View source for Battle for the Rag

{{Short description|American college football rivalry}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
 | wide                     = yes
 | name                     = Battle for the Rag
 | image                     = 
 | image_size                     = 
 | caption                     = 
 | team1                     = [[LSU Tigers football|LSU Tigers]]
 | team1logo                     = Louisiana State University (block logo).svg
 | team2                     = [[Tulane Green Wave football|Tulane Green Wave]]
 | team2logo                     = Tulane Green Wave wordmark.svg
 | sport                     = [[College football|Football]]
 | firstmeeting                     = November 25, 1893<br />Tulane, 34–0
 | mostrecent                     = October 31, 2009<br />LSU, 42–0
 | nextmeeting                     = TBA
 | total                     = 98
 | series                     = LSU leads, 69–22–7 ({{winning percentage|69|22|7}})<ref name="series" />
 | largestvictory                     = LSU, 62–0 (1958)
 | longeststreak                     = LSU, 18 (1983–present)
 | longestunbeatenstreak                     = 
 | currentstreak                     = LSU, 18 (1983–present)
 | currentunbeatenstreak                     = 
 | trophy                     = Tiger Rag/Victory Flag
 | trophy series                     = 
 | stadiums                     = 
 | map_location                     = 
 | map_width                     = 
 | map_label1                     = 
 | map_mark1                     = 
 | map_label1_position                     = 
 | coordinates1                     = 
 | map_label2                     = 
 | map_mark2                     = 
 | map_label2_position                     = 
 | coordinates2                     = 
 | map_caption                     = 
}}
{{OSM Location map   
| nolabels = 1       
| coord = {{coord|30.212|-90.66}}
| zoom = 7
| width = 295 
| height = 250
| caption = Locations of LSU and Tulane
| mark1 = Purple pog.svg
| label1 = LSU
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|30.4145|-91.1783}}
| label-pos1 = bottom
| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = Green pog.svg
| label2 = Tulane
| mark-coord2 = {{coord|29.935344|-90.122687}}
| label-pos2 = bottom
| label-color2 = black
}}

The '''Battle for the Rag''' is the name given to the '''LSU–Tulane football rivalry'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/300/2017/11/lsu-tulane_rivalry_battle_for_the_rag_11232017.html|title=Remembering the LSU-Tulane rivalry – and the first Battle for the Rag|publisher=nola.com|access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref> It is an American [[college football]] [[college rivalry|rivalry]] game<ref>{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/ContentGallery/SEC-football-Which-rivalry-games-have-been-played-the-most--120405187/#120405187_9|title=Looking at the SEC's 10 most-played rivalries|publisher=247sports.com|access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref> played by the [[LSU Tigers football]] team of [[Louisiana State University]] and the [[Tulane Green Wave football]] team of [[Tulane University]]. The game was played nearly every year since its inception in 1893, with the last of ninety-eight games being played in 2009. Tulane and LSU spent much of their athletic histories as members of the same conference: the [[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association|SIAA]] from 1899 to 1920, the [[Southern Conference]] from 1922 to 1932, and as charter members of the SEC from 1932 to 1966.

==The "Rag"==
[[File:1914 LSU vs. Tulane football game.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The 1914 0–0 tie between the teams]]
The winner is awarded a [[satin]] trophy flag known as the '''Tiger Rag''' at LSU and the '''Victory Flag''' at Tulane.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/southwest/gallery/college-football-s-most-unique-rivalry-trophies-100115|title=College football's most unique rivalry trophies|work=foxsports.com|access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref> The flag is divided diagonally, with the logos of each school placed on opposite sides and the [[Seal of Louisiana]] in the center. LSU's name for the flag comes from the popular tune [[Tiger Rag]], one of the songs performed by the [[Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band]].

[[File:Tulane vs LSU at Tulane Stadium December 1973.jpg|thumb|The December 1973 matchup at [[Tulane Stadium]]]]

The original flag was created in 1940 to foster good sportsmanship, most likely in response to growing tension between fans of the two teams that eventually escalated into a riot after Tulane's victory in 1938.  It is believed that this flag was destroyed in a 1982 fire at Tulane's University Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://appl003.lsu.edu/unv002.nsf/PressReleases/PR1644 |title=Tiger Rag: Rekindling a Rivalry and Returning a Tradition |publisher=lsu.edu |access-date=June 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312025610/http://appl003.lsu.edu/unv002.nsf/PressReleases/PR1644 |archive-date=March 12, 2007 }}</ref>  

The 1963 game was only one of 5 across the country not to be canceled or postponed due to the [[assassination of President John F. Kennedy]] the day before.

In 2001, LSU and Tulane worked together to create a reconstruction of the rag based upon archived photographs.

