The stage was set. After months of talk and build up, it was time to play football. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans. For 9 months, LSU fans had waited patiently as folks around the country criticize their coach, national media discussed integrity with the “professional player” saga, and so on. They were faced with one more test. A nearly 2 hour lightening delay dumped water across the entire stadium. As most fans ran for cover, the student section remained. Belting out Purple Rain from the top of their lungs as the heavens opened up, they weren’t letting anything slow them down. Eventually, the skies cleared and the 90-minute warmup countdown began. As the crowd filled the stadium, there was a pop of cheers for every position group that jogged on to the field to stretch and warm up. It didn’t matter who it was, Tiger fans were anxious to see their team back on the field. The band took the field to play pregame, the National Anthem was sung, Lane Kiffin led his team through the tunnel for the first time, and FINALLY, it was time for football. LSU’s offense was first to take the field to open the Lane Kiffin era. After a quick 8-yard pass from Sam Leavitt to Eugene Wilson III, Malik Elzy had a pass bounce off of his hands right in to the waiting arms of Ashton Hampton and two plays in to the game, Clemson had a takeaway. Blake Baker’s defense faced an immediate test back at their own 33-yard line. They picked up right where they left off in 2025 with a 3-and-out, forcing a 49 yard field goal attempt. Nolan Hauser drilled it and Clemson struck first to take a 3-0 lead. The only returning wide receiver from last year’s roster, Phillip Wright III, took the ensuing kickoff for a solid return, but a holding penalty brought the Tigers back to their own 10 yard line. Leavitt went straight to work, taking the ball 59 yards to the Clemson 31-yard line before facing a 3 rd down. A batted pass forced an incompletion and LSU would have to settle for a field goal attempt of their own. Scott Starzyk nailed his first attempt as a Tiger from 49 yards to tie the game at 3-3. After Christopher Vizzina hit Bryant Wesco Jr for a quick 22-yard pass to start their drive, the Tiger defense stiffened back up. Clemson had a short 3 rd and 2, but Whit Weeks shot out of a cannon around the edge for a tackle for loss and force the first punt of the game. There was much speculation about who would get the first crack at punt returner and it turned out to be Wilson III, who secured a fair catch at the LSU 11-yard line. Dilin Jones started the next drive with 3 straight runs that picked up a couple of first downs and 22 total yards. Just a few plays later, he capped off a 12-play, 89 yard drive with a 1-yard plunge in to the endzone for the first LSU touchdown of the season and a 10-3 lead. Clemson was facing a 3 rd and 6 to start their ensuing drive and that’s when all hell broke loose. Defensive end transfer, Jordan Ross, dropped back in to coverage and baited Vizzina in to an interception. He made a few moves and took it to the house to set it off in Death Valley. The crowd pop was so loud, it registered as a small earthquake on campus. In the blink of an eye, a 3-3 game turned in to a 17-3 LSU lead. Clemson followed with another 3 and out, giving LSU pretty good field position at their own 34 yard line. Facing a 4 th and 3 on Clemson’s 30, Kiffin surprised many by opting for the field goal attempt instead of going for it. Unfortunately, Starzyk pushed his 48-yard attempt wide right. After another 3 and out, LSU took over and went on an 8-play, 72-yard drive to get back in to the endzone on a drive in which Leavitt took over. He had completions of 20 and 18 yards, then runs of 18 and 8 yards with the latter being a scramble around the edge or a touchdown to make it 24-3. Clemson’s next two drives also resulted in 3 and outs, with an LSU punt sandwiched between them. With the ball right at midfield, Leavitt and the Tigers took over with just 2:46 left in the half. Winston Watkins made his second 20+ yard catch of the quarter, taking a 27 yard reception down in to the red zone. Once again, Leavitt finished off the drive with back-to-back runs, including a 13-yarder with a nifty stretch of the ball to cross the goal line and give his team a 31-3 lead. True freshman, Tait Reynolds, entered the game for Clemson, but nothing changed as Princewill Umanmielen’s first sack as a Tiger helped lead to the 6 th punt of the first half for Swinney’s team. Once the second half started, it did not take long for their 7 th punt. With Reynolds still in the game, he completed an 11-yard pass to start the drive. Clemson immediately went backwards, though, thanks to Ross’s first sack as a Tiger, setting up the punt. A holding call on the first play of LSU’s next drive put them in a 1 