars Program will open mid to late September.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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Below: A Post Malone Raising Cane’s cup.

Above: A custom Raising Cane’s bike. Below: An old Cadillac sits.

Below: A Raising Cane’s uniform.

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Above: The Raising Cane’s Love Bus. Below: The Raising Cane’s menu.

ENTERTAINMENT How the LSU Painted Posse shares message of faith every home game PUZZLES

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BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff Writer

Covered in paint and filled with game day spirit, the LSU Painted Posse celebrates sporting events like no other, all while proudly sharing their religious beliefs. The LSU Painted Posse is a group of male students from various LSU campus ministries who come together at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. The group is known for the outfits they sport on game days: jerseys that are painted directly on their skin. The posse members each start their day differently. For Salt member and LSU Painted Posse Vice President Jonathan Skipper, this means waking up at 5:30 a.m. “I’ll get ready, read my bible, you know, just get myself ready, because I got a long day ahead of me,” Skipper, a senior marketing major, said. Only 15 members are painted each football game to ensure that they will all fit on one row of the stadium. For each game, the members will rotate to ensure everyone can participate. Participating members make their way to the BCM by 11 a.m. They set up their painting supplies, laying down a tarp to protect the floor. Once all the materials are gathered, a short leadership meeting takes place and the painting begins. A team of female student ministry members do the painting. Using acrylic paint, the women work diligently over the course of two to three hours, ensuring the jerseys are neatly executed. “It’s a group of girls who are very great at what they do,” Skipper said. “I have tried to paint before, and it’s not gone that well. So, we are very grateful for them and what they bring to the table.” The jerseys begin with a base color. Next, letters are painted on each posse member’s front and back. The group always has a sports or LSU related phrase on their front, and more recently, a religious phrase along their back. Then details such as sleeve stripes, captain patches

and face markings are added on. The jerseys are only complete once a cross is painted over each member’s heart. “I always like to think of it as Jesus’ cross,” said sophomore computer science major Hunter Savoie, the social media coordinator for the Painted Posse. “Jesus carried the cross on his shoulder, and I like to think of it as us wearing the cross on our chest in representation of how we carry our own cross everyday.” Throughout the process, posse members can typically be found participating in the BCM hosted tailgate. Although they sit still while drying, the posse members can be found enjoying food, listening to music and watching football while waiting for their next coat. Once the painting is complete, the Painted Posse members take a moment to recognize their purpose in getting painted. “One of our leaders will open the gospel, open with scripture,” SALT member and LSU Painted Posse Outreach Chair Hayden Donaldson, a sophomore marketing major, said. “We will gather up in a circle, talk for a second about what it means to be on the Painted Posse and what we expect the standard should be for that day to the new people.” At the end of this meeting, the posse makes its way down Victory Hill, occasionally stopping to take photos with fans, to arrive at the student entrance of Tiger Stadium two to three hours before fans are let in. “This is probably the hardest part of the day,” Donaldson said. “There’s no shade, so we just sit in the sun with the paint.” When the gates finally open, the posse members scan their tickets and sprint to the LSU student section, claiming the front row. They also claim a portion of the row behind them, saving it for the volunteers who took the time to paint them. The posse is once again able to relax, soaking in their final moments of rest. As soon as kickoff begins, the LSU Painted Posse stands up and does not sit down again until halftime, unless a timeout is called for an

COURTESY OF LOGAN PERGOLA

Members of the LSU Painted Posse begin their walk to Tiger Stadium.

injured LSU player. Following halftime, the group stands for the remainder of the game. While standing, the posse practically bleeds purple and gold with their enthusiasm for the game. They join in on chants — with the exception of “Neck” — do pushups for each point LSU scores and stand on the concrete barrier. Altogether, the posse does what they can to be the loudest and proudest fans in the stadium. The posse doesn’t just cheer to show their support for LSU; they do it to show that through it all, they are still proudly representing their ministries and their belief in Christ. “One big struggle for me with my religion was finding ways to share with others what my faith was and what I believed in, and Painted Posse just provides me one of, if not the best avenue to do it,” Savoie said. “I’m on one of the biggest stages in football, which is a sport I love, and I get to represent Christ every time.” Following the singing of the LSU Alma Mater at the end of the game, LSU Painted Posse members head back to the BCM to collect their belongings. From here, they often head to Raising Cane’s to grab dinner before heading home. To get the paint off, the members each have their own method. Some members recommend a loofa, while others prefer a washcloth. “Some of the paint ends up coming off better than others,” BCM member and operation chair Hayden Hevener said. “Purple, for some reason, likes to clump up. White comes off super easy and gold is somewhere in the middle.” Although the day is long, the members do not see it as a burden. Instead, they see it as an opportunity to celebrate their religion alongside like-minded people. “My life has completely turned around from just staying inside and not doing much and not having much to look forward to,” junior biological science major Henever said. “This is actively such a big source of joy in my life now. It’s something to look forward to, even if you’re not the biggest sports fan on the planet. Just the community aspect of it, it is so fun.” The LSU Painted Posse can be found at various LSU sporting events outside of football. The group can also be found on instagram. Although their fall applications for membership are closed, they are open to new members each year. The criteria is simple: male LSU students who enjoy sports and embody Christ in everything they do.

