Clemson Fans Given New Reason for Excitement Before Facing LSU

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Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are set to open up their 2026 college football season on Saturday with a big showdown against Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers.

Last season, the two teams faced off in Week 1 as well. Unfortunately for Clemson, the Tigers ended up dropping that game, which led to an ultimately disappointing 2025 season. Swinney and company are hoping to avoid that same start.

Heading into the game, Clemson is being viewed as an underdog by many. Kiffin and LSU are the pick for most fans and analysts.

That being said, former Alabama quarterback and current analyst Greg McElroy doesn't think Swinney and company should be counted out. He believes that LSU is heading into a very dangerous game to kick off the year.

During a September 1 appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show," McElroy made his thoughts on the game crystal clear.

"There's no pressure on Clemson going into this game on Saturday," McElroy said. "They still have dudes and I wouldn't be surprised if this is a game in the 3rd quarter. I think this is a very dangerous game for LSU."

At the end of the day, the Tigers have enough talent to win at a high level. However, there are a lot of unproven players who will need to step up. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina stands at the front of the unproven players line.

With Swinney leading the way, Clemson will always be a team to watch. He is still one of the best head coaches in college football. After a devastating 2025 campaign, the Tigers are hungry to get that bad taste out of their mouth.

Going on the road into Baton Rouge and knocking off LSU would be a great way to start that process.

ESPN has weighed in with its prediction for the game on Saturday. They are giving LSU a massive 75.3 percent chance of beating the Tigers. Clemson, on the other hand, is sitting at a 24.7 percent chance of winning the season opener.

Over the years, Clemson has been viewed as a top-tier national championship contender most years. The underdog role is fairly new, but it's something the Tigers could thrive in.

Just like McElroy stated, Clemson has nothing to lose. LSU has all of the pressure on its shoulders.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday night. It will be interesting to see if the Tigers are able to pull off a massive upset on the road.

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