JUMP TO:
- Why is LSU called Death Valley?
- LSU football stadium details
- Why is Clemson called Death Valley?
- Clemson football stadium details
- What is the original Death Valley in college football?
- Loudest college football stadiums
There are 136 FBS schools in college football, so it's not uncommon for schools to share the same mascots. Two of those schools include LSU and Clemson, which both are the Tigers. Ironically enough, these two Tiger schools also share the same nickname for their stadiums, in "Death Valley."
Although these schools have played each other four times, 2025's game at Clemson marks the first time the two will meet in one of their home stadiums. 2026's game is scheduled for Baton Rouge.
Of course since this is college football, there have been several disputes over which school has the original Death Valley Stadium. Let's take a look at both stadiums' nickname origins, histories and more to try to see which has the 'real' Death Valley.
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Why is LSU called Death Valley?
LSU actually used to call its stadium "Deaf Valley". Although it's a bit unclear as to when specifically the deaf nickname began, The Advocate reports that in the 1950s, the stadium coined the nickname due to how loud the crowd got during games.
"When I was in LSU Law School in '56-'58, we definitely referred to the stadium as Deaf Valley," Ray Cox wrote in 1999. "That isn't hard evidence, but everyone's ears would be ringing for a couple of hours after a game."
The newspaper adds that a nearby gas station was named the "Deaf Valley Shell" due to the sounds that emerged from the stadium on Saturdays.
Ironically enough, the nickname "Death Valley" didn't come until 1959, after LSU defeated — wait for it — Clemson 7-0 in the Sugar Bowl. Here's more, via ESPN's Ryan McGee from a story posted in 2020:
For some, "Death" actually predated "Deaf" in Baton Rouge. On Jan. 1, 1959, when LSU and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon capped the school's first national title with a 7-0 victory in the Sugar Bowl, some of those fans stole "Death" when describing the home valley. Why? Because they believed they had earned that right after defeating the team that was already using the name for its home stadium.
Yep, Clemson.
LSU's stadium also has the iconic "Welcome to Death Valley" signage on its stadium, which looks especially ominous at night:
#ForeverLSU #DeathValley pic.twitter.com/2xU6NIui2o
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 9, 2014
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LSU football stadium details
- Year built: 1924
- Capacity: 102,321
- First game: Vs. Tulane, Nov. 27, 1924
LSU's stadium celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2024. According to LSU's official website, construction began in 1924, with the original stadium capable of holding 12,000 patrons. That's a far cry from the 100,000-plus people it holds today. The school also adds that the stadium once served as a dormitory for 1,500 LSU students. While LSU's Broussard Hall was being renovated in 1986, it even housed Tiger football players.
The stadium has undergone some massive renovations, including ones in the 1930s, which pushed the capacity to 46,000. In 1953, the stadium's south endzone was enclosed to turn the venue from a horseshoe shape to a bowl, and the capacity reached 67,720. Additional renovations in the late 1970s and mid-80s added additional seats and upgraded the seats themselves.
Tiger Stadium's capacity of 102,321 today makes it the sixth-largest stadium in college football.
“It has turned the knees of All-Americans to goo," CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd wrote of the stadium in 2009. "It has caused coaches to lose their coaching minds. Dark. That combined with Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night is something loud, strange and holy. There is noise in stadiums everywhere from Eugene to Tuscaloosa. Only in Baton Rouge is there a living, breathing being lurking in its grand, old stadium.”
EA Sports' College Football 2026 recently named the venue as the toughest place in college football to play.
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Why is Clemson called Death Valley?
Clemson's "Death Valley" nickname predates LSU's. It goes back to the 1940s, when Clemson used to open their seasons against Presbyterian at home. In 1945, two years after the Blue Hose defeated the Tigers 13-12, Clemson avenged that loss with a 76-0 victory. After that shutout defeat, Presbyterian head coach Lonnie McMillian apparently started referring to the annual trip to Clemson as going "to Death Valley," per Clemson's official website.
“I remember both the 1945 and 1946 PC-Clemson games,” former Presbyterian player Cally Gaul said via Clemson. "I was 16 years old as a freshman, and playing in Death Valley was special. I do remember this more than anything – it was hot, and I mean real hot at Clemson! You haven’t felt hot until you played in Death Valley in early September!
“Coach [Frank] Howard picked up on the new nickname of his stadium and he started using it in the media and it became really popular when he started using it,” added Gault. Also McMillan used the now famous term in the media to describe the newly built stadium.”
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Clemson football stadium details
- Year built: 1942
- Capacity: 81,500
- First game: Vs. Presbyterian, Sept. 19, 1942
Clemson University first opened in 1893 as a military school, and had several Clemson students serve in both World Wars. In fact, Clemson's formal stadium name is "Memorial Stadium," said to honor "all Clemson men who have made the supreme sacrifice for their country."
The stadium's construction began in 1942, while the U.S. was in the middle of WWII. Clemson notes that the majority of the early construction was done by Tiger student athletes themselves.
Memorial Stadium's capacity for its first game that season against Presbyterian was just 20,000. The venue underwent several renovations to increase the capacity, and by 1960 it held 53,000 people. In 1983, capacity grew to 80,000, close to how many fans it fits today.
One of the most unique stadium traditions at Memorial Stadium involves Clemson players running down the hill and rubbing Howard's Rock. Before every home game, Clemson players run down a hill located at one of the stadium's end zones. Howard's Rock pays homage to legendary Clemson head coach Frank Howard:
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What is the original Death Valley in college football?
In terms of which stadium is the "original," if we're going by years the nickname was coined, Clemson appears to be first. But LSU's stadium, which holds a capacity of nearly 20,000 more people, is known as one of the toughest and loudest places to play in the country.
LSU also boasts a 456-157-18 record at home. Clemson is equally impressive, with a 421-130-15 record at home all-time entering the 2025 season.
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Loudest college football stadiums
Aggies Wire recently compiled a list of the loudest stadiums in college football, using decibel level records. Here's a look at the top five:
- Neyland Stadium: Knoxville, Tenn.: Decibel record—137.0 dB
- Husky Stadium, Seattle, Wash.: Decibel record—133.6 dB
- Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.: Decibel record—133.6
- Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C.: Decibel record—132.8 dB
- Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA.: Decibel record— 127.0 dB
There's no question that the argument for which is the real "Death Valley" will continue on for years to come. One thing's for certain is that these two schools boast some great home stadiums that have rich histories.
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