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 3, 2026

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski ACROSS 1 Heavy metal 5 Sales agent, for short 8 Was impudent to 14 Chipotle option 15 Chopping tool 16 John of Monty Python 17 Depict with crayons 18 “__ you catch that?” 19 City of Syria 20 Classic Ralph Ellison novel: 2 wds. 23 Tightly stretched 24 Author Horatio 25 High-speed ski run 28 Digit on the foot 29 Muscles worked by planks 32 Medical record 33 Stage accessories 35 Highest point 36 Wet precipitation 37 Operated 38 Swampy ground 39 Feel ill 40 Walks slowly 42 Summer of disco 43 “__ Doubtfire” (1993 film) 44 Alley __ 45 Catchy song 46 Take a bite of 48 Breathing organ 49 Meeting with a lawyer 52 Leg-day exercises 53 Menopause treatment: Abbr. 54 Roller-coaster part 57 Threatening phrase: 2 wds. 58 New Year’s __ 59 False god 60 Be preoccupied 61 Scuff, for example 62 Pale and gray

9/3/26

Created by Stella Zawistowski

DOWN 1 Old Ford model 2 Serving of corn 3 Purple berry 4 Economic decline 5 Forearm bone 6 Have being 7 Foot treatment, for short 8 Edible mollusk 9 Claims without proof 10 Teacher’s note: 2 wds. 11 Splitting up 12 “NBA Today” channel 13 “__ gratias” (“Thanks be to God”) 21 Enormous 22 Relay sticks 25 “Go away!” 26 Place to sit 27 Icy pellets 30 Carried 31 Primitive weapon 33 Push forward

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

34 Cool, ’80s-style 38 Neighbor of China 40 Hold, as property 41 Some water lilies 42 “__ California” (RHCP song) 45 Dairy spread

9/3/26

47 Figure with a vertex 48 Caterpillar, e.g. 49 Sidewalk’s edge 50 Us vs. __ 51 Nonverbal signal 52 British bathroom 55 “That’s cool!” 56 Toilet-paper layer

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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Ruffino’s kicks off LSU season with Eat the Competition dinner BY Paul Tibbets Staff Writer Ruffino’s annual Eat the Competition dinner brings together LSU football fans to kick off the upcoming season and celebrate the restaurant’s late founder with an SEC-inspired menu. Ruffino’s has been a staple of the Baton Rouge dining scene since its opening in 1998, supplying the city with Italian food with a distinct Cajun flair. The late founder of the restaurant, Ruffin Rodrigue, played for LSU football from 1986 to 1989. He carried his love for the game into his business, decorating the walls of the building with LSU football memorabilia. To show love for football season, Ruffino’s has hosted their annual Eat the Competition event each August for the past 15 years. The dinner is a ticketed event that falls on the week preceding LSU’s first home game that gets you a complimentary cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, wine and a fivecourse meal, all themed around which schools LSU will be facing off against during that season. This year’s complimentary cocktail, the Passion on Victory Hill, was a passionfruit margarita with salted agave foam meant to evoke the traditional LSU purple and gold. Patrons were invited to enjoy their drink in a waiting area where they could catch up with old friends and treat themselves to three unique bite-sized snacks before sitting

down for dinner. These snacks include the Nashville Hot Chicken Bites, Razorback Belly and Kentucky Wildcat Fish. The last one features a piece of fried catfish topped with caviar, which seemed to be a big hit with event attendees — particularly Baton Rouge local Luke Lipsey. Lipsey has been coming to these dinners for three years and is grateful to be in a space with like-minded, die-hard LSU football fans that want to commemorate Rodrigue and the Tigers. One thing that stands out to Lipsey this year is the sheer enthusiasm for this upcoming season. “Coach Kiffin’s brought a whole new energy here,” Lipsey said. “You can see it walking around talking to everybody here: just the buzz and excitement once again. This is hopefully going to be Coach Kiffin’s equivalent of the Nick Saban moment at Alabama — just building a dynasty here.” Constructing this menu is a task that entices Ruffino’s executive chef Patrick Trahan every year. Despite any challenges he may face, he appreciates getting the opportunity to create a menu outside of the norm. “It’s something that really tickles my brain every year because it’s tough to sometimes pair certain mascots that don’t really work for food,” Trahan said. Trahan had a particular challenge pinning down how to translate the Ole Miss mascots

into something edible. Eventually, he landed on incorporating their iconic chant “Hotty Toddy” into soup form. This year’s Hotty Toddy pho takes the ingredients of the classic drink of the same name and reimagines them into the Vietnamese dish. Each subsequent course gives a mascot a seat at the table as well: the University of Alabama with the Crimson Crudo, the University of South Carolina with the Stuffed Gamecock, the University of Texas at Austin with the Longhorn Ribeye and the University of Mississippi rounding out the desert with the Mississippi Mud Pie. In between each course, different local personalities spoke in front of the crowd to give their thoughts on the approaching season, including Gordy Rush and Charles Hannagriff. Tickets for this event round out at $200, and while that seems like a lot for the average college student, it is for a good cause. Ruffino’s owner and wife of Rodrigue, Alison Rodrigue, says that after her husband’s passing in 2020, some of the proceeds went to building a memorial for him at the top of Victory Hill. “When the team comes down the hill, Ruffin loved that, and he always would do that with the former players,” said Alison Rodrigue. “That was a way that LSU and a lot of his friends wanted to remember him. So, the proceeds from the dinner went to that fundraiser at [Tiger Athletic

