LSU Tigers: The backstory of why our football fans ‘smell like corndogs’

Many fans wonder, what’s the deal with the “LSU Tigers fans smell like corndogs” joke? The backstory is a legend in the SEC football virtual community.

LSU Tigers fans have fully embraced the ya’ll smell like corndogs joke. It’s not uncommon to see pregame corndogs circulating the tailgate sites in Baton Rouge. However, I suspect many fans aren’t familiar with the origins of the LSU fans smell like corndogs bit. As such, I can think of no better topic to cover for my 100th post at Death Valley Voice.

The claim that LSU Tigers fans smell like corndogs started with a random discussion board post by an Auburn fan known as ‘deep blue’ in 2005. As the story goes, deep blue posted his corndogs manifesto and was never heard from again. One cannot be sure who or what provoked an in-depth jab at the scent of LSU Tigers fans, but we have to respect the mic drop.

Finding reliable links to the original, LSU fans small like corndogs post is difficult. However, our enemies at Bama Hammer copied deep blue’s content.

"LSU fans smell just like corn dogs.Yes, it is often said, but so, so true.LSU fans do smell like corn dogs.I would never tell them that to their face though. This is something better said at internet distances. Even now, I am afraid.I am afraid that they’ll know I said it. I’ll walk past an LSU fan someday, and he’ll see that look in my eye that gives it away. That look that says, “gee, what is that smell? Is it corn dogs?” The next thing you know, I’ll have flat tires on my car.If you only learn one thing from me today, remember not to tell LSU fans how they smell – you know, like corn dogs.LSU fans seem, somehow, sensitive to that whole corn dog issue. I think this may be why a lot of fans get beaten up by LSU fans. If you attend a game in Baton Rouge, try to avoid telling them that they smell like corn dogs. Say something else instead. Like, “Wow, LSU sure does have a great team this year. This is going to be a great SEC game.”It’s hard. I know. It’s like when you’re having sex and you try to think about baseball. That corn dog smell is just so overwhelming. It makes it hard for you to think about football or baseball or whatever else. Your brain wanders into corn dog topics like: “Gee, I wonder if I took a bite of your finger, if you would taste just like a corn dog?”; or “Is this a real person or is it a giant corn dog trying to make me think it is a real person?” or “What did that giant corn dog just say?” or “Excuse me, Mister, why is it that you smell just exactly like corn dogs smell?” or, of course, after a silencer: “Madam, did you just let the corn dogs out?”Heck, after what I’ve heard about LSU fans, I think it may be better not to smell them at all. Okay, not all of them. Some of them are nice. Sure. Smell the nice ones. That’s okay.You know what else is a bad thing to do? Holding your nose around them. They are real sensitive to that, too. Try holding your breath. But don’t be obvious about it. Somehow they know you’re trying not to breathe in the corn dog smell. And that offends them. They’ll likely punch you for that if they catch on to what you’re doing.If you do breathe it in long enough, though, it’ll permeate your whole body, and then you’ll smell like a corn dog just like they do. But don’t say, “Dang, now I smell like a corn dog.” They take offense to that. And they will throw things. But not corn dogs. Hard stuff. Stuff that leaves bruises and makes you bleed. Then you may have to get stitches or something. Just don’t say it. If you do start smelling like a corn dog, just shut up about it. Okay?I think kids are acutely aware of corn dog smells too. Counsel your kids on how to behave around LSU fans. If LSU fans are driving around town, do not let your kids stick their heads out of your car window and sniff the air. No. Keep your windows rolled up. An odd change in their expression – indicating they smell corn dogs – might get a wrench or pipe or some other object tossed at your windshield. So, that’s dangerous. Let your kids stick their heads out of the car windows as you drive – on some other weekend.I know you are just as puzzled as I am about some of this corn dog stuff. What puzzles me most is that I’ve never actually seen any of these LSU fans with a corn dog in their hand. Okay, maybe there’s no mystery there – maybe they already ate the corn dogs. Who knows? Maybe there’s a corn dog factory in Baton Rouge and they all work there. Maybe, there’s a corn dog lotion that they wear, or a French perfume. Maybe their city council puts corn dog juice in the water supply – kind of like fluoride. The politics there are probably weird. The big political issue during the city election is whether they should add more ketchup or more mustard to the water. Don’t comment on it though. It’s not politically correct over there. It’s like a malnutrition issue or something. It’s like the corn dogs are probably added to the water to prevent starvation or something.I know when you go to Baton Rouge, you’re thinking: “Ahhhh. Here I am in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I’ll bet the people here smell just like boiled crawfish or shrimp etoufe’ or some fancy Cajun food.” But just stop thinking that. That’s just a myth. They smell just like corn dogs.In fact, please listen to my advice. Leave them alone about the corn dog odor. And don’t try masking the odor with something stronger. They’ll curse at you. They’ll say something like: “WTF, how dare you smoke a cigar in my home,” or “WTF!! Are you too good for the smell of corn dogs?” and they’ll cuss out your kids too: “WTF!!! Little Mister fancy pants over here acts like he doesn’t want to smell like corn dogs.”Cajuns are not like us. Don’t you see that, yet? They are really sensitive about being sniffed and about their corn dog aroma. They know they smell like corn dogs and it is no laughing matter to them at all. I know, I know. We sniff the Bammers and the UGA Dawgs and the Ole messes, and we keep a straight face with each of them, but don’t press your luck with the Cajun tiger fans. Don’t refer to Death Valley as corn dog valley either. I mean that’s just wrong. Even if you’ve been drinking, they’ll beat you up and curse out your kids.Along these lines, be extra careful when you laugh in their direction – even if you’re laughing about something else. Like baseball or football, or sex or whatever. If you can’t control yourself and you must laugh though, do not snort. The snorting makes them think that you smell their corn dog body odor from a distance or that you’re choking on it or something. They’ll likely burn your van for that. We lost a campus building over just one snort.So, just remember. You can love one another without sniffing each other. You can enjoy the clash of a couple of good football teams. You can enjoy the thrill of the rivalry. But after the game, please heed my words. Please just move along. No sniffing the opposing fans this Saturday. Okay? Get your corn dog jollies at home.Enough with this corn dog talk. Let’s play ball…"

The LSU Tigers fans and corndogs lore has triggered several investigations, especially from fans of rival teams that cannot get enough. For example, the Tuscaloosa News conducted a ‘special investigation’ into the corndogs backstory in 2013. Locally, a Baton Rouge news outlet polled to determine if the city smelled like corndogs in 2015. However, the most notable corndogs troll was in 2014, when Katy Perry waved a breaded dog upon LSU’s mention during College GameDay.

Deep blue’s corndog declaration has stood the test of time and is among the elite college football fan troll-jobs. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the articulate rant targeting LSU Tigers fans doesn’t make me laugh today. However, the joke isn’t as funny when LSU football is competing for championships. We experienced such in 2019 when the smell of corndogs meant the scent of victory.

I like that breaded-dog-on-a-stick smell of victory again in 2023, where Brian Kelly has the LSU Tigers primed for an SEC West paradigm shift. Corndogs, anyone?