Dabo Swinney, Clemson Get Blown Out by LSU Tigers in Week 1

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The Clemson Tigers struggled mightily in their opening matchup of the 2026 season against the LSU Tigers, losing 51-10.

LSU was favored heading into the matchup as they were the 11th-ranked team in the country, but Clemson was expected to keep it much closer than they did.

Head coach Dabo Swinney's group had a disappointing 2025 season, finishing 7-6 despite expectations of competing for a National Championship. Through one game, they haven't gotten better in 2026 and have a long way to go to become contenders for the College Football Playoff once again.

Swinney made a ton of changes to the Tigers this offseason, hiring Chad Morris as the offensive coordinator and Rich Bisaccia as the special teams coordinator. They also brought in more talent via the transfer portal, but it did not translate into on-field results for Clemson.

The quarterback position is one of the many issues the Tigers need to address moving forward. Christopher Vizzina started the game before true freshman Tait Reynolds took over at the end of the first half.

However, Vizzina did take over again late in the fourth quarter, leading Clemson on their only touchdown-scoring drive with David Eziomume punching it in the end zone on an 11-yard run.

Vizzina finished the game by completing 10 of 16 passes for 83 yards and an interception, while Reynolds completed four of six passes for 22 yards.

The starting quarterback position will remain a question mark for the Tigers, as Vizzina and Reynold both struggled in their matchup.

On defense, Clemson struggled, allowing 51 points and failing to stop the run. Dilin Jones led the way for LSU, rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Sam Leavitt was also effective, adding 113 yards and two touchdowns on 12 attempts.

The one bright spot on defense was star cornerback Ashton Hampton, who came away with an interception.

For Swinney and his team to bounce back, they will need a complete turnaround on both sides of the ball. The Tigers should have an easier matchup next Saturday against Georgia Southern, which will help them bounce back.

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