PAUL TIBBETS/ The Reveille

Guests sit during the Eat the Competition dinner at Ruffino’s on Aug. 30. Foundation].” After meeting that goal in 2024, family and friends came together again to establish the Ruffin Rodrigue Foundation. In his honor, the proceeds from the dinner now help to finance the Restaurant Management Leadership Development Program at the E.J. Ourso College of Business. If you happened to miss the event, do not fret; for the rest of the football season, Ruffino’s will be serving each course on the menu as a special promotion tying into the mascot of the game. For more information about future events and restaurant hours, check out the Ruffino’s website.

PAUL TIBBETS / The Reveille

The Passion on Victory Hill drink served during the Eat the Competition dinner at Ruffino’s on Aug. 30.

Tackle your game day hunger with these spots in Tiger Stadium BY Mia Vizzi Entertainment Editor It comes as no surprise that LSU football’s home opener against Clemson on Saturday is a complete sellout, with all of the stadium’s 100,000 seats claimed. This season as a whole is sure to bring a large number of fans to Death Valley, and whether they are dressed in Clemson orange, Crimson red, or our own purple and gold, they are sure to find

something to their liking from the dozens of vendor stands in Tiger Stadium. Here are a handful of local selections available this year. Tre’s Street Kitchen Classic game day fixings like hot dogs, nachos and Philly cheesesteaks can be found at Tre’s Street Kitchen, where home-cooked meals are a focus. “Everything we have is cooked from scratch — including sauces, as well — so it’s a process,”

JOHN HEFTI/ The Reveille

LSU stadium sits Sept. 2 on Tiger Drive.

owner Tremaine Devine said. “But we love what we’re doing. It makes a difference.” Dr. FeelGood Heather Smith, the owner of Dr. FeelGood, similarly looks forward to offering fresher options to LSU fans. “There’s other people out there — a designated driver maybe — who want a smoothie or acai bowl — something healthy,” Smith said. Along with acai bowls, the stand will be selling lemonade and smoothies all season long. Posh Pop This season will be Posh Pop’s fourth year in Tiger Stadium. CEO and founder Bailey Monet shared that the business is already popping their classic kettle popcorn, Cheesy Cheddar Bomb and Cajun Critter for the opening game. Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade Tiger fans will be happy to know that Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade is returning for its ninth year in Tiger Stadium. Sherilyn Howard first started the business in 2012 with her son, Leroy Howard, shortly after he was diagnosed with autism to encourage his passion for lemonade and entrepreneurship. Now, Howard describes her son’s experience at Tiger Stadium as being very impactful on him

and their family. “I attribute his first communication and interacting with people to Tiger Stadium,” Howard said. With almost a decade’s worth of experience in the stadium, the family’s preparations coming into a new season are simple. “It takes a lot of lemons and a lot of sugar,” Howard said. Shakebacks Also returning this year is Shakebacks. “We learned a lot in the first year as far as speed-wise, so I think this year we’re taking a little different approach. Same great food, just [getting] the customers out of line quicker,” Shakeback owner Terrence Jeffery said. Veracruz Located in Mid City, this Mexican spot tends to lose some business when LSU hosts matchups in Tiger Stadium. This year, the restaurant looks forward to being a direct part of the Death Valley experience. “Everything on that side of town kind of goes dormant on home game days,” Veracruz owner William Mealer said. “To add to the energy of what LSU football brings to the community gives everybody excitement.” Fans can pick up corn ribs, tamales, churros and more