st and 20 hole, but as it was all night, Leavitt’s legs bailed them out. Facing a 3 rd and 5, Charlie Weis Jr dialed up a beautifully executed misdirection play that left Watkins wide open for a 32-yard touchdown reception to make it a 38-3 game. After another Clemson punt, LSU’s offensive starters came out for what would be their final drive. A 32-yard pass to Jackson Harris kicked off the drive, which lasted just 6 plays for 78 yards, capped off by Jones’s second touchdown run of the night from 12 yards out. Kiffin kept the offense on the field for a 2-point attempt, but Leavitt’s options were covered and he took a sack. Their debut was over with a 44-3 lead and 3:24 left in the 3 rd quarter. Although a mental mistake by Malik Blocton gave Clemson a free 15 yards to start their next drive with a late hit on Reynolds, they still could not find any success. Their 9 th punt of the night gave LSU the ball with 1:52 seconds left in the 3 rd quarter. Landen Clark took the field to lead the offense and made his first completion as a Tiger to Jayce Brown for 14 yards. He had them driving down the field but a fumbled snap on a direct snap to Stacy Gage on a 3 rd and 2 backed LSU up to the Clemson 39-yard line, forcing only the second Grant Chadwick punt of the night. Vizzina came back in at quarterback from Clemson, but it was more of the same. They had another 3 and out, forcing their 10 th and final punt of the game. Harlem Berry made his first appearance for LSU on his next drive, but it was another returning Tiger that made the big play. Clark threw a short pass to Phillip Wright III, who turned the corner and hit the jets down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown. It was remarkable that he was able to stay in bounds, a testament to his speed and athleticism. That was a glimpse of why he was the only wide receiver that Kiffin and the staff brought back from 2025’s roster. The score would be LSU’s final of the night, making it a 51-3 game.  Blake Baker finally called off the dogs, putting in his 3’s. That resulted in an 8 play, 71 yard drive that was capped off by a David Eziomume 11-yard touchdown for Clemson. Husan Longstreet entered the game for the Tigers for the final drive and despite the big lead, Kiffin actually let him throw the ball. He and Wright III connected on a nice 33-yard pitch and catch on the left sideline. Caden Durham also made his debut on that drive. The clock mercifully ran out and LSU had defeated Clemson 51-10.

Colonels and Vaqueros enter Saturday at 1-1 after experiencing both ends of the spectrum through the first two weeks of the season

Mississippi State sets new offensive record with 762 yard performance

Week one is in the books for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, as they opened the season with a 38-7 win over the Lamar Cardinals at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium in Lafayette on Saturday. Louisiana scored five touchdowns, all on the ground, as the Cajuns put together a strong rushing performance and took advantage of a struggling Lamar defense to produce methodical scoring drives throughout the game. The Renewed Running Game Looks Strong One of the biggest questions surrounding the Cajuns this offseason was who would lead the running back room following the departures of Zylan Perry and Bill Davis. There wasn't a clear answer coming into today, or even a guarantee that Louisiana could replace the talent of that duo. But Coach Michael Desormeaux and company remained confident in the depth of the room. Redshirt freshman Darrell Smith, redshirt sophomore Steven Blanco, redshirt freshman JJ Garner and junior Anthony Reagan Jr. were all listed on the depth chart as starters, and that depth showed today. The Cajuns finished with 243 rushing yards, with all four backs contributing. Darrell Smith was the standout, leading the group with 84 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Coach Des chose Smith to get the start, and he made a strong case that the job could be his to keep. Quarterback Lunch Winfield also played a big role in the running game, carrying eight times for 84 yards and a touchdown. Blanco, Garner and Reagan Jr. combined for another 75 yards, with Blanco and Reagan Jr. each finding the end zone. Overall, the Cajuns looked much better on the ground than many might have expected, including myself. Credit also goes to the offensive line, a group that mostly remained firmly intact from last season, who helped consistently open up gaps for the backs to run through all night. The Passing Game Still Has Questions The passing game was supposed to be one of the biggest storylines coming into this game. Louisiana entered the season without a returning wide receiver who had eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a game last season outside of