If there was a metaphor for the official changeover from one era of college football to the other, No. 11 LSU's 51-10 drubbing of Clemson on Saturday was the clearest example. The win for Death Valley superiority was also a test for both head coaches' legacies.
LSU's Lane Kiffin entered Week 1 with a cloud hanging over his head with the will-he-or-won't-he over rostering former NFL training camp attendees. What his team did on the field sans-professionals after the real storm clouds departed made a lot of the haters quiet. It was the ultimate verification of winning, which is all that matters in the grand scheme of things.
Clemson's Dabo Swinney, on the other hand, suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats of his career. Those who have been calling for the Tigers to move on from who they view as an antiquated head coach must've felt vindicated. It's a blight on Clemson's schedule that could anchor the team down unless it turns things around quickly and LSU goes on to be a national championship contender.
LSU may actually be the title dark horse it claims to be
We all knew Lane Kiffin could recruit like no other, but the skepticism surrounding him was centered around whether the group would be able to execute. Was he truly the magician at Ole Miss or was it his group of stars on the field? The result in Week 1 suggests the former.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt, after having an injury-filled, forgettable season last year, put up 230 passing yards and an additional 113 rushing yards to supplement his three total touchdowns on Saturday. Eight different players caught a pass and seven of them put up at least double-digit receiving yards.
Sam Leavitt top plays from LSU debut pic.twitter.com/TbCsPnGuud
— hawkinn (@h4wkinnn) September 6, 2026
That's an offense that is humming on all cylinders and should have the rest of the SEC shivering. This is the most open the conference has been in quite some time and the Tigers have a huge opportunity to pounce. If Kiffin continues to win at this level, especially against comparable talent like Clemson, then critics are going to quickly forget he was ever mixed up in a preseason ethical dilemma.
Week 2 offers a much softer test for LSU with Louisiana Tech visiting. All eyes will look forward to Kiffin's potential revenge match against No. 9 Ole Miss, his old home. A victory in Week 3 and a 3-0 start should command the respect he and the program have been demanding since the day he arrived.
LSU fans are itching for a return to the dominance of the Joe Burrow-led national title team and this squad looks like it could be promising. To be fair, Clemson could also just be really bad. For now, the Tigers (the ones from Louisiana) get the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
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