"We'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!" Lane Kiffin may be brand new to LSU, but he has been a college football coach for a while now. However, he may need to study a map to come to the realization that Baton Rouge's climate is not all that different from Clemson's. Shockingly, he believes LSU will have a huge advantage with regard to the hot weather come kickoff.
"The weather's on our side. We're used to training in this -- the opponent's gotta come in and play in this," Kiffin said. The local temperature in Baton Rouge is forecasted to be in the low 80s with high humidity and a decent chance of thunderstorms coming earlier in the afternoon. It may have a real feel of 89 degrees Fahrenheit, but Clemson is in the same climate zone as Baton Rouge coming in.
Yes, there are many advantages working in LSU's favor in this game, but the weather may not be one of them. In fact, whenever a team is playing in less-than-ideal conditions, it usually favors the worse of the two teams. Whether it be precipitation or the temperature, the weather can become the great equalizer in a football game. It is not like Clemson has not been practicing in conditions just like these.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin on the heat in Baton Rouge: "The weather's on our side. We're used to training in this -- the opponent's gotta come in and play in this." Kickoff temps for tonight's Clemson game should be around 80 degrees with a "real feel" of 89 degrees
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) September 5, 2026
Lane Kiffin fails to realize Clemson and Baton Rouge have similar weather
Look. There are subtle variations in the humid subtropical climate throughout the Southeastern United States. Some states will get more snow than others during the wintertime. Cities that are closer to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico may get slightly more forgiving weather because of the breezes coming off the water. Outside of that, it is hotter than you can believe in early September.
Clemson may sit on the shores of Lake Hartwell, but this isn't some coastal paradise akin to where Kiffin used to coach over in Boca Raton. Now, if LSU were hosting a team from the West Coast, the Northeast, or even the Midwest, there might be some differences in the type of weather they are used to experiencing this time of year. Right now, weather will not be what undermines Clemson here.
While much has been made about Clemson playing at Tiger Stadium, it may not be that daunting for Dabo Swinney's team. They have played in epic college football cathedrals before. It may be loud in there on Saturday night, but this isn't some insurmountable task for Clemson to overcome either. LSU might have better players, but the crowd noise and the hot weather will not be as much of a factor.
Right now, Clemson seems quite comfortable being in this underdog role. Nobody of note has picked the Tigers to beat the Bayou Bengals in Baton Rouge. All the pressure is on Kiffin and his team. This has been an incredibly noisy week for LSU. Kiffin may be an excellent head coach, but Swinney is the greatest one in Clemson history. These are the type of games and situations Clemson lives for, folks.
We can only hope that Swinney says it is not sweater weather during the postgame if Clemson wins.
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