Shelton Sampson Jr., so the big question was who would step up alongside him. We got somewhat of an answer, but there are still plenty of questions. Sampson Jr. wasn't able to finish the game after leaving early in the first quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Given the injuries he's dealt with over the past year, his health is something to monitor closely. Last season showed how much of a difference it makes when Sampson Jr. is healthy and on the field. The Cajuns' leading receiver wasn't even a wide receiver. Redshirt sophomore tight end Caden Jensen caught five passes for 77 yards and came up with several important plays that helped Louisiana move the ball. Unfortunately, Coach Des told the media that Jensen also wasn't able to finish the game because of an undisclosed injury. So, you're down your best receiver and your best tight end. Now what? One name we may hear a lot more this season is redshirt junior wide receiver KeDarius Wade. He finished with three receptions for 64 yards and led all Louisiana wide receivers in receiving yards. It is not an eye-opening number, but Wade was open when the Cajuns needed him to be. Redshirt freshman Trenton Chaney also added three catches for 34 yards, while redshirt sophomore tight end Teddy Gawlik, who replaced Jensen following his injury, had 22 receiving yards. Outside of those names, there wasn't a whole lot of production through the air. We did not see an offensive touchdown being thrown by either team. What was concerning to me is that when it came to passing, UL either relied heavily on tight ends to move the ball vertically down the field, or used screen plays to wide receivers and running backs to gain "passing" yards. Other than a couple of great routes by KeDarius Wade, there wasn't many significant vertical threat opportunities posed to Lamar by wide receivers. Lunch Winfield and the Cajuns need playmakers on the perimeter to step up. We knew coming into this game that the wide receiver room was thin and needed to prove itself, and a matchup against a "lesser" opponent seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that. Instead, we're heading into week two with many of the same questions. Defense Does Its Job Defensively, UL looked strong for most of the game. Sophomore cornerback Brent Gordon Jr. had himself a night, finishing with seven tackles, including one for loss, and an interception at the goal line. Lamar was knocking on the door of what could have been its only offensive touchdown, but Gordon Jr. came up with the play UL needed. Up front, the Cajuns shut down Lamar's rushing attack, allowing just 56 yards on the ground at under two yards per carry. Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown was also intercepted three times. There were a couple of drives where Lamar moved the ball well, particularly through the air, but Louisiana did a good job of getting stops when it mattered. The Cardinals reached the red zone only once and were eventually forced to attempt a 35-yard field goal, which hit the left upright and missed. Cornerback Avery Demery also recorded a sack on that drive to help slow Lamar's momentum. Lamar's only touchdown came on a pick-six thrown by redshirt sophomore quarterback Daniel Beale, who replaced Winfield in the fourth quarter because of the lopsided score. Beale tried to hit JJ Garner on a screen, a play Coach Des said was poorly drawn up on his end. Beale did get some revenge, though, leading a nine-minute, methodical drive in the fourth quarter down to the Lamar 14-yard line before the Cajuns settled for a field goal. Lunch Winfield also threw two interceptions in this game. The first came in the second quarter after a receiver made a route mistake. The second came in the third quarter when Winfield threw a jump ball toward Jensen that was underthrown and intercepted by Lamar's Jarrett Mitchel. Final Takeaways Louisiana did what it needed to do in week one: control the ball, avoid falling behind and slow down Lamar's offense. There were mistakes, especially early with the rain making things sloppy, but the Cajuns had firm control of this game thanks to their rushing attack and defensive play. The biggest question now is the passing game. Who is going to step up at wide receiver? Can the Cajuns keep producing through the air if Sampson Jr. is unavailable? And now, with Jensen also dealing with an injury, who steps up at tight end? Those are questions Louisiana will need answered quickly. It's a good start to the season, and a much needed one considering what's coming next. The Cajuns now turn their heads to week two as they prepare to travel to Los Angeles and take on the 14th nationally ranked USC Trojans next week in a 10pm CT matchup on the Big Ten Network. That's a completely different challenge which we'll preview on Thursday.