at Veracruz. Empire Wingz Empire Wingz is no new face to Tiger Stadium. “We’re honestly just so grateful to always get a call back to come,” general manager Alani Izaguirre said. “We just love coming out here, networking and talking to everyone — especially the players. They come in all the time to get food, so it’s worked out.” Day’s Smokehouse & Specialty Meats Day’s Smokehouse & Specialty Meats is now a part of Aramark concept Cajun & Crafts. Brandon Day, co-owner of Day’s, shared that coming to LSU is a dream come true for the familyowned business. “We’re all big LSU fans in our family,” Day said. “It’s a big deal to say that our product is in Tiger Stadium.” While Day’s storefront has food like boudin, jerky, bread pudding and quail, Tiger fans can swing by Cajun & Crafts to try the business’ burritos with deer and pepper jack cheese. Other stadium selections include Bayou Bites Seafood, Jus Tacos, The Peach Cobbler Factory and Roul’s Deli. For more information regarding concession vendors and locations, visit the Tiger Stadium website.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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What to know when attending ESPN’s College GameDay BY ALEX SHEESLEY Sports Editor Beyond the spectacle that comes with the action on the gridiron, ESPN’s College GameDay provides a new dimension and serves as a preamble for every college football Saturday throughout the season. Typically, the show goes to the campus hosting the marquee matchup of that week, where students flock to watch the show in person. This year, the convoy heads to Baton Rouge to kick off its 40th season. GameDay will be held live on Saturday in the Quad on LSU’s campus for the show’s 500th episode. The broadcast is free to attend and begins at 8 a.m., but planning and preparation for those wanting to take part in the show begins far earlier. Those who want to see and be seen should look at making it into “the pit,” a barricaded pen that is the focus of ESPN’s cameras into the crowd and offers the best view of the stage where the show takes place. The pit’s capacity is limited, and getting in will be an all-night affair. Entry into the pit typically begins officially at around 5 a.m.,

but when LSU last hosted GameDay in 2024, that time was closer to 5:30 a.m. Regardless of when it opens, showing up to the filming site at the opening time with the aim of getting into the pit won’t get it done. In 2024, an organized queue formed in the 3 a.m. hour, but much of the line had been built up in the six hours prior. The Quad was filled with a line of lawn chairs and air mattresses extending from the filming location heading north. By 10 p.m. on Friday, the line was already snaking around the east side of the LSU Main Library. Before the queue forms in the last couple of hours before the pit’s opening, furniture serves as a placeholder as people socialize, survey the scene or catch more rest. Once the pit opens, security checks those entering for prohibited items or inappropriate signs. Bags and outside food or drinks are not allowed. Upon entry, raffle tickets are handed out. Later in the day, a drawing is held, and the winner gets the opportunity to participate in Pat McAfee’s kicking challenge, where they’ll attempt to

kick a field goal to earn a significant sum of money. Freebies — including the coveted GameDay-branded orange hard hats — will be handed out in the pit closer to showtime. Cups of water are handed out in the run-up to the show and consistently through commercial breaks, but make sure hydration is involved in your pre-pit routine. The number of people into the pit can make for a cramped experience. You can leave the pit at any time but are not guaranteed the chance to re-enter. While the hardcore experience may be fulfilling for some, those seeking a more laid-back experience can view the show from beyond the pit. Viewing from beyond the pit comes without security checks and with a more relaxed atmosphere and more personal space. Those wanting to view the show from this angle can also make their way to the Quad later in the day, but the best spots might be gone by the time the show starts. Signs are a crucial part of the show’s zeitgeist. Playful banter, gloats about the home team’s excellence and clever puns on white

PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille

Pat McAfee takes a selfie with LSU fans during ESPN College GameDay, Nov. 9, 2024 in the Quad on LSU Campus. poster board are at the heart of the fan experience. Prepare your signs early. There are no sign-making stations at the site, and later into the week it gets harder to acquire the resources needed. Signs that make religious references, contain profane language or promote a website will be confiscated by security. Signs on sticks can’t be brought into the pit, but they are

fair game outside of it. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy taking in the rare and unique experience of a national TV production taking place on a college campus. Saturday will be only the 15th time the show has taken place on LSU’s campus, this time with the added element of being the backdrop for the ultimate opening to the college football season.

Column: Examining ‘Death Valley’ roots ahead of LSU-Clemson BY BROOKE BENEDICT Sports Columnist LSU football is set to open its highly anticipated season, showcasing the debut of the Lane Kiffin era and a new and improved program to the entire nation. As the team returns to Tiger Stadium on Saturday, a daunting opponent waits to battle LSU over a highly desired title. The season opener at home won’t just be the first impression of Kiffin and the work he’s put in this offseason, but it will also settle whether LSU will keep the title of the “real Death Valley,” or if it will be handed over to Clemson. It might not be the most well-known rivalry in college football, as both Tiger teams compete in separate conferences and aren’t usual opponents, but there’s only room for one

Death Valley in the league, and it will be decided upon this Labor Day weekend. Clemson’s Death Valley label dates all the way back to the 1940s. It was named by Presbyterian College head coach Lonnie McMillian, saying that playing at Clemson was similar to playing in a valley of death because of his losing streak. It was later adopted by Clemson coach Frank Howard, who enjoyed the intimidating name, sharing it openly with the media and fans. Now, it’s the default nickname for Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, which just happens to be the same moniker for LSU’s Tiger Stadium. LSU didn’t exactly copy Clemson in taking over the name later on; it was the spoils from a victory. After LSU defeated Clemson in the 1959 Sugar Bowl, the name shifted over to Baton Rouge’s stadium. The name fit perfectly. Be-

