ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe found herself in the middle of the conversation after LSU’s 51-10 rout of Clemson on Saturday night, and not because of anything she said during the broadcast.
Rowe wore a magenta top while covering LSU’s opener at Death Valley, and some viewers took issue with how close the color looked to LSU’s purple. One fan asked online why she appeared to be “wearing LSU colors.”
Another tied the moment to a previous wardrobe debate, saying, “Same reason why she was wearing a WNBA tie doing sideline reporting. Don’t forget ESPN is strictly entertainment, no journalism or unbiased integrity” A third comment pointed to her employer and framed the outfit as part of a larger bias argument: “She does work for ESPN”
The top wasn’t LSU purple, but it was closer to the Tigers’ colors than Clemson’s orange, which was enough to spark the online reaction.
The attention around Rowe came during a broadcast that already had plenty of juice. LSU controlled the game from the start and never looked back, rolling to the blowout win in Kiffin’s first game as head coach. The halftime interview between Kiffin and Rowe produced its own viral moment when Kiffin, while praising his team’s performance, joked that LSU’s lead could have been even bigger “if we had pro players.”
Kiffin also dealt with criticism of his roster decisions after the game and pushed back hard in his postgame comments. “My job is not to please you and worry about what you’re going to write,” Kiffin said. “My job is what I believe is right, and I believe we were fighting for what was right for those kids.”
Rowe’s outfit debate wasn’t an isolated flashpoint for ESPN’s sideline coverage, either. Laura Rutledge faced similar scrutiny over a ‘Monday Night Football’ outfit last December, another reminder that wardrobe criticism has a way of finding broadcast crews no matter the sport.
ESPN has not responded to the complaints about Rowe’s top.
In Other News...
Clemson Gets A Needed D-Line Boost Before Its First ACC Test
Clemsons defensive front got a much-needed lift this week with the reinstatement of tackle Vic Burley after a suspension tied to a public disorderly conduct arrest. Burley still will miss the upcoming game against Georgia Southern, but his return is lined up for a far more important moment, with the Tigers expecting to have him back for their ACC opener against North Carolina.
That matters because Clemson is also bracing for the likely loss of defensive tackle Markus Strong, who is expected to be out for the season after suffering a lower-leg injury in a recent game. Between Burleys return and Strongs injury, the Tigers interior line picture has shifted quickly, and the next few weeks will tell just how much depth they can piece together before conference play starts to sharpen the stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Ugly Opener Put Dabo Swinney Under An Unwanted Spotlight
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The bigger issue, though, is what the opener said about where Clemson stands around its head coach. Dabo Swinney is used to having the benefit of the doubt, but this one invited more questions than answers, from the way the game was handled to how much work remains before the Tigers look like a finished product. The next few weeks will say plenty about whether the loss was just a bad night or the first sign that Clemson has more fixing to do than anyone wanted to admit. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Home Opener Comes With A Price Fans Will Notice
Clemsons home opener comes with a familiar kind of college-football cost, and this one is a hefty one. According to a contract obtained through public records, the Tigers will pay Georgia Southern for Saturday nights game at Memorial Stadium, a matchup set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on the ACC Network.
The deal also spells out the usual logistics that come with bringing a road team to town, including ticket allotments and access for Georgia Southerns team and staff. It is the sort of behind-the-scenes bookkeeping that rarely gets much attention on game day, even though it helps shape the business side of a September Saturday in Death Valley. [Read more 🡒]