Who are the LSU fans that paint their chests? Meet the Painted Posse

Tiger Stadium attracts thousands of people to Baton Rouge each year, but of the 102,321 who pack Death Valley on Saturday nights in the fall, a dozen stand-alone.

In the front row of the student section stands a line of shirtless LSU students who spell out messages with body paint.

They’re called the Painted Posse, a faith-based, student-run organization that has established itself as a staple on LSU game days since its inception over two decades ago.

But what exactly is the Painted Posse? What drives these passionate Tiger fans to paint their bodies on Saturdays?

“We believe that every good gift is from God, and that includes LSU football,” said Sam Waggener, a former member of the Painted Posse who graduated from LSU in the fall. “So we want to show people that God wants you to have fun.”

The Painted Posse wears their faith on their chest, literally.

People first started painting up for LSU home games back in the ’90s. In 2003, during the team’s football season, legendary LSU athletics equipment manager Jeff Boss died after a lengthy 10-month battle with brain cancer. He had been a part of the university’s athletics department for nearly a quarter-century and was only 54 years old.

In his honor, a group of Christian friends who had been painting out on Saturdays for a couple of years marked their chests with his initials for the No. 11 Bayou Bengals’ brawl with the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs.

“After the game, the guys kind of convened and they’re like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s someone even more important to us,’” said Jonathan Skipper, a former member of the Painted Posse.

That someone was Jesus Christ. For LSU’s next home game against the Florida Gators, Boss’ initials became a Holy Cross. The rest is history.

“Faith is our foundation, and then LSU is the house that is built on the foundation,” Waggener said.

The Painted Posse had grown a lot since Waggener’s freshman year. Waggener was one of only five people who painted up during his sophomore year when the Tigers hosted the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels in 2022.

In 2024, the Painted Posse averaged 13 per game, including seven core members: Waggener, Carter Grace, Jake Mathis, Skipper, Christian Bouler, Jayden Slaughter and Brayden Blackburn.

With Waggener graduating and multiple students on temporary leave while studying abroad, the Painted Posse has shrunk to four core members this spring: Mathis, Bouler, Slaughter and Blackburn; the crew expects numbers to return to normal next semester.

The group has its fair share of guests who join them on Saturdays, including many Painted Posse alumni returning who want to paint up one last time.

They aren’t picky; the Painted Posse lets everybody paint out, regardless of where you come from or whether or not you are Christian.

“We’re all coming from different corners of campus and life in general,” Mathis said.

Most of these corners converge at LSU’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry. It’s how the Painted Posse has nearly tripled in size in just under two years.

The barrier for entry is low, and for good reason. The group is always looking to grow. Skipper didn’t need much convincing; he was interested right from the start.

“The second they asked me, I was like,’ This sounds awesome,’” Skipper said. “Like painting your chest for a football game? That sounds amazing.”

The Painted Posse gives its members a sense of community under God.

“Ever since that first game, I never really turned back,” Mathis said. “I’ve seen myself making so many meaningful connections, both with the guys in the group, people associated with LSU to other extents, and really, it’s been an opportunity I would not trade for the world.”

The Painted Posse is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a chance for these LSU students to represent the university and their Christian beliefs on a national stage.

The group finalizes their game day lineup by Wednesday so that they can agree on the phrase they will paint on themselves.

“We have done jabs at the opponent (Pick A Mascot), their rivals (Go Navy for the Army game last year) and even just recruit names (Bryce Underwood),” said Logan Pergola, a member of the Painted Posse. “[It] really depends on the game and what mood we’re in.”

With Waggener graduating and multiple students on temporary leave while studying abroad, the Painted Posse has shrunk to four core members this spring: Mathis, Bouler, Slaughter and Blackburn; the crew expects numbers to return to normal next semester.

The group has its fair share of guests who join them on Saturdays, including many Painted Posse alumni returning who want to paint up one last time.

They aren’t picky; the Painted Posse lets everybody paint out, regardless of where you come from or whether or not you are Christian.

“We’re all coming from different corners of campus and life in general,” Mathis said.

Most of these corners converge at LSU’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry. It’s how the Painted Posse has nearly tripled in size in just under two years.

The barrier for entry is low, and for good reason. The group is always looking to grow. Skipper didn’t need much convincing; he was interested right from the start.

“The second they asked me, I was like,’ This sounds awesome,’” Skipper said. “Like painting your chest for a football game? That sounds amazing.”

The Painted Posse gives its members a sense of community under God.

“Ever since that first game, I never really turned back,” Mathis said. “I’ve seen myself making so many meaningful connections, both with the guys in the group, people associated with LSU to other extents, and really, it’s been an opportunity I would not trade for the world.”

The Painted Posse is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a chance for these LSU students to represent the university and their Christian beliefs on a national stage.

The group finalizes their game day lineup by Wednesday so that they can agree on the phrase they will paint on themselves.

“We have done jabs at the opponent (Pick A Mascot), their rivals (Go Navy for the Army game last year) and even just recruit names (Bryce Underwood),” said Logan Pergola, a member of the Painted Posse. “[It] really depends on the game and what mood we’re in.”