Week 1 Overreaction: Does LSU Look Like the Team to Beat in College Football?

The LSU Tigers made a statement in their season opener.

LSU receiver Winston Watkins scores a touchdown against Clemson. | Ethan Currie - LSU Tigers On SI

Excitement was high in Baton Rouge for the LSU Tigers' season opener against Clemson. It marked Lane Kiffin's first game as head coach of the program, and his team delivered, dismantling Clemson 51-10 on Saturday night.

Off-field distractions stole the headlines throughout the week, but it's clear no narrative was going to phase LSU. They were focused from start to finish, and LSU walked away with the most impressive win on the Week 1 slate.

How Good is LSU Actually Going to Be?

LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The conversations are quickly shifting. Some wondered if this team was good enough to compete at the top of the SEC. Now, LSU's ceiling could be higher than anyone anticipated. If Saturday was an indication of what's to come, the SEC should be on high notice after LSU dominated Clemson.

Regardless, Saturday's win was impressive. It may seem like an overreaction to declare the Tigers the team to beat in college football, but is it really? Time and time again, Kiffin has silenced the doubters. LSU's talent was on full display.

Sam Leavitt looked healthy and bounced back after an interception on the second play of the game. He finished with 230 passing yards, 113 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns. LSU's offense ran the ball with conviction, and the defense made life miserable for Clemson's offense.

LSU wasn't a one-trick pony on Saturday. They found multiple ways to exploit Clemson, and while every result may not look like this, LSU flexed its muscles on a national stage. But Kiffin certainly doesn't feel they've earned all the praise yet.

"We turned the ball over early to give them the three points. There are going to come games that those guys got to go into games... and they got to stop them to make a critical stop to win the game. So you can’t think differently," Kiffin said. "I spend a lot more time with them on that because now they’re going to walk out of there, everybody’s going to tell me how great they are, and you guys are going to move them way up in some rankings and all that off of one game."

Maybe LSU hasn't earned everyone's respect yet, but if they keep at this pace, the rest of the college football world will understand how dangerous LSU is going to be in 2026. Kiffin may not feel they've earned it either, but it's impossible to ignore the talent level on this team.

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