fore, the coliseum-style stadium that trapped noise was nicknamed Deaf Valley, named by fans whose ears would ring for hours following a game. More than a century later, the two Tiger teams are still battling over which team can claim the Death Valley title, and there’s only room for one in college football. Last year, LSU walked away with the coveted title. The Bayou Bengals won 17-10, leaving South Carolina with a victorious record to set up what was supposed to be a successful season. But that story didn’t end happily. By late October, the program had fired head coach Brian Kelly and broke social media just a month later with the hire of Kiffin. Facing the same season opener this year, it will not be the same team standing in front of the Tigers from the ACC. Kiffin pulled off a massive portal overhaul this season, bringing in some of the nation’s top-ranked transfers, matched with

elite veterans who remained on the roster, to create an unstoppable identity for the Tigers from the SEC. Clemson also saw a roster renovation this season. Half of their team is returning to the program this offseason, with new faces filling out the rest. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney brought back a notable name in the program, offensive coordinator Chad Morris, to turn over the offense. With both teams looking refreshed this fall in their own ways, the stakes of the Tiger matchup are still the same, with the sought-after status being granted to the victorious, and 1-0 team. The honorary title will only remain with one team after the first week of the 2026 season, but there’s a major difference in the place that holds that title. Clemson’s Memorial Stadium

is fueled by its exciting game day tempo, with fans being able to last all day long to cheer on the purple and orange Tigers. In Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium, which is referred to as a place where opponents’ dreams go to die, is fueled by the intense fanbase and energy within the shaking stadium. Unlike Memorial Stadium, the home-field advantage comes alive at night to hunt the opposing team, with more than 100,000 fans bringing contagious energy all night long. Tiger Stadium might be the obvious winner, but nothing comes easy in college football. On Saturday night, one Tiger team will claim the prestigious title after an exciting season opener.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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T C I I O D N E S R P rtes Cou

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Reveille Sports

This game serves as an expectation-setter for LSU where we’ll find out if it’s able to pull away from good teams and establish itself as a great one. I think it will.

LSU 35-13

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Alex Sheesley, sports editor

Clemson could keep the game close early, but LSU’s depth and quarterback play should help them pull away in the second half.

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Kiffin has emphasized on building the offense at LSU while maintaining the notion of a strong defense. This will allow LSU to outscore Clemson by a significant margin to bring the title of “the real Death Valley” back to Baton Rouge.

LSU 36-12

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Rami Burks, deputy sports editor

[LSU’s] defense is solid and retained key players and Sam Leavitt is historically productive.

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s letic Ath

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Clemson won’t be able to get past LSU’s defense.

LSU 21-10

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Brooke Benedict, sports columnist

Overall, LSU will go into this game with the feeling of needing a win after all the efforts to improve this roster in the offseason, whereas Clemson seems to still need time to figure things out.

LSU 31-20

LSU 17-10

LSU 27-17

Sarah Blanchard, sports breaking news reporter

Hannah Garcia, sports reporter

Adam Kirschman, sports reporter

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I believe that it will be a close game throughout, but LSU will pull through and win. Our offense will score a touchdown in the final five minutes.

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I think that if the former ASU QB can command the ball the same way we saw during his 2024 season, then both him and the roster’s nine new receivers should have no trouble scoring on the Clemson defense.

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The 2026 “Death Valley” showdown in Baton Rouge has all odds pointed to a home-team win.

LSU 21-17

LSU 24-14

LSU 24-14

Natalia McKenzie-Dancy, sports stringer

Delaney Potthast, sports reporter

Marissa Reiss, sports reporter

Thursday, September 3, 2026

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LSU football must attack these Clemson weak spots to win BY TRIPP BUHLER Staff Writer LSU has prepared for almost everything ahead of its opening game against Clemson on Saturday. Last week saw the purple and gold Tigers rehearse for every part of game week that it could, including a mock game, running out of the tunnel with the band and a flyover during the national anthem. The only pieces missing were the Clemson Tigers and 102,321 fans. Experience is going to be the biggest factor in deciding which Tigers leave Death Valley unbeaten. LSU’s offense has been totally overhauled by first-year head coach Lane Kiffin, and big additions were made on the defensive side. Clemson brings in plenty of returners from last season, though the Tigers from the ACC went 7-6. Most of Clemson’s weak spots come from areas where in-game experience is lacking. These are the spots that LSU has to hone in on and exploit in order to win. Run through the defensive tackles’ mouths LSU finished the 2025 sea-

son ranked No. 124 out of 136 FBS teams in rushing yards per game. Its running back and offensive line groups look sharper in 2026, but they’ll need a hot start. Fortunately for them, the projected defensive line rotation doesn’t have much experience versus Power Four opponents. Junior Andy Burburija spent two years playing at Iowa Western Community College, winning an NJCAA national championship last year. Sophomore Amare Adams had 10 tackles over 107 snaps in 2025. Fifth-year senior Devarrick Woods joined Clemson after playing three years between Hinds Community College and Texas State. Vic Burley was set to return with the most experience, but is serving an indefinite suspension from the team after being arrested for disorderly conduct in August. The defensive linemen Clemson will be playing are walking into an otherworldly environment that is as hostile as any in college football. Kiffin’s fast-paced offense aims to wear them out early in the game, and LSU has to capitalize if that manifests. Powerful

Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones is set to be the Tigers’ starting running back, and he is going to be key in punishing the defensive tackles. Fifth-year senior center Braelin Moore is the captain of the offensive unit, and his experience and strength need to take over. If he can take control of Clemson’s tackles, LSU should be able to move the ball right through them. Inexperience will challenge Clemson’s quarterback Clemson hasn’t officially named a starting quarterback for the game, but every sign is pointing toward senior Christopher Vizzina being its guy for Saturday and the season. He started one game in 2025, completing 29-of-42 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns against SMU. Now that he is entering his first season as the full-time starter, the expectations for him are higher than ever. LSU needs its defense to suffocate Vizzina with pressure. Like Clemson, LSU’s defensive tackle group definitely isn’t its most experienced. But there aren’t many other holes on LSU’s defense. The talent present in every

other spot on the LSU defense has to harass Vizzina in the backfield and pressure him whenever he puts the ball in the air. If the home team keeps Vizzina from having much time to process the defense, it can easily overwhelm him. LSU’s loaded edge group features transfers Princewill Umanmielen from Ole Miss and Jordan Ross from Tennessee, and will see contributions from Dylan Carpenter, Lamar Brown and Junior Tuihalamaka, who will likely join LSU after being granted a fifth year of eligibility. Linebackers Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery bring leadership and plenty of SEC experience. The LSU secondary is one of the best in the conference, headlined by safety Ty Benefield and cornerback DJ Pickett. It’s not going to be easy for any quarterback to get through this group, and Vizzina is no exception. Clemson’s refreshed offensive line Both teams are facing similar situations with the offensive line; they had to replace three starters over the offseason. LSU hit the portal and is counting on veterans, and Clemson is turning to

guys who have mostly been waiting their turn. This group comes in with more experience than the two previously mentioned ones, but still haven’t faced in-game competition. They aren’t going to be an easy matchup for LSU. “I think the first group [of starters have] been really good,” Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney said on Aug. 20. “I’ve been really pleased with those guys. I think we got some alphas in that group. I’ve been really pleased.” Clemson has four of five spots set in stone, with the right guard position still being up in the air. The four players who have locked up starting spots all started at least one game in 2025, and they combined for about 40% of offensive line snaps. Not all of the snaps came in positions that those players are still in. Senior Harris Sewell took almost all of his snaps at guard last year, but is now Clemson’s center. LSU, along with the loud crowd, has to force penalties by getting in the way of Clemson’s communication. LSU needs to be disruptive to take over in the trenches.

Cornerback depth is a concern against Clemson wideout corps BY TRIPP BUHLER Staff Writer There has been so much change for both LSU and Clemson since the teams met last year in Memorial Stadium that it can be difficult to see Saturday’s game as a rematch. That is, except for one key aspect. While LSU football underwent a total overhaul of its wide receiver room once Lane Kiffin took over as head coach, Clemson returned about 75% of its receiving yard production from 2025. Two of Clemson’s returning receivers have the ability to have All-American seasons. Juniors Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore headline what might be Clemson’s best position group this season: the wideouts. In 2025, Moore put up 837 yards and averaged 16.1 yards per reception, and Wesco recorded 537 yards in only seven games, picking up 17.3 yards per catch. Last year, LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker had his group hold Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik to only 230 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. The precedent is there for the defense as a whole to lock up Clemson’s talent. Lining up against Clemson’s top two receivers will be LSU’s highly-touted cornerbacks, sophomore DJ Pickett and junior PJ Woodland. Both corners are set up to have breakout years and could become some of the best cornerbacks in the conference. Behind those two, the room

falls off a bit. The likely third and fourth-string corners are redshirt junior Ja’Keem Jackson and redshirt sophomore Michael Turner Jr. Pickett is confident that they can step up when their numbers get called upon. “The depth is pretty much good,” Pickett told the media on Aug. 13. “We got [freshman Havon Finney Jr.]. He’s coming along. He’s doing real good right now. We got Ja’Keem doing real good. Mike Turner, everybody [is doing good] ... like I said, the depth is fine.” The inexperience may still show when they take on some of the country’s top competition. Jackson played 84 defensive snaps last year in his first season at LSU. Turner only got 27 defensive snaps under his belt last year, with most coming against an FCS side in Southeastern Louisiana. The size of Clemson’s top two receivers is going to be a problem. Moore stands 6-foot-3, and Wesco is just an inch shorter. Pickett towers at 6-foot-4, but Woodland is only 5-foot-11. Pickett will likely line up against Moore, as the Clemson Tiger has some of the best hands and big-play potential in college football. He can make a catch in any situation if he has even a few inches of separation. Wesco lines up as an elite route-runner and can easily get open if Woodland can’t keep up. But Woodland has had a great offseason. “PJ Woodland. That’s a guy who I’ve been talking about