Kansas State controls every phase as Nicholls struggles to find its footing in a lopsided road loss.

The new era begins on Saturdays.

The wait is nearly over. It's been 277 days since LSU hired Lane Kiffin as their head football coach. We've gone through the drama over his Ole Miss departure, a wild transfer portal period, spring practice with questions about Sam Leavitt, and now the ongoing lawsuits to make class of 2022 players eligible once again. A book could be written about Kiffin's time at LSU and there hasn't even been a football game, yet. We’re less than 48 hours away from kickoff between LSU and Clemson. Both teams are looking to bounce back from incredibly disappointing seasons in 2025. For LSU, they fired Brian Kelly and hired the aforementioned, Lane Kiffin. His entire offensive staff including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr followed him to Baton Rouge and will look to bring their success at Ole Miss with them. The Rebels offense was ranked 1st in the SEC in total offense with 489.7 yards per game and 3rd in scoring with 36.9 points per game. Blake Baker is back for his third season as the Tigers defensive coordinator. He turned down opportunities to be a head coach at both Tulane and Memphis this offseason, citing his desire to bring a title to LSU. His defense was good in 2025, but should see even more improvement thanks to a few key additions. Baker’s unit ranked 6th in the SEC in total defense, allowing 328.7 yards per game. As for scoring defense, they finished 5th by only allowing 19.8 points per game. There’s a ton of turnover for the Clemson offense. The departure of veteran quarterback Cade Klubnik is the biggest of all. Chad Morris now takes over as offensive coordinator, which is his second stint in the position and third overall at the school. He was previously the OC between 2011-2014 and then returned, again, as an offensive analyst in 2023. He is calling plays for the first time since being the OC at Auburn, following two years as head coach of Arkansas. As for Clemson’s offense in 2025, they finished 9th in the ACC in total offense with 392.2 yards per game and 11th in scoring with 27.2 points per game. Tom Allen is entering his 2nd season as the defensive coordinator for the Tigers. He was head coach of Indiana for 7 years between 2017-2023, then spent a year at Penn St as DC in 2024, before making it to Clemson a year ago. His unit was a solid one, but they lost a ton of talent across their defense. In 2025, they ranked 8th in the ACC with 356.7 yards per game allowed and 3rd in scoring with 20.5 points per game. LSU Offense vs Clemson Defense Passing Game LSU’s prized addition was quarterback Sam Leavitt. After starting for two years at Arizona St and leading the Sun Devils to the inaugural 12-team playoff in 2024 as a redshirt freshman, he battle a Lisfranc injury that hobbled him for most of 2025. He’s reportedly back to 100% after surgery and a full offseason of rehab and set to pioneer the Kiffin/Weis Jr offense. In his two seasons at Arizona St, he threw for 4,513 yards with 34 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also ran for 749 yards and another 10 touchdowns. He’s dynamic and the key to LSU’s success relies on his ability to stay healthy. As for who he’ll be throwing to, that’s a big mystery. His options are clear, but who emerges from the Tigers crop of wide receivers is the question. LSU added 10 receivers in the transfer portal. Guys like Jayce Brown (Kansas St), Jackson Harris (Hawaii), Tre Brown (Old Dominion), Eugene Wilson (Florida), and Winston Watkins (Ole Miss) seem like the most likely candidates to lead the way for the receiving core. The only non-question in terms of pass catchers is tight-end Trey’Dez Green. The 6’7 freak of nature is back for his junior year and highly expected to dominate and become a top NFL draft pick in April of 2027. Despite a putrid offense in 2025, Green was able to haul in 33 receptions for 433 yards and 7 touchdowns. He will, without a doubt, be the go-to target. Now wearing the infamous #7, Green is expected to have a big year. Clemson had been blessed for years with two separate stints of Terrells at cornerback. Younger brother, Avion Terrell, spent the past three seasons with the Tigers, becoming a 2nd round pick by the Falcons in this past NFL Draft. His departure has left Clemson with a hole at CB1. Ashton Hampton seems like the most likely candidate to fill that spot, entering his 3rd season in the program. He’s coming off of a solid sophomore season in which he had 10 pass breakups and an interception. Elliot Washington is most likely to line up opposite of Hampton. He transferred after 3 seasons with Penn St. While he has a ton