LSU’s season-opening blowout of Clemson did more than put the Tigers in the spotlight. It sent three players home with SEC weekly honors and gave a packed recruiting audience plenty to talk about.
The conference recognized Sam Leavitt, Jordan Seaton and Jordan Ross after LSU’s 51-10 win. Leavitt picked up Co-Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 230 yards, rushing for 113 and accounting for three total touchdowns.
Seaton was honored as Offensive Lineman of the Week after a clean outing with no sacks allowed and no penalties. Ross earned Defensive Lineman of the Week after posting a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown, four tackles and a sack.
Those three awards tell the story of how LSU won. The offense had firepower, the line kept things steady and the defense made game-changing plays. That kind of balance is exactly what the Tigers will want to lean on once the competition tightens up.
The Clemson rout also doubled as a major recruiting stage. TigerBait reported that more than 100 prospects were in attendance, turning Death Valley into a live audition for LSU’s program. And the Tigers gave those visitors a lot to watch, finishing with 644 yards of total offense.
For offensive recruits especially, that kind of performance leaves an impression. It shows how LSU moved the ball, created chances and kept drives alive. The defense helped sell the rest of the picture by turning the game into a complete showcase rather than just an offensive shootout.
Two of the biggest recruiting takeaways came from highly regarded visitors. Texas Five-Star Plus+ receiver commit Easton Royal came away impressed, telling Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman, “It was everything - and more than what I expected,” Royal said.
Royal is still a Texas commit, so LSU’s job is far from finished. But a visit like that gives the Tigers something real to work with moving forward.
LSU tight end commit Ahmad Hudson also liked what he saw. 247Sports quoted the Ruston five-star saying, “They handled business… Coach Kiffin is my guy.” The outlet also noted that Nebraska continues to pursue Hudson while LSU works to keep him committed.
That’s the recruiting ripple effect LSU wanted from a game like this: one prospect already committed elsewhere leaving impressed, and another committed player sounding even more comfortable with the staff.
The Tigers have already checked off a strong opening weekend, but the next part matters just as much. They’ll need to keep showing the same edge against Louisiana Tech, because consistency is what turns a big night into lasting credibility.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got Caught In College Footballs Eligibility Chaos
A Baton Rouge judge was weighing whether two former NFL players could suit up for LSU this fall, another sign of how unsettled college footballs eligibility rules have become. For the Tigers, it is part of a wider mess that now stretches well beyond campus and into courtrooms, where questions about who can play, when they can play and under what conditions are being argued almost as often as they are decided on the field.
Now the issue is heading to Washington, where Sen. Ted Cruz has been pushing the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act as a way to set federal standards for eligibility, NIL and transfers while giving the NCAA limited antitrust protection to enforce its rules. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill between Sept. 15 and 23, and LSU's latest brush with the chaos shows why college sports leaders are under growing pressure to find something more stable before every roster question turns into another legal fight. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Clemson Statement Just Sparked A Bigger Early Season Question
LSUs season-opening rout of Clemson did more than announce the Tigers as a team to watch, it also put several of its best players in the league spotlight. After the 51-10 win, three LSU players were recognized by the SEC, with Sam Leavitt earning Offensive Player of the Week honors, Jordan Seaton landing Lineman of the Week on offense and Jordan Ross taking home Defensive Lineman of the Week.
The awards only sharpen the early-season conversation around LSU, because a performance that dominant tends to raise the bar quickly. When three different players are honored after one game, it suggests the Tigers were not just sharp in one area, but carried the kind of balance and physical edge that can travel into the rest of September and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Former LSU Tigers Took The Clemson Rout Into The Saints Locker Room
LSUs 51-10 win over Clemson did not stay on the field for long. By the time several former Tigers who now play for the New Orleans Saints got back around their own locker room, the victory had turned into a bit of cross-team mischief, with Saints players using the result to needle a couple of former Clemson teammates in a way only pro athletes seem to appreciate.
Travis Etienne Jr. and Bryan Bresee came back to decorated lockers, with LSU-themed items waiting for them courtesy of Saints teammates Barion Brown, Davon Godchaux and Will Clapp. Brown and Godchaux are still active players, while Clapp has moved into a coaching role on the Saints offensive line, and the whole thing added a little extra local flavor to a win LSU fans were already enjoying. [Read more 🡒]