For Clemson, the 2026 season opens with a familiar brand of trouble: Tigers against Tigers, only this time the trip goes to Baton Rouge.
The matchup lands in primetime on the Week 1 slate, with No. 11 LSU hosting Clemson in Death Valley. Dabo Swinney’s team is trying to erase the memory of last season’s home loss, while LSU is aiming to complete a sweep of the home-and-home set.
Both sides look different than they did a year ago, but LSU’s makeover has been the louder one. The biggest move of the offseason came when the Tigers hired Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin while the Rebels were still making their run to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Kiffin brought players from that roster with him to Baton Rouge and also added Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, the top-ranked quarterback in the portal class, to run the offense.
Clemson’s changes have been significant too, just in a different way. The Tigers brought back offensive coordinator Chad Morris, who stepped in for Garrett Riley in playcalling duties during the offseason. They also put together their largest portal class yet, with the group stretching into double digits and most of those additions landing on the defensive side.
The biggest quarterback swing, though, belongs to LSU. Clemson did not dip into the portal to replace its quarterback, and instead announced redshirt junior Christopher Vizzina will make the second start of his college career.
Vizzina’s first start came in a home loss to SMU, but he still put up more than 300 yards and three touchdowns while avoiding mistakes. The offense was slow out of the gate that day, and Clemson can’t afford anything similar in a setting like Tiger Stadium, where more than 102,000 fans will be in the building.
The backdrop for Clemson is a 7-6 season, its worst under Swinney in 15 years. Swinney has repeatedly pointed to past bounce-backs, and he believes he has the staff and the roster to surprise people again on Saturday night.
There’s also a legal wrinkle involving fifth-year players, especially those arriving at LSU after time in the NFL preseason. On Thursday evening, those players were ruled eligible to play, giving Swinney one more variable to account for.
The weather could play a role too. Kickoff should arrive with temperatures in the low 80s and high 70s during the game, though rain is a real possibility before things get going. Baton Rouge carries an estimated 65% chance of rain on Saturday.
LSU enters as a 10.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 50.5 points.
The series leans LSU’s way, 4-1 overall. The last meeting came at Memorial Stadium on August 30, 2025, when LSU beat Clemson 17-10.
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LSU Brings A Roster Controversy Into Clemson Showdown
A roster wrinkle has followed LSU into its showdown with Clemson, with a judge granting an injunction against the NCAA that opened the door for more than 40 athletes to be eligible this season. Among them are LSU players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris, and their status has become part of the pregame conversation as the Tigers get ready for one of the weekends biggest games.
Lane Kiffin did not include Wright and Harris on LSUs initial 103-man roster submitted by the deadline, though he could still add them later. Speaking on ESPNs College GameDay before the Clemson matchup, Kiffin addressed what he called a difficult decision, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game already carrying plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Opener Turned Into A Nightmare For One Brutal Reason
A delayed kickoff did little to ease the kind of opening Clemson wanted to avoid, and LSU made sure of it once the game finally got going. Clemson briefly nudged ahead 3-0, but the Tigers from Baton Rouge quickly took control and never looked back, rolling to a lopsided win behind an offense that piled up 644 total yards and a defense that kept Clemson bottled up for most of the night.
It was the sort of performance that turned a marquee opener into an early-season warning sign for Dabo Swinneys group. Clemson was held under 100 yards for much of the contest before finding a little more room late, while LSU kept stacking plays on both sides of the ball and added a pick-six from Jordan Ross to deepen the damage. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons LSU Opener Comes With A Roster Standoff Still Hanging
LSUs season opener against Clemson already has enough intrigue on the field, but there is another layer hanging over the matchup before either team snaps the ball. The Tigers did not list former NFL players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris on their Week 1 roster for the game, even after a recent court ruling went in their favor, leaving a notable personnel question in place as the season begins.
Clemson had warned LSU that putting the players on the field could run afoul of contract terms, and LSU still has room to add them later in the season if it chooses. For now, the situation leaves one more unresolved subplot around a game that already carries plenty of attention, especially with both players having previously played for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. [Read more 🡒]