A sea of purple didn’t dissuade many of the most dedicated Hilltopper fans from braving the bayou to cheer on WKU in Baton Rouge’s Tiger Stadium Saturday night.
As was probably to be expected with an SEC school, LSU was no forgiving environment; however, with the reported attendance over 100,000, it was a pleasant surprise to see some splotches of red throughout.
Despite a good turnout from the Tops, when WKU first stepped on the field, they were greeted with a not-so-subtle threat. A group of LSU fans spelled out “we have a tiger” in body paint.
While the Hilltoppers may not have left the bayou with a win, the pregame tailgate saw many fans in red enjoying an SEC environment.
I found myself with plenty of time before the press box opened up, letting me explore and talk to some of those brave souls venturing away from their high ground on the Hill.
I’d still love to highlight some of my favorites.
Tisdale Family
Redshirt freshman quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. was thrust into action after a throwing shoulder injury sidelined graduate quarterback Maverick McIvor against LA Tech. He played well enough for Head Coach Tyson Helton to name him the starter for the three weeks leading up to LSU and to earn the start in Louisiana.
The LSU lights were the brightest of his young career, and while he showed some flashes with an impressive opening drive, ultimately, he couldn’t will his team to a win. Helton was encouraged with his performance, despite the loss.
“I’m sure he (Tisdale) was probably frustrated,” Helton said. “I’m proud of him… There was not one player on our team who didn’t fight, scratch and claw.”
With all of that being said, the first person I ran into all day repping WKU was Rodney Tisdale Sr. at the guest services booth, trying to find the family entrance.
“It’s amazing to see him play in Tiger Stadium… an SEC environment,” said Tisdale Sr.. “I think it’s been a long time coming.”
Tisdale Sr. wasn’t the only member of the family, as mother Kenya Tisdale, grandfather Anthony Brown and cousin, and “brother”, Jaylen Houston tagged along.
Tisdale Jr. finished the game, completing 20 of his 39 passes for 128 yards in front of his family.
Larry Deweese
The 1975 Hilltopper football team was inducted into the WKU Hall of Fame earlier this year during halftime of the Hilltoppers’ Week Zero matchup against Sam Houston. I ran into one of the players, Larry Deweese, under a tent outside of Tiger Stadium.
Deweese was one of WKU’s versatile defensive linemen, according to the season media guide released before the kickoff of the 1975-76 season. When I spoke with him, he, as he should, showed off his Hall of Fame ring.
Under Head Coach Jimmy Feix, Deweese and his team would go on to earn an 11-2 record, enough for Ohio Valley Conference co-champion honors, and earn a national runner-up trophy in NCAA Division II.
Deweese made the trip from Bowling Green to Baton Rouge with his family and friends to cheer on his alma mater.
Hart Family
Aricka Hart, mother of redshirt senior running back George Hart III, was under a tent in the heart of campus. I had all but given up on finding WKU fans in the area, but she was among a group of red shirts under a tent.
Hart, who is from Louisiana, told me it was “awesome” to see her son play in her hometown, “Family, friends, food, fun, the culture in Louisiana? The best,”
The Hart family hails from Baton Rouge, so the Hilltoppers’ game in Death Valley was a homecoming for the senior ballcarrier.
“To see him (George) play at this level? They’re (family members) going to be here,” Hart said.
Fan Guesses
While exploring, I was eager to hear what fans on both sides thought of the matchup. Two groups I ran into voiced their expectations, with varying degrees of humility.
WKU seniors Cody Yonge and Jackson Elliott caught my eye through the crowd since Yonge’s dad, Michael, was wearing a Hilltopper-branded shirt. Yonge seemed to be the perfect candidate to guess the game, as, despite his home on the hill, he was rocking an LSU shirt.
Both seniors predicted that WKU would lose to different degrees; Yonge foresaw a 50-13 mauling by the Tigers, while Elliott was a bit more conservative with a 35-14 WKU loss.
Two pure blood Tiger fans I ran into at the tailgate, Andrew Messina and Jackson Tyson, were insistent on holding up an “L” when I took their photo.
Everybody who came to cheer on the Hilltoppers and Tigers was treated to a defensive battle, which ended with LSU on top 13-10.