all morning,” linebacker Whit Weeks said at SEC Media Days in July. “He’s outstanding. I think come week seven or eight, that’s going to be the guy who everybody’s like, ‘He’s the next great one from DBU.’” Behind the big two wide receivers, there are many options for Clemson in open grass. Senior Tyler Brown only had 191 yards over 22 receptions last year due to some dropped passes. If the amount of drops decrease, he can be another weapon for the Clemson offense. Freshman Gordon Sellars III, who stands at 6-foot-3, is the most game-ready of any of Clemson’s true freshman receivers. While Saturday’s contest isn’t a guaranteed coming-out party for Sellars, it could be just that with a new quarterback as well. Senior Christopher Vizzina has been in line to be Clemson’s starter since the spring. He made one start last year against SMU and threw for 317 yards while completing 29 of 42 passes. Vizzina’s first full year as a starter opens up against LSU in Louisiana’s Death Valley, an environment that makes him vulnerable to mistakes. LSU’s defensive backs have to capitalize. Pickett and Woodland obviously won’t be the only defensive backs on the field. While not lining up directly against the wide receivers, senior safety Ty Benefield and redshirt junior Tamarcus Cooley help put LSU’s safety group among the best in the SEC. Benefield is one of the best

players on the team overall, and Cooley brings a whole year of experience starting in Baker’s defense. Junior Dashawn Spears will harass Clemson’s skill players while playing in the versatile star position. Redshirt freshman Jhase Thomas and sophomore Faheem Delane are also expected to make big contributions with the safeties. LSU has hosted former Utah cornerback Blake Cotton on campus as his fifth year of eli-

gibility is in the hands of the courts. He was signed by the Denver Broncos after going undrafted and participated in training camp. He could add some depth, but is extremely unlikely to be available against Clemson — if he’s even eligible. LSU’s depth at the cornerback position is going to be directly targeted by Clemson, and Pickett and Woodland need to have one of their best games of the year to get started on the right foot.

HINESLEY BRYANT / The Reveille

LSU football freshman cornerback DJ Pickett (3) and graduate student linebacker West Weeks (33) celebrates duriang the Tigers’ 13-10 over Western Kentucky University Nov. 22 at Tiger Stadium.

OPINION

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The NCAA owes collegiate, pro players more consistency CRAWFORD’S CORNER GORDAN CRAWFORD Columnist We all knew this would happen — the jokes about yoga classes, old and new skits and of course, the salt from every football program wronged in the past. The Lane Kiffin era was essentially guaranteed to be a complete circus from the moment the plane left the tarmac in Oxford, Mississippi, and so far, the coach has been more than happy to play the role of P. T. Barnum. Now, he’s unveiled his latest sideshow: With a tip of his visor, watch as the line between professional and collegiate sports disappears. The announcement that LSU would be fielding Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris sparked utter pandemonium across the world of sports. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called it “embarrassing.” Colts general manager Chris Ballard was even less diplomatic in his response.

Institutions like the SEC and the NCAA have been more than happy to stoke the flames, with the SEC stating that “individuals who sign professional playing contracts and compete professionally should not be permitted to return to collegiate competition.” The idea certainly presents a strange, disconcerting image. Obviously, players who have played in a professional game should not be able to suit back up for college. However, the media has latched onto this debacle and is capitalizing on it by publishing every inflammatory quote from any semi-qualified source they can find; however, the fearmongering doesn’t square with one particular aspect of this situation — reality. Are legions of pro players coming to take the jobs of poor, innocent kids just trying to get a ride to college? There are 138 Football Bowl Subdivision programs in the country, and recent NCAA rules capped the roster at 105 players each. In all, that’s 14,490 spots, and those are roster slots purely at the highest level of play. When you include Football Championship Subdivision teams,

that number grows to 27,930. Currently, there are 47 cases working their way through the courts regarding college football eligibility, with a smaller number of these regarding NFL rookie players. According to my calculations, that’s around 0.16% percent of roster slots. The collegiate governing bodies and traditionally-minded coaches also repeatedly speak of these athletes as pros and have heavily emphasized the amateur nature of college athletics. I find this to be fairly dishonest, or at the very least, willfully ignorant of the practical reality of both college sports and professional athletic programs. We aren’t talking about top-round draft or even Day 3 picks. We’re talking about a handful of undrafted free agents, players who didn’t even make the practice squad. Around 800 or so players get cut during the preseason. For many, that’s it: It’s lights out, you’re done, go home. Opting to work for a shot in the league is a massive decision made years in advance, even in childhood. Players sacrifice per-

sonal time, academic pursuits in advanced fields and their physical health to have that small chance. The players in question were told one thing by the NCAA: They would have a set number of years to make things work. For many of those players, just one extra year is a major lifeline and the final opportunity in their lives to generate some extra tape. Now, the NCAA wishes to turn around, just months after they made a totally life-changing decision based on that information, and hit players with a, “just kidding.” I’m not necessarily saying they shouldn’t have the right to make that decision or that it isn’t the correct move. This is yet another example of how the NCAA’s decades-long refusal to accept that college sports is a fundamentally changed institution leaves players in a terrible position. Many hem and haw about “fairness this,” “fairness that.” I don’t see how it’s fair to the players to bamboozle them with rule changes one month out from the season. This system of playing-by-ear, making up new rules and deci-

