Lane Kiffin’s first game in charge of LSU arrives with plenty of noise around it, and not just the kind that comes from a packed stadium. Saturday night’s matchup with Clemson in Baton Rouge has been tagged the “Game of the Week,” College GameDay is headed to town, more than 900 credentials have already been accepted, and over 102,000 fans are expected to fill Death Valley.
Kiffin knows exactly what’s sitting in front of him. Speaking during Wednesday’s SEC Teleconference, he said, "We're excited.
This has been eight months we've been here at least - and all leading up to this first performance, and our fans are really excited. The state - our university - has put a lot into us and entrusted with a big time job to turn around LSU football to get it back to where they want it to be," Kiffin said during Wednesday's SEC Teleconference.
"Don't take that lightly, and have great appreciation for that opportunity. So that's why we've worked the way that we have. That's why we've competed in every area to give our fans the best performance, starting with the first performance on Saturday."
With kickoff approaching, the spotlight naturally shifts to the players who can tilt this opener. The source material points to three LSU names fans should have circled, along with three Clemson players who carry the biggest importance for the Tigers on the other side.
Those are the matchups to watch as the clock winds down in Baton Rouge: three LSU players to track closely, and three Clemson players LSU has to account for if it wants Kiffin’s debut to start the way everybody in purple and gold hopes.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Just Sent LSU A Clemson Warning Fans Will Feel
Nick Sabans memories of LSU still carry a lesson he says every team eventually has to learn: the environment can help, but it cannot do the work for you. Looking back on his early years in Baton Rouge, Saban said his teams sometimes leaned too heavily on the energy inside Tiger Stadium instead of letting their own play set the tone, a reminder that arrived fast after an early-season loss in his first year.
He even put up a sign in the locker room to make the point clear, tying success to what happened on the field rather than what came from the stands. With LSU set for a matchup against Clemson, Saban made it clear he hopes the current Tigers dont fall into the same trap, especially in a game where the atmosphere will matter but execution will matter more. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Eligibility Fight Just Took A Turn Fans Cant Ignore
A Baton Rouge judges ruling this week gave former collegiate athletes a path to pursue a fifth season of college sports, and LSU is already moving to adjust to the legal reality. The preliminary injunction came in a lawsuit involving the NCAA and Southeastern Conference, and LSU President Wade Rousse acknowledged the decision, saying the university will follow the law while continuing to support its programs.
Lane Kiffin, Verge Ausberry and LSU now find themselves in the middle of a separate SEC lawsuit tied to the broader fight over the injunction, adding another layer to an already messy dispute. For LSU, the issue is no longer just about how one ruling affects eligibility, but how far the conference is willing to go in challenging the school and its people as the legal battle keeps unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Will Be Watching This Baton Rouge QB Family Showdown
The Louisiana high school season opens with a matchup LSU fans will want to keep an eye on, even if the Tigers are not on the field. Archbishop Rummel visiting University High School brings together two new quarterbacks making their first starts after offseason transfers, and both carry names that already mean something around Baton Rouge football circles.
Knox Kiffin, the three-star quarterback and son of LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, will be on one sideline, while Colton Nussmeier, a four-star Georgia commit and younger brother of NFL quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, will be on the other. For LSU followers, it is a familiar kind of early-season intrigue, with two local family storylines intersecting before the high school calendar even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]