The 2026 college football season officially got underway last weekend in Week 0, but the real action starts this week. On Thursday, we’ll see two ranked teams – the Missouri Tigers and Utah Utes – take the field, then on Friday, three more will play their first game of the season. But Saturday is the day to lock in on college football.

There are quite a few intriguing matchups on Saturday, but none as intriguing as LSU vs Clemson. These two teams faced off in a thriller on opening week last year, and while their seasons didn’t end up going as planned, it was still one of the best games of opening weekend.

Now, they’re set to face off again in Week 1, but this time the game will be played on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, which, if you know anything about college football, is the single greatest environment in the sport. And I’m qualified to say that as someone who worked in LSU’s athletic department and covered the team as a writer. I’ve been in the stands, on the field, and in the press box for games in Tiger Stadium, and there is truly nothing comparable to a Saturday night in Death Valley. I’m just sad I won’t be there this weekend.

The LSU Tigers are 10-point favorites entering this matchup, but it’s year one under Lane Kiffin, and this team is filled to the brim with transfers. Nobody really knows how this team is going to perform in their first game together, so I wouldn’t count Clemson out.

Since we’re about 48 hours out from this massive showdown, I thought it would be a good time to break down the game and give my prediction for who is going to win.

LSU Tigers

Let’s start with the LSU Tigers, who might be the most talked-about team this preseason for many reasons. One, they poached Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss before the Rebels even played their first College Football Playoff game. Two, they’re the main team trying to bring players who were in NFL training camps back to college football, and some SEC teams (cough cough Georgia) are trying to get them expelled from the conference (which is quite soft if you ask me).

Needless to say, the Tigers are taking all the headlines leading up to this game, but I don’t want to talk about that. Let’s talk about the team, because they should be pretty good.

Starting on offense, Sam Leavitt is Lane Kiffin’s QB1 this year. Leavitt has dealt with some injuries in the past, but when he’s on the field, there’s no denying he isn’t one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country. Over the course of his three-year career, Leavitt has thrown for 4,652 yards and 36 touchdowns with 11 interceptions while rushing for 816 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Out wide, Leavitt has some of the best weapons in college football. Jayce Brown, Jackson Harris, and Winston Watkins form a three-headed monster, but they also have great depth with guys like Tre Brown, Eugene Wilson, and Phillip Wright who should all play a factor. Add on one of the best red zone threats in the country in Trey’Dez Green at tight end (and possibly Dae’Quan Wright?), and this receiving core could be lethal.

The Tigers’ run game should be solid as well. They have a strong offensive line headed by Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton, and they have three running backs who could start at many SEC schools with Dilin Jones, Harlem Berry, and Caden Durham.

Defensively, the Tigers returned a lot of core pieces from the Brian Kelly era, including Whit Weeks, D.J. Pickett, Dashawn Spears, Tamarcus Cooley, and Dominick McKinley. But they also supplemented their defense in the transfer portal, nabbing some of the top players available, such as Princewill Umanmielen and Ty Benefield. And you can’t forget about the freshman talent. Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson should also see some solid playing time.

On paper, LSU’s roster is as good as anyone’s, but 90 percent of this roster has never sported an LSU jersey. That’s probably an exaggeration, but it’s a lot of new faces in a new scheme, so it could take some time to adjust. We’ll see just how gelled they are on Saturday night.

Clemson Tigers

You probably can’t find a more opposite team to LSU than Clemson. While LSU and Lane Kiffin constructed their roster through the transfer portal, Clemson and Dabo Swinney are largely relying on homegrown talent to be successful. Clemson did use the transfer portal more than normal this year, but they still only brought in 10 players.

On offense, the Tigers are expected to start Christopher Vizzina at quarterback. The former four-star prospect was the No. 103 player in the 2023 class and has patiently waited his turn. He’s only made a few appearances in his career, but has thrown for 596 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, with 109 rushing yards and one touchdown. He’s not the most experienced player, but he’s incredibly talented.

As far as playmakers go, the Tigers are very deep at receiver and running back. I’m not sure they have the top-end talent that some of the other top teams in the country have, but they have a bunch of guys that can beat you at every position. Bryant Wesco Jr., who has 1,245 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in two years with the Tigers, is expected to be their top wideout, while Gideon Davidson and Jay Haynes are expected to carry the load on the ground.

Clemson has to replace four starters on their offensive line this season, but they feel really good about the guys who are stepping up this season. But it will be their first time in a competitive game together, so there will be opportunities for LSU’s experienced defensive line to take advantage.

Defensively, Clemson has a lot of question marks. Peter Woods, T.J. Parker, DeMont Capehart, Avieon Terrell, Wade Woodaz, Khalil Barnes, and plenty of others are gone, meaning they will have to find replacements for these guys. They have a lot of players with high upside, such as Will Heldt, Sammy Brown, and Ashton Hampton, but they have big shoes to fill.

Prediction

I think Clemson has a chance to make this game interesting, but there are just too many things going LSU’s way in this game. They’re more talented, they have a proven quarterback, they have a more experienced roster, and they’re at home in the single toughest place to play in the country. For those reasons, I have to go with LSU.

Lane Kiffin has assembled a juggernaut in Baton Rouge, but now he has to get them to play together as one unit, and I think he’s a good enough coach to do that. LSU covers, but just barely.

Final Score: LSU 31, Clemson 20