Clemson Football Faces LSU as Double-Digit Underdogs in 2026 Opener

Dabo Swinney's Clemson to Take on Lane Kiffin's Revamped LSU Squad in Season Kickoff

Jan. 31, 2026 at 10:39am

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Clemson football will open the 2026 season as double-digit underdogs against LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. This will be the first meeting between Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and new LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who took over the program after leaving Ole Miss. Both teams are coming off 7-6 seasons and will be looking to bounce back with key roster additions, including Clemson's transfer of defensive tackle Stephiylan Green to LSU.

Why it matters

This high-profile season opener between two prominent college football programs will set the tone for both teams' 2026 campaigns. The matchup also marks Clemson's first time playing in Baton Rouge and first SEC opponent to open a season since 2016, adding intrigue to the inter-conference clash.

The details

Clemson opened as a 10.5-point underdog to LSU, with an over/under of 51.5 points for the game. LSU defeated Clemson 17-10 in the teams' previous meeting to start the 2025 season at Memorial Stadium. Kiffin has revamped LSU's roster with the top transfer portal class, including the addition of Clemson's Stephiylan Green, while Swinney has made staff changes and brought in Clemson's most transfer players in a single season.

  • Clemson will face LSU on September 5, 2026 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • This will be the second game of a home-and-home series between the two teams, after LSU beat Clemson 17-10 to open the 2025 season.

The players

Dabo Swinney

The head coach of the Clemson Tigers football team, who is looking to bounce back from a 7-6 season in 2025.

Lane Kiffin

The new head coach of the LSU Tigers, who took over the program after leaving Ole Miss despite the Rebels being ranked No. 6 in the 2025 College Football Playoff rankings.

Stephiylan Green

A Clemson defensive tackle who has transferred to LSU as part of Kiffin's revamped roster for the 2026 season.

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What’s next

The game time and television information for the Clemson-LSU matchup will be announced at a later date.

The takeaway

This season-opening clash between Clemson and LSU features a new coaching matchup between Dabo Swinney and Lane Kiffin, as well as key roster changes for both teams as they look to bounce back from 7-6 seasons in 2025. The double-digit spread favoring LSU at home highlights the challenge Clemson faces in this high-profile inter-conference showdown to start the 2026 campaign.