LSU Tigers Demolish Clemson & Distractions Narrative

There was nothing ordinary about the offseason for the LSU Tigers. The same can be said of the Tigers’ season opener, as they dismantled Clemson 51-10, sending a massive statement on the debut of the Lane Kiffin era.

Yet, while the Tigers decisively took care of business on Saturday, you can’t help but think about the offseason, which could often be described as tumultuous, setting the stage.

Drama from the Beginning

Sep 5, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin shakes hands with a referee before a game against the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

From the moment he arrived at the airport in Oxford to the days leading up to kickoff Saturday, Kiffin has been a lightning rod for publicity. His ugly breakup with Ole Miss created an offseason-long build of anticipation for his Week 3 return to the Rebels. Meanwhile, not long after arriving in Baton Rouge, he poured gasoline on the fire with viral comments made in a Vanity Fair interview.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, Kiffin became the face of arguably the offseason’s biggest story: the fight by select members of the 2022 class, who had just completed their eligibility before the NCAA instituted the five-for-five rule, which has now seen several sue for eligibility, with many successfully.

Kiffin publicly embraced becoming the “villain” in college football, advocating both in front of and behind the scenes for the likes of Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to join his team after they failed to make an NFL roster.

Neither took the field Saturday, as they were left off the 105-man roster Friday night with further litigation still set to be fought out in court.

Although if the 51-10 win was any indication, the Tigers may not exactly be in desperate need for either to play right away.

Ruining the “Hate Watch”

Many college football fans tuned in live to see Kiffin’s debut in Baton Rouge, and likely a lot of them did so rooting against him. So much for a storybook ending, as the “villain” won.

Kiffin’s offense, which operated without its starting quarterback, Sam Leavitt, in the spring, struck quickly following an interception two plays into the opening drive. The Arizona State transfer scored twice with his legs in the first half, helping the Tigers take a 31-3 lead into halftime.

Despite a limited offseason due to his recovery from injury, Leavitt wasted little time showing the talent that made him such a high-priced addition for LSU. He threw for 230 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 113 yards and two more scores.

The trademark offense that Kiffin perfected in Oxford: 44 points in its debut, with the defense providing help in the form of a Jordan Ross pick-six.

High-octane, quick tempo, spread-out formations, and winning is what Kiffin promised. And that’s exactly what he delivered in Week 1, even if the offseason was less than ideal in terms of potential “distractions.”

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