==2006 series renewal==
In 2006 the rivalry was officially renewed, returning to yearly play for the first time since 1994. The teams began play that year and continued until 2009, when it was announced that LSU would pay Tulane $700,000 to void the final six years of the home-and-home series. LSU held that it would benefit if the remaining games were all played in Baton Rouge. Not wanting to give up its home games, Tulane agreed to end the series early, though the teams did agree to play one future game in New Orleans, a game that LSU has thus far refused to actually play. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=4483965|title=LSU pays Tulane to end series early|year=2009|work=espn.com|access-date=September 18, 2009}}</ref><ref name="tulanelsu2013">{{cite web|title=LSU, Tulane in discussions to play each other in football in 2013|publisher=nola.com| url=http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2012/03/lsu_tulane_in_discussions_to_p.html|access-date=September 6, 2012}}</ref>

==Game results==
{{sports rivalry series table
| format = compact | cols = 2
| series_summary = yes
| team1 = LSU
| team1style = {{NCAA color cell|LSU Tigers}}
| team2 = Tulane
| team2style = {{NCAA color cell|Tulane Green Wave}}

| November 25, 1893 | New Orleans | Tulane | 34 | LSU | 0
| October 26, 1895 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 8 | Tulane | 4
| October 24, 1896† | New Orleans | LSU | 6 | Tulane | 0 
| December 17, 1898 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 37 | Tulane | 0
| December 8, 1899 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 38 | Tulane | 0
| November 17, 1900 | New Orleans | Tulane | 29 | LSU | 0
| November 16, 1901† | New Orleans | LSU | 11 |12 Tulane | 0 
| November 19, 1904 | New Orleans | Tulane | 5 | LSU | 0
| November 25, 1905 | New Orleans | LSU | 5 | Tulane | 0
| December 9, 1911 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 6 | Tulane | 0
| November 28, 1912 | New Orleans | LSU | 21 | Tulane | 3
| November 22, 1913 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 40 | Tulane | 0
| November 26, 1914 | New Orleans | LSU | 0 | Tulane | 0
| November 25, 1915 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 12 | Tulane | 0
| November 30, 1916 | New Orleans | LSU | 14 | Tulane | 4
| November 29, 1917 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 28 | LSU | 6
| November 22, 1919 | New Orleans | LSU | 27 | Tulane | 6
| November 25, 1920 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 21 | LSU | 0
| November 19, 1921 | New Orleans | Tulane | 21 | LSU | 0
| November 30, 1922 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 25 | Tulane | 14
| November 24, 1923 | New Orleans | Tulane | 20 | LSU | 0
| November 27, 1924 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 13 | LSU | 0
| November 21, 1925 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 16 | LSU | 0
| November 25, 1926 | New Orleans | LSU | 7 | Tulane | 0
| November 24, 1927 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 13 | LSU | 6
| November 29, 1928 | New Orleans | Tie | 0 | Tie | 0
| November 28, 1929 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 21 | LSU | 0
| November 27, 1930 | New Orleans | Tulane | 12 | LSU | 7
| November 28, 1931 | New Orleans | Tulane | 34 | LSU | 7
| November 26, 1932 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 14 | Tulane | 0
| December 2, 1933 | New Orleans | Tie | 7 | Tie | 7
| December 1, 1934 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 13 | LSU | 12
| November 30, 1935 | New Orleans | LSU | 41 | Tulane | 0
| November 28, 1936 | Baton Rouge | #2 LSU | 33 | #19 Tulane | 0
| November 27, 1937 | New Orleans | #10 LSU | 20 | Tulane | 7
| November 26, 1938 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 14 | LSU | 0
| December 2, 1939 | New Orleans | #5 Tulane | 33 | LSU | 20
| November 30, 1940 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 14 | Tulane | 0
| November 29, 1941 | New Orleans | LSU | 19 | Tulane | 0
| November 26, 1942 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 18 | Tulane | 6
| November 20, 1943 | New Orleans | Tulane | 27 | LSU | 0
| November 30, 1944 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 25 | Tulane | 6
| December 1, 1945 | New Orleans | LSU | 33 | Tulane | 0
| November 30, 1946 | Baton Rouge | #9 LSU | 41 | Tulane | 27
| December 6, 1947 | New Orleans | Tie | 6 | Tie | 6
| November 27, 1948 | Baton Rouge | #14 Tulane | 46 | LSU | 0
| November 26, 1949 | New Orleans | #13 LSU | 21 | #10 Tulane | 0
