LSU's Lane Kiffin gets snarky about wicked 'pro players' quip after Clemson beatdown

"Imagine if we had pro players." 😅

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Lane Kiffin is not holding back. pic.twitter.com/OzHEZqw1UW

— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2026

Kiffin was referring to his program’s practice this offseason of bringing in two former NFL players. LSU didn’t have them on the roster Saturday night, but still won handily over one of the ACC’s top programs.

LSU’s new head coach didn’t regret making that statement, when asked about it later on.

“What’s the difference?” Kiffin said, per The Athletic. “Everybody hates you. They can’t hate you that much more.”

Kiffin coached his first game with the Tigers Saturday, after spending the last several years at Ole Miss.

LSU dominated Clemson on Saturday night

The LSU Tigers were dazzling on both offense and defense Saturday. LSU allowed just 40 rushing yards against Clemson. It was the largest margin of defeat in Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s career.

“The best thing about that one,” Swinney said, per ESPN, “is that it’s over.”

Even Kiffin was surprised by his team’s success on Saturday. The LSU offense posted 644 total yards in the game.

“I didn’t expect their offense to be that dysfunctional,” Kiffin said. “Our [scout] team scored more than they did against us.”

The game was out of hand in the first half, after LSU built that large lead.

“By midway through the fourth quarter, the stands in Death Valley — “the real Death Valley,” as one LSU fan shouted at the Clemson players leaving the field afterward — had nearly emptied and LSU had outgained Clemson by nearly 500 yards,” ESPN reported.

LSU football is next in action against Louisiana Tech on Saturday.

Related: Ole Miss football’s Pete Golding told Lane Kiffin ‘you’re a f***ing idiot if you leave’ for LSU’

Related: How many consecutive passes Texas Tech football’s Will Hammond completed to begin first start in place of Brendan Sorsby