The ghosts of the Superdome are making a road trip to Death Valley.
Five years after LSU captured a national title by dethroning a seemingly invincible Clemson squad, the two Tiger titans are set to clash again. This time, the stage is Memorial Stadium, a place where championship dreams are born, for a prime-time season opener with immediate College Football Playoff implications.
This isn't just a marquee non-conference game; it's a measuring stick for two of the sport's most powerful programs. For No. 4 Clemson, it's a chance at long-awaited redemption on home turf. For No. 9 LSU, it's an opportunity to prove that the road to the title still runs through the Bayou.
When the two Tigers meet on Saturday night, it will be a matchup of historical juggernauts, two of the 14 winningest programs in FBS history. Expect a heavyweight fight from the opening kick.
Here is everything you need to know to get ready for one of the biggest games of the year.
How to Watch: No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 9 LSU
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ABC
- Announcers: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe & Molly McGrath (sidelines)
- Streaming: ESPN App
How to Listen
- Clemson Radio: Clemson Athletic Network (Don Munson, Tim Bourret, Reggie Merriweather)
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 84
CLEMSON/LSU SERIES HISTORY:
- OVERALL: Clemson trails series, 1-3
- HOME: N/A (First meeting in 2025)
- ROAD: N/A (First meeting in 2026)
- NEUTRAL: Clemson trails series, 1-3
- LAST MEETING: Jan. 13, 2020 (42-25, L)
- STREAK: LSU, Won 1
Top Storylines to Watch
1. The Ghost of New Orleans
You can't talk about this game without talking about January 13, 2020. That night, Joe Burrow's LSU team ended Clemson's 29-game winning streak in the National Championship game. While the rosters have turned over, the memory of that 42-25 loss lingers. This is Clemson's first shot at payback.
And if there's one coach in America who knows how to prepare for a revenge game, it's Dabo Swinney. Under his watch, Clemson has had 34 opportunities to avenge its most recent loss to an opponent. His record in those games? A remarkable 24-10. Swinney has been waiting five years for this opportunity, and you can bet his team will be playing with an edge.
2. A Veteran Clemson Squad Finally Comes of Age
For the last two years, Clemson has been defined by its youth, having played more snaps by freshmen than any other power conference team. Those days are over. This 2025 team is stacked with compounded experience, returning eight primary starters on both offense and defense for the first time in the Swinney era.
The numbers are staggering: 36 different players enter the season with at least one career start, combining for over 900 game appearances. As quarterback Cade Klubnik said, “We’re a veteran team and very experienced... but we’ve got to go do it.” Against an LSU program that perpetually reloads with five-star talent, will Clemson's battle-hardened cohesion be the ultimate difference-maker?
3. The Battle for Death Valley
LSU may be comfortable in its own Death Valley, but Clemson’s Memorial Stadium is a certified fortress, especially in big games. This will be just the seventh matchup of AP Top 10 teams in the stadium's history, and Clemson is 4-2 in those contests, having won its last three straight.
Swinney is an astounding 19-14 against AP Top 10 teams in his career, the second-most wins of any active coach. But he's even better at home, boasting a 5-2 record. Add in the fact that Clemson has won 21 consecutive home openers, and the task facing the Bayou Bengals looks monumental. LSU has the talent to win anywhere, but can they overcome the history, the hostility, and the roar of 80,000 fans in orange to score a season-defining road upset? We're about to find out.