of experience by playing in 36 games, he’s only made a single start. There’s a trio of safeties that are likely to see the field. Corey Myrick transferred over from Southern Miss after a phenomenal sophomore season in which he recorded 92 tackles, 4 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions. Senior Ronan Hanafin started 5 games last season and totaled 64 tackles with 5 pass breakups and an interceptions. They’ll be joined by Jerome Carter III, who transferred in after two seasons at Old Dominion. In 2025, he started 12 games and recorded 75 tackles with 2 pass breakups and 6 interceptions. LSU’s ability to protect Leavitt will be paramount. The other prize from the portal was left tackle Jordan Seaton. He is likely to line up across from Will Heldt, Clemson’s senior defensive end and sacks leader from a year ago. After two years at Purdue, Heldt transferred over and racked up 7.5 sacks in 2025. Running Game Running back may LSU’s deepest position, especially at the top. Dilin Jones has transferred in from Wisconsin and seemingly taken full control of the top spot. He was the starter for the Badgers, but went down with turf toe after just 7 games. Harlem Berry and Caden Durham return for the Tigers and look to find much more success in the new scheme after the struggles under Joe Sloan. Frank Wilson’s rotation left a lot to be desired, making it hard for either back to get much of a rhythm and amassing just 996 yards and 5 touchdowns combined. Clemson’s leader is linebacker Sammy Brown. He delivers constant production, racking up 106 tackles with 13 for loss and 5 sacks a year ago. He’ll be in the #47 and active all over the field. He’ll be joined by Jeremiah Alexander, who is entering his 2nd season with the Tigers after three years at Alabama. The interior of the defensive line has been rebuilt following a few key departures after last season. Amare Adams played sparingly as a true freshman, but looks to step in to a prominent role this year. He’ll likely be joined by Andy Burburija, the transfer from community college where he racked up 78 tackles with 27.5 for loss and 14 sacks. His ability to elevate his game to a FBS level will be key. LSU’s offensive line was abysmal a year ago, but all indications point to severe improvement under 1st year offensive line coach Eric Wolford. Seaton and Aliou Bah are the two newcomers, but despite the struggles under Brad Davis, three of the starters will be returners. Center Braelin Moore was good in 2025, but played hurt after injuring his ankle on the first series in week 2. Bo Borderlon has emerged after 4 years in the LSU program and will start at left guard. Weston Davis struggled mightily as a full time starter, but his raw ability and size point to a special player somewhere in there. Wofford hopes to unlock that ability and round out his starting line at right tackles. LSU Defense vs Clemson Offense Passing Game As good as Baker’s defense was in 2025, they were missing one key component. An every down pass rusher. They brought Princewill Umanmielen over from Ole Miss with his 9.0 sacks, immediately upgrading the defense as a whole. Dylan Carpenter and Jordan Ross are likely to rotate at the other defensive end position. PJ Woodland started all 13 games a season ago and truly blossomed in to a good cornerback with 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Former 5-star stud DJ Pickett steps in to the other starting cornerback position, giving the Tigers a great 1-2 punch. Safety is where LSU is deep in the secondary. They added Ty Benefield from Boise St, who has the ability to do everything. He’s already been compared to Tyrann Mathieu by the Honey Badger himself. In two seasons as a starter with the Broncos, Benefield totaled 235 tackles with 18 for loss, 17 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. He’ll be joined by a rotation of Tamarcus Cooley and Jhase Thomas at the other safety position. Cooley played over 700 snaps a year ago, but the emergence of Thomas during training camp was one of the biggest storylines. Dashawn Spears will play the star position, which is typically an extra defender in the box that can be flexible with his assignment. He’ll be the first safety to fill the role following two years of Harold Perkins for Baker, which may help with coverage ability. As mentioned earlier, Clemson is replacing their multi-year starter at quarterback. Christopher Vizzina won the job over talented freshman Tait Reynolds, but expect to see a mix of both every now and then. Vizzina has been around the program for 3 years, but has played sparingly behind Klubnik. He’s made one start and it came at home against SMU in 2025, in which he played extremely well. He went 29-42 