LSU’s opening statement was loud enough to shake both polls.
After blasting Clemson 51-10 on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, the Tigers surged into the Top 10 in the AP Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday. LSU climbed from No. 11 to No. 8 in the AP rankings and moved from No. 13 to No. 8 in the coaches poll.
That No. 8 spot also keeps a familiar trend rolling. It’s the eighth time in the past nine years, dating back to 2018, that LSU has cracked the Top 10 at some point during the season.
What LSU did to Clemson was more than a ranked win - it was a full-on demolition. The 41-point margin was the largest by an LSU team over a Top 25 opponent since the Tigers rolled past No. 9 Virginia Tech, 48-7, in Tiger Stadium in 2007.
The numbers from Saturday tell the story in plain terms. LSU piled up 644 total yards, with 309 coming on the ground and 335 through the air.
Clemson, meanwhile, was held to just 145 total yards and eight first downs. The Tigers’ defense kept Clemson out of LSU territory for nearly the entire night; Clemson managed only six plays on LSU’s side of the field, and three of those came after an interception on the second play of the game.
The win also extended LSU’s home run against non-conference opponents. The Tigers have now won 22 straight games against non-conference foes in Death Valley. Lane Kiffin also beat a non-conference opponent for the 22nd consecutive time.
LSU is back in action Saturday against Louisiana Tech in Tiger Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SEC Network-plus.
In the AP Top 25, Ohio State sits at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, Oregon and Miami before LSU at No. 8. Ole Miss is No. 9 and Texas A&M rounds out the top 10.
The Coaches Poll mirrors LSU at No. 8, with Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Notre Dame, Indiana, Oregon and Miami ahead of the Tigers. Texas A&M checks in at No. 9 and Oklahoma at No. 10.
Clemson dropped out of the rankings after entering the week at No. 23 in the AP poll.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Opens Up On Tiger Stadium As LSU Drama Lingers
Lane Kiffins first year on LSUs sideline brought him his first chance to work a game from the home side at Tiger Stadium, and the setting lived up to the reputation on a night that ended with a win over Clemson. For a coach who has spent plenty of time around big venues, the atmosphere in Baton Rouge is still its own kind of backdrop, and this one offered the full LSU experience right away.
The football part is only one layer of the story, though, because LSU is still dealing with an SEC lawsuit tied to recruiting former NFL players, a case that has been delayed by a judge. Kiffin did not add the two players at the center of the dispute to his roster, and the conference also left a recent meeting without announcing any punishments or reprimands, leaving the situation hanging as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Just Added Fuel To LSU Fans Clemson Debate
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He also made clear that Clemsons roster looks different now than it did in its peak years, which only adds another layer to the long-running comparison between the programs. Kelly went on to address the recent tension between Dabo Swinney and a reporter, saying he was disappointed by how both sides handled the exchange, a comment that is likely to stir more debate among LSU fans who are still eager to measure what that win meant. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fight With The SEC Just Became A Bigger Fairness Debate
LSUs dispute with the SEC has turned into more than a rules fight, becoming a broader test of how the league wants to police fairness across college sports. The conference sued the school over its intention to roster NFL training camp invitees who still had extra college eligibility, a move that briefly put expulsion on the table before LSU ultimately backed away from using those players.
Even with that threat eased, the issue is hardly settled because the SEC has since signaled it could still pursue other discipline. The debate has also spilled beyond the courtroom and into the media, where Paul Finebaum and Stephen A. Smith have weighed in on whether the conferences response was justified or whether LSU was being singled out for pushing the boundaries in a way others might eventually try too. [Read more 🡒]