sions and having them overturned a week later is a direct consequence of the NCAA’s utter refusal to come to the table and negotiate fair rules that recognize the players’ value. Hopefully, the Protect College Sports Act, which has attained effective bipartisan support in Congress and is set to go for debate in late September, will bring some sense to the situation. That said, the media needs to stop entertaining these histrionics about the integrity of college sports and playing into the narrative dictated by the NCAA. College sports have endured many scandals through the years while coaches have put out inflammatory statements; at the end of the day, though, the fans still turn up, we still have a good time, and the game continues on as usual. It’s time to quit the fearmongering and ragebait because the heart of college football stays beating, and it isn’t stopping anytime soon. Gordon Crawford is a 20-year-old political science major from Gonzales.

AI will steal your ability to learn before it steals your job BOYNES’ BULLETIN SAVANNAH BOYNES Columnist Generative artificial intelligence may lurk in the shadows of job markets with its human-like capabilities, but future job-holders don’t realize that its looming presence first creeps in through their campus coursework. Having had class in many auditorium-sized lecture halls over these last few years, I’ve often looked to my left and right to find peers opening a computer tab with their AI companion of choice, be it ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Claude. While it may seem academically nefarious, most college students tend to use AI tools to study more than they use them to cheat. In 2025, Chegg’s Global Student Survey cited that 80% of undergraduate students worldwide resorted to using generative AI as a study method. Of those students, 56% used it for content comprehension.

The Lumina Foundation and Gallup’s 2026 Higher State of Education study also similarly examined students’ AI usage, concluding that 57% of U.S. students do use AI to help with their assignments. Of those students, the study also documented their reasoning behind using the tools. This portion recorded their explanations for utilizing AI from most important to least important. The highest percentages for the most important category went to understanding difficult material and saving time on completing assignments; the former was 46%, and the latter 38%. As a student, I understand the frustration that comes along with pushing myself to understand the hundreds of topics thrown at me throughout the semester. That said, if I were to condense the millions of thoughts per second in my brain — a built-in, biological super-computer — into a singular question for a chatbot to spit out a summary of in a matter of seconds, could I really say that I truly pursued higher education? Like Google, most of the AI platforms include a search bar for

users to type a few words into, and afterward, the AI provides an answer in a conversational manner. It’s a mimic made up of code pulled from binaries and an endless amount of internet databases, designed to make one think they’re putting in the brain power for their work. If you never read that book, article or paper, how can you truly say you learned something? You robbed yourself of questioning a word’s definition, re-reading a sentence because you spaced out or even annotating, by your own standards, the crucial parts of said material. Beyond something as simple as reading, resorting to AI for practicing math equations or scientific formulas also stands pointless. I recall when students would scramble for peer-made Quizlets to simulate a real exam, and if desperate enough, some would go back to basic textbooks. With subject-certified contributing authors presenting the subject through flash cards and other resources, it is no doubt that these aids help students in a more enriching way than AI.

Knowledge requires desperate and intense inquiries. In the time before AI became mainstream, students had to stop to consider how past students found the answers to their questions. This gave them the confidence to do the same. If a student’s concern is how much time they can save or how they can make the problem-solving easier, they are opting out of an authentic learning experience, which is frankly counterproductive to life itself. Fortunately, adulthood waits for students beyond football stadiums and exam halls. Not only will they take their learned lessons from personal experiences into the next stage of their life, they will also take their course concepts into the workforce. One wouldn’t ask an AI what to do on the first day of their job, nor should one ask an AI to summarize a news article for them. Letting artificial intelligence determine your day’s understanding forces the days to bleed into one another, and it will leave you feeling dependent on something for no fault other than your own.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Laura Allen Editor-in-Chief Garrett McEntee Managing Editor Jorja Ethridge News Editor Alex Sheesley Sports Editor Mia Vizzi Entertainment Editor Riley Sanders Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Imagine viewing an article summarized on MSN regarding a reporter’s coverage of an important presidential press conference; you read through the summary, aware that the information in the piece was transmitted via AI to present quick takes of the conference. After reading, and without checking the work of the AI or sourcing information for yourself, how would you know that you truly absorbed the proper information? In addition to a now opaque view of learning, one might realize they have destroyed their curiosity entirely. You will find yourself indifferent to bettering yourself in the workplace, and by extension, your personal life because you have reduced literacy to uniformity. Consider merit’s erasure beginning in the undergraduate classroom, and if you’re determined to undo it, you’ll have to kill the machine. Savannah Boynes is a 20-year-old journalism and screen arts double-major from Madisonville.

Quote of the Week “Death Valley [is] where opponents’ dreams come to die.”

Les Miles

Former head coach of LSU football 1953— present

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