Clemson’s season opener turned into a brutal reminder of how thin the margin is now for a program trying to stay in the national-title conversation.
The Tigers were already facing a tough assignment, opening on the road in Baton Rouge in the first game of the Lane Kiffin era. Then the night quickly went sideways. Weather delayed things, but it only delayed what was coming, as LSU built a 31-3 lead in the first half and left Clemson with more questions than answers.
There was a brief spark when Ashton Hampton intercepted Sam Leavitt on the second attempt of the night, a play that looked like it might give Clemson a foothold. Instead, it ended up being false hope.
After a disappointing 2025 season, there was still some belief that Dabo Swinney could steady the program and push Clemson back toward ACC and national championship contention. Instead, the opener has already triggered the kind of uncomfortable conversation the Tigers hoped to avoid.
Swinney’s buyout is the big obstacle. He signed a 10-year, $115 million extension in September of 2022, a deal that makes moving on from him extremely difficult. If Clemson were to fire him during or after the 2026 season, the school would owe him roughly $57 million, and that number does not go down for the rest of the contract.
That kind of figure is hard to swallow in an era when schools are already spending heavily to build rosters. LSU and Penn State paid massive buyouts to move on from Brian Kelly and James Franklin, but that level of spending is still the exception, not the rule.
Because of that, the most realistic path for a separation would be a mutual parting. Firing Swinney outright would be nearly impossible considering everything he has done for Clemson, but the longer this era goes on, the more obvious it becomes that the Tigers are not taking full advantage of the current landscape.
For now, the rest of the season matters a lot for both Swinney and Clemson. They will need to hope this night ends up looking more like a statement from LSU than a sign of where the Tigers are headed.
In Other News...
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 🡒]