Lane Kiffin’s LSU rebuild faces its first major test on Saturday, and the timing could not be more dramatic. Clemson may be dealing with questions of its own, but Dabo Swinney’s program remains dangerous. As two rebuilding tigers collide in Week 1, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has made his prediction for a matchup loaded with intrigue.
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“But I think conventional wisdom is like what you and the poll are saying: LSU at home at night, very tough to beat. I just think, I don’t know,” said Herbstreit on his YouTube channel.
While the ESPN analyst emphasized that LSU has a greater chance of winning the matchup, he also said in a recent YouTube video that Clemson will not be an easy opponent, especially after bringing back Chad Morris as their offensive coordinator.
For those of you who don’t know, from 2011 through the 2014 regular season, he served as the offensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers and helped reshape the program. During that stretch, Clemson went 41-11, a statistic well known to Herbstreit, who believes it would be a mistake to underestimate this team.
“So they changed offensive coordinator, got a new quarterback. You know, he had one start last year, and look, I mean, this guy’s an Elite 11 guy. It’s not like they’re just bringing in some guy. He hasn’t played a ton of football, but I think we’re all excited to see what he can do,” said Herbstreit.
Apart from changing their offensive coordinator, the Clemson Tigers have also turned to Christopher Vizzina as their starting quarterback this season. Last season, he made his first and only career start against SMU on October 18, completing 29 of 42 passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Although Clemson lost the game 35–24, his performance was an encouraging sign for the Tigers.
“I remember (Vizzina) from high school; I actually watched him work out,” Kiffin said. “Really talented, really throws well on the move.”
However, despite these additions, defeating LSU on their home turf will be quite difficult, especially after Lane Kiffin brought in quarterback Sam Leavitt, the No. 1-ranked player in the transfer portal this year. Across his college career, Leavitt has completed 61.4% of his passes for 4,652 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
On top of that, LSU has Blake Baker as its defensive coordinator, and his unit ranked 25th nationally in total defense in 2025. In an earlier statement, Kirk Herbstreit also had a very positive outlook on Kiffin, saying that the sky is the limit for the head coach.
“I think the sky’s the limit with Lane Kiffin. I know that he is a polarizing figure. I know a lot of people like to talk about stuff he says, but I’m telling you, I think he’s going to bring an energy,” Herbstreit said in his conversation on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“When you’re around LSU, when they’re rolling, it’s different than any other program in the country. When they recruit the state of Louisiana, there is such pride in that state when it comes to how good they are at football.”
Both Tigers will be looking to secure a win, but this victory means more to Lane Kiffin than it does to Dabo Swinney. That said, who will win the matchup? What do you think?