for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns with no turnovers. Saturday night will be his first road start, though. Thankfully for him, he has plenty of experience at the receiver position to lean on. Both TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr return as starters from a year ago. Moore finished with 52 receptions for 837 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Wesco recorded 31 receptions for 537 yards and 6 touchdowns in just 7 games played. Tristan Smith Jr is a 5th-year senior that will provide even more experience as a 3rd or 4th receiver. Keep an eye out for Naeem Burroughs, a 4-star freshman who was highly ranked out of high school. Chad Morris does like to use his tight ends, so look for them to get Christian Bentancur involved, as well. He had 20 receptions for 215 yards and 3 touchdowns a year ago. This particular matchup could decide the entire game. Vizzina is stepping in to what would be a dangerous environment for just about any quarterback, much less one that’s making his first road start and just his second overall. The battle between a very good LSU secondary and some productive, experience Clemson wide receivers will be an important one. Morris will likely utilize a lot of quick routes to get the ball out of his vulnerable quarterback’s hands as quickly as possible. Running Game You’d be hard pressed to find a better linebacker duo than what LSU will be putting out on to the field this year. Whit Weeks has been a constant in his 3 seasons as a Tiger and they basically cloned him. TJ Dottery transferred over from Ole Miss and can do everything Weeks can do. He led the SEC in tackles in 2025 with 98. He had 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Weeks was banged up for much of the year and even when he was on the field during the second half of the season, he was severely hindered by his ankle injury. There’s no question what he can do when healthy, though, totaling 205 tackles with 16.5 for loss and 5 sacks over his career. Both have experience as the quarterback of the defense and have experience wearing the green dot communication helmet. Along with Trey’Dez Green, Weeks was awarded #7, making it the first time the number has been worn by two players at a time. Up front helping clog the middle will be a combination of 5-star freshman and former 5-star Dom McKinley, now a junior. Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson are both freaks up front, as proven by how quickly they have found their way to the field. Clemson struggled to run the ball in 2025 as the 11th best team in the ACC and now they go forward without their top running back. With Adam Randall gone, Gideon Davidson takes over as the starter. He had just 260 yards on 60 carries a year ago as a freshman, but has yet to find the end zone. Next behind him is Chris Johnson Jr, a transfer from SMU. He had 479 yards and averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per carry last year, cashing in 4 touchdowns. The best way to help a young quarterback is with a rushing attack, but that is as big of a question as Vizzina. Chad Morris’s gameplan and how he decides to attack this excellent Blake Baker defense will be a sight to behold. Clemson has 4 new starters on the offensive line, which adds to the unknown. Senior Harris Sewell is the only returner and has moved from guard to center. Prediction There is so much newness on both sides of this matchup to kickoff the 2026 season. New quarterbacks, new coordinators, new skill position players, new guys in the trenches, and for LSU, the new head coach. That’s not super surprising when two teams that have each won a national championship in the past 10 years ends up going 7-5. It’s likely that Clemson is being undervalued to some extent. All of the hype is around LSU and that’s understandable given the circumstances. It’s not empty hype, though. Lane Kiffin is a hell of a coach. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that. Between his ability to turn an SEC program around and the resources that have delivered him anything and everything he needs since taking the job, it’s hard to pick against LSU until we’re given reason to be wary. On top of the X’s and O’s, the environment in Death Valley on Saturday is going to be special. It’s already been reported that over 900 media/celebrity credentials were given out, making it the most credentialed game in the history of Tiger Stadium. The excitement is palpable. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which LSU doesn’t kick off the Kiffin era with a bang. All signs point towards a fun future for the Tigers and that will start on Saturday night as they cruise to victory. LSU – 31 Clemson - 13