A game at Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Tiger Stadium is never a tame thing. It is a close stadium with the seats rising at a sharp angle. The design creates an excellent, and exceptionally loud, acoustic profile. In fact, when the crowd gets really cranked up the stadium seems to shake, as does the ground beneath it.

It is a critical game at Tiger Stadium. While only the third game of the season, the South Eastern Conference championship, and perhaps the national championship, may well be at stake. A hard fought defensive battle, the game has wound down to a seven to seven tie in the final minute of the game.

LSU has possession of the ball at mid-field. Beginning at their own 10-yard line, the team has been able to eek out three first downs in the last 2 minutes. But time is against the Tigers. With 17 seconds left and a fourth down on their own 48-yard line, the team looks done for. In a last ditch effort, the quarter back takes the ball and drops back into the pocket. But protection at the line of scrimmage breaks down and, as the opposition seems set to overwhelm him, the quarterback swivels and throws the ball downfield in desperation. By luck or skill, the ball lands in the hands of the LSU tight end who deftly avoids a tackler and steps out of bounds, stopping the clock, on the opposition’s 40 yard line. There is no choice for the Tigers. With seven seconds left, a 50-yard field goal attempt is the team’s only chance.

The Tigers line up on the 40, shoulder to shoulder. The field goal kicker, whose longest field goal to this point has been 47 yards, takes a couple of practice swings with his leg, exhales, prays and nods. The ball is snapped, caught and put down by the holder. The kicker takes two quick steps and swings his leg into the ball. The wobbly, end-over-end kick clears the uprights by only inches but it is enough. The Tigers score three points as time expires, winning the game 10 to seven. The crowd goes wild.

At that moment the seismograph equipment in the LSU Department of Geology and Geophysics registers a seismic event centered at Tiger Stadium. The crowd is cheering, the band has chimed in and the ground underneath Tiger Stadium is energized. It is not the first time it has happened during the game. The previous touchdown registered, as did the band at half time. And it is not the first time the seismic activity during a Tiger Stadium game has been monitored. Professor Juan Lorenzo of the Department of Geology and Geophysics has run this delightful exercise for a few years now. Who says exploration technology and football don’t mix.

What is really neat about this, aside from the entertainment value to football fans, is the use of one of our basic technologies in an adjunct fashion that makes the discipline of geophysics more interesting to potential students. With all the pressure to attract new professionals to our industry, I think it is a valuable model that could be applied to some of our other disciplines. I hope some of you will give an ideal like this a try.

Hart’s hat is off to you Professor Lorenzo.