Does LSU Really Smell Like Corn Dogs? Alabama Heads to Death Valley, and the Smell Test Is On!

There are rivalries in college football, and then there is Alabama versus LSU. And I smell corndogs.

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When these two SEC heavyweights get together, you can expect hard-hitting football, passionate fan bases, plenty of trash talk, and an atmosphere that is about as intense as college football gets.

But there’s something else associated with LSU football that deserves a little attention.

Corn dogs.

Yes, corn dogs.

If you’ve followed SEC football for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the legendary accusation that LSU fans smell like corn dogs. It’s one of the strangest, funniest, and most enduring jokes in college football folklore.

And with Alabama heading to Baton Rouge this Saturday, November 7, it seems like a perfectly good time to revisit the mystery.

So, where did the corn dog business begin?

Believe it or not, the story apparently traces back to an Auburn fan.

Somewhere around 2003–2005, an Auburn message-board contributor going by the name DeepBlue reportedly posted a lengthy, humorous rant suggesting that LSU fans smelled like corn dogs.

The original post became an internet sensation among college football fans.

The writer even suggested that LSU supporters were particularly sensitive about the subject and warned people not to confront them directly with the accusation.

Apparently, corn dogs are serious business in Louisiana!

Over time, the joke spread throughout the SEC, finding its way onto sports blogs, message boards, radio programs, and eventually national television.

Nobody has ever produced a scientific study confirming the alleged aroma. No laboratory has been established to examine the clothing of LSU supporters. And as far as we know, the Centers for Disease Control has never issued a corn dog advisory for Baton Rouge.

Nevertheless, the legend lives on.

Even Katy Perry got involved!

Back in 2014, during an ESPN College GameDay appearance, Katy Perry brought corn dogs into the conversation while LSU was preparing to play Ole Miss.

Former LSU coach Les Miles was subsequently asked about the joke.

Miles wasn’t particularly amused by the suggestion that Tiger Stadium smelled like corn dogs. He laughed about the subject but made it clear that he had never noticed such an aroma.

We’ll leave that one for the scientific community to investigate.

Now comes the Alabama part of the story.

The Crimson Tide is heading into one of college football’s most challenging environments.

Tiger Stadium, affectionately known as Death Valley, is famous for its deafening crowds, intimidating atmosphere, and passionate LSU supporters.

This year, however, there’s a little something extra in the air.

Or at least that’s what the folks over in Tuscaloosa would like everyone to believe.

Alabama and LSU meet Saturday afternoon, November 7, at 2:30 p.m. Central, with the game televised on ABC.

And while the Tigers will undoubtedly have their home crowd behind them, Alabama fans will be bringing something of their own: a healthy supply of SEC rivalry humor.

Maybe LSU fans should consider opening a few windows before kickoff.

Perhaps somebody could distribute air fresheners around Tiger Stadium.

And if you’re traveling to Baton Rouge from Alabama, you might want to pack a little deodorant. You never know what you’re walking into!

All kidding aside…

This is what makes college football special.

The traditions, the rivalries, the ridiculous jokes, and the stories that get passed around from generation to generation are part of what make Saturdays in the SEC so entertaining.

We can argue about rankings, quarterbacks, coaching decisions, and championship possibilities all day long.

But sometimes, a good old-fashioned corn dog joke is exactly what the doctor ordered.

So, LSU, we respect your football program, your traditions, and your beautiful state.

But we have just one question.

Is that the smell of victory we’re detecting, or did somebody just open a fresh container of corn dogs?