LSU Earthquake Game: How Tiger Stadium Literally Shook in 1988
Updated: Sep 16
Quick answer
The LSU Earthquake Game was LSU’s 7-6 win over No. 4 Auburn on October 8, 1988. Tommy Hodson’s late touchdown pass to Eddie Fuller triggered a Tiger Stadium celebration strong enough to register on a nearby seismograph, turning the finish into one of LSU football’s defining legends.
Tiger Stadium has been called loud, hostile and intimidating for generations. On October 8, 1988, LSU fans produced something measurable.
When Tommy Hodson found Eddie Fuller for the winning touchdown against No. 4 Auburn, the roar from Tiger Stadium registered on seismic equipment in LSU's nearby geology complex.
LSU 7, Auburn 6. The Earthquake Game was born.
A defensive fight
Auburn arrived ranked No. 4 and controlled most of the scoring. LSU's defense kept the Tigers within striking distance, but LSU still trailed 6-0 late in the fourth quarter.
Fourth-and-10 from the Auburn 11
With less than two minutes remaining, LSU faced fourth-and-10 from the Auburn 11-yard line. The season and the game were sitting on one play.
Hodson dropped back and found Eddie Fuller in the end zone for the touchdown. The extra point gave LSU a 7-6 lead.
Tiger Stadium literally registered
The crowd reaction was so intense that seismic equipment in LSU's Howe-Russell geology complex, roughly 1,000 feet from the stadium, recorded the vibration.
That scientific footnote transformed a dramatic win into LSU folklore. It was no longer just another loud night in Tiger Stadium. There was a physical record of the noise.
Why the game mattered
LSU finished the 1988 season 6-1 in SEC play and won the conference championship. The Auburn victory became one of the defining moments of that title run.
The beginning of an Auburn mythology cluster
Eight years later, LSU and Auburn would produce another bizarre classic: the 1996 Barn Burner, played while Auburn's old Sports Arena burned outside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Together, the Earthquake Game and Barn Burner help explain why LSU-Auburn became one of the SEC's most unpredictable modern rivalries.
FAQ
When was the Earthquake Game? October 8, 1988.
What was the final score? LSU beat Auburn 7-6.
Who scored the winning touchdown? Eddie Fuller caught a late touchdown pass from Tommy Hodson.
Why is it called the Earthquake Game? The crowd reaction registered on nearby seismic equipment.
Sources: LSU Athletics historical records and Tiger Stadium history.
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