College football fans know the Alabama-LSU rivalry will generate drama every season.
But LSU's visit to Tuscaloosa in 2019 kicked the intensity up a notch or two.
A visit from the president of the United States, a balloon-slashing incident that made national headlines and a viral video featuring a profanity-laced speech by LSU's coach were all part of a memorable day in Tuscaloosa.
Oh yeah, and the game was an instant classic, a 46-41 slugfest, won by LSU. The Tigers ' win over the Tide put LSU on a path toward winning the SEC title and the national championship. Also, Tiger quarterback Joe Burrow went on to win the Heisman trophy after outdueling UA's Tua Tagovailoa .
The game also marked LSU's first win over Alabama in eight years and broke the Crimson Tide's 31-game home winning streak,
Here's a look back at some of the wild and crazy off-the-field moments from Nov. 9, 2019:
Fans had to contend with extra security as then-President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were among the 100,000-plus in attendance at the nationally televised game.
The Trumps' motorcade led to changes in the usual game day traffic patterns and fans who were tailgating had to start their activities hours earlier on a cold morning. Protective barriers were extended around Bryant-Denny Stadium and additional security checkpoints were in place.
The Trumps sat in a luxury box on the east side of the stadium, joined by Republican lawmakers from Alabama and Louisiana.
In the first quarter, the Trumps were introduced on the stadium's jumbo video screens, leading to prolonged cheers from the crowd. As the cheers died down, some boos were heard, which were turned to chants of "USA" by Trump's supporters.
The first couple waved and gave "thumbs up" signs to the crowd and watched during halftime as the Million Dollar Band performed a military tribute for the Veterans Day weekend.
Donald and Melania Trump left the game during the third quarter.
"Thank you to LSU and Alabama for a great game!" Trump tweeted after the game.
Trump's visit marked the first time a sitting president had attended a University of Alabama home football game. Trump had also attended the Jan. 8, 2018, College Football Playoff national championship game between Alabama and Georgia at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The only other president to attend an Alabama football game occurred on Jan. 1, 1963, when John F. Kennedy attended the Orange Bowl matchup between UA and Oklahoma in Miami.
With Trump's visit came a few scattered protests. At Monnish Park, near the stadium, a few dozen people gathered to protest the president's trek to Tuscaloosa.
Included in the Monnish Park protest was a 20-foot high, 13-foot wide balloon known as the Baby Trump balloon. The balloon – an orange, crying, diaper-wearing, cellphone-clutching caricature of Trump – had become a global symbol of protest.
According to the Associated Press, Robert Kennedy of New Jersey, a volunteer "baby sitter" who brought the balloon to Tuscaloosa, said that the day had been going mostly smooth. Some people yelled "Trump 2020" as they passed, while others took selfies with or photos of the balloon. Then, around 1 p.m., a man emerged from the crowd, stuck a knife in the balloon and ran off as it deflated.
A 32-year-old Tuscaloosa man was charged with felony first-degree criminal mischief in connection with the Baby Trump balloon-slashing.
A GoFund Me account aimed at paying the suspect's legal fees topped more than $40,000.
In the locker room in front of his players after the game, LSU coach Ed Orgeron gave an exuberant speech laced with profanities.
Without Orgeron's knowledge, a player filmed the speech and posted the video on social media.
"We're going to beat [Alabama's] a** in recruiting. We're going to beat their a** every time they see us. You understand me? Roll Tide, what? F** you!" Orgeron can be heard saying in the video.
Once it was posted on social media, the video went viral. Orgeron apologized for the video during a news conference the week after the Alabama-LSU game.
"It shouldn't happen. I addressed the player who did it. He felt bad about it," Orgeron said. "I think it's just the product of today. We all, everybody, carries their phone with them all the time. I don't think it was done with mal intent or nothing like that, so I addressed it with the young man. I don't think it's going to happen again."
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Trump visit, Orgeron speech: Revisiting 2019 Alabama-LSU football game
