Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse That's