| December 2, 1950 | New Orleans | Tie | 14 | Tie | 14
| December 1, 1951 | New Orleans | LSU | 14 | Tulane | 13
| November 29, 1952 | New Orleans | LSU | 16 | Tulane | 0
| November 28, 1953 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 32 | Tulane | 13
| November 27, 1954 | New Orleans | LSU | 14 | Tulane | 13
| November 26, 1955 | Baton Rouge | Tie | 13 | Tie | 13
| December 1, 1956 | New Orleans | LSU | 7 | Tulane | 6
| November 30, 1957 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 25 | Tulane | 6
| November 22, 1958 | New Orleans | #1 LSU | 62 | Tulane | 0
| November 21, 1959 | Baton Rouge | #3 LSU | 14 | Tulane | 6
| November 26, 1960 | New Orleans | LSU | 17 | Tulane | 6
| November 25, 1961 | Baton Rouge | #4 LSU | 62 | Tulane | 0
| November 24, 1962 | New Orleans | #8 LSU | 38 | Tulane | 3
| November 23, 1963 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 20 | Tulane | 0
| November 21, 1964 | New Orleans | #8 LSU | 13 | Tulane | 3
| November 20, 1965 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 62 | Tulane | 0
| November 19, 1966 | New Orleans | LSU | 21 | Tulane | 7
| November 25, 1967 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 41 | Tulane | 27
| November 23, 1968 | New Orleans | LSU | 34 | Tulane | 10
| November 22, 1969 | Baton Rouge | #10 LSU | 27 | Tulane | 0
| November 28, 1970 | New Orleans | #6 LSU | 26 | Tulane | 14
| November 27, 1971 | Baton Rouge | #10 LSU | 36 | Tulane | 7
| December 2, 1972 | New Orleans | #11 LSU | 9 | Tulane | 3
| December 1, 1973 | New Orleans | Tulane | 14 | #8 LSU | 0
| November 23, 1974 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 24 | Tulane | 22
| November 22, 1975 | New Orleans | LSU | 42 | Tulane | 6
| November 20, 1976 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 17 | Tulane | 7
| November 19, 1977 | New Orleans | LSU | 20 | Tulane | 17
| November 25, 1978 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 40 | Tulane | 21
| November 24, 1979 | New Orleans | #18 Tulane | 24 | LSU | 13
| November 22, 1980 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 24 | Tulane | 7
| November 28, 1981 | New Orleans | Tulane | 48 | LSU | 7
| November 27, 1982 | Baton Rouge | Tulane | 31 | #7 LSU | 28
| November 19, 1983 | New Orleans | LSU | 20 | Tulane | 7
| November 24, 1984 | Baton Rouge | #16 LSU | 33 | Tulane | 15
| November 30, 1985 | New Orleans | #13 LSU | 31 | Tulane | 19
| November 29, 1986 | Baton Rouge | #5 LSU | 37 | Tulane | 17
| November 21, 1987 | New Orleans | #9 LSU | 41 | Tulane | 36
| November 26, 1988 | Baton Rouge | #16 LSU | 44 | Tulane | 14
| November 25, 1989 | New Orleans | LSU | 27 | Tulane | 7
| November 24, 1990 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 16 | Tulane | 13
| November 23, 1991 | New Orleans | LSU | 39 | Tulane | 20
| November 21, 1992 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 24 | Tulane | 12
| November 20, 1993 | Baton Rouge | LSU | 24 | Tulane | 10
| November 19, 1994 | New Orleans | LSU | 49 | Tulane | 25
| November 23, 1996 | Baton Rouge | #18 LSU | 35 | Tulane | 17
| September 1, 2001 | Baton Rouge | #14 LSU | 48 | Tulane | 17
| September 23, 2006 | Baton Rouge | #10 LSU | 49 | Tulane | 7
| September 29, 2007 | New Orleans | #2 LSU | 34 | Tulane | 9
| November 1, 2008 | Baton Rouge | #15 LSU | 35 | Tulane | 10
| October 31, 2009 | Baton Rouge | #9 LSU | 42 | Tulane | 0
| footnote = <ref name="series">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mcubed.net/ncaaf/series/lsu/tul.shtml|title=mcubed.net : NCAA Football : Series Records : Louisiana State vs. Tulane|website=www.mcubed.net}}</ref> <!-- http://www.winsipedia.com/lsu/vs/tulane is off by one game -->
}}
<sup>†</sup> LSU was declared the winner by forfeit in the 1896 and 1901 games.  The score for each game prior to a forfeit declaration was: 1896-Tulane 2, LSU 0, and 1901-Tulane 22, LSU 0. Official scores subsequent to the forfeitures are listed in the table.<br />
<sup>#</sup> Rankings are from the [[AP Poll]] released prior to each game.

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA college football rivalry games]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{LSU Tigers football navbox}}
{{Tulane Green Wave football navbox}}
{{American Athletic Conference rivalry navbox}}
{{Southeastern Conference football rivalry navbox}}

[[Category:College football rivalries in the United States]]
[[Category:LSU Tigers football]]
[[Category:Tulane Green Wave football]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in Louisiana]]