A Renewed Rivalry
LSU announced this week that the historic Battle for the Rag rivalry with Tulane will be revived in 2030, marking the first meeting between the two programs in 21 years. The series, which traces its roots to 1893, will see the Green Wave travel to Baton Rouge for the showdown, adding another chapter to a rivalry that has long been a staple of Louisiana college football.
The upcoming game will join LSU’s collection of trophy matchups, which include the Magnolia Bowl and the Golden Boot. With 69 wins, 22 losses and seven ties, LSU holds a commanding lead in the all‑time series, and the Tigers enter the 2030 contest as winners of the last 18 meetings against Tulane.
The revival comes as LSU expands its non‑conference schedule, slated to host Northwestern State in 2027 and Louisiana‑Monroe and Southern in 2028. Tulane, which left the SEC in 1966 but remained engaged in the rivalry through the 1990s, will once again bring its storied program to the Tigers’ home field, a move that reflects both schools’ commitment to preserving a deep‑rooted tradition.
The rivalry’s recent history includes a brief pause after LSU paid Tulane to end a four‑game segment of a ten‑game agreement, a transaction that underscored the economic and competitive stakes of the series. Now, with anticipation building among fans and alumni, the 2030 matchup promises to restore the intensity and pageantry that have defined the Battle for the Rag for more than a century.