With one win away from claiming the national championship, LSU blew-out in-state rival Tulane, 62–0. Although the Green Wave had a 3–6 record, they were dangerous and unpredictable; they had defeated Alabama and sixth-ranked Navy. Some viewed the game as a trap game, and Tulane halfback Claude "Boo" Mason even told reporters the previous week, "We'll beat LSU because they'll choke." When Dietzel read Mason's quote in the newspaper, he cut it out, made copies of it, and taped it all over the LSU locker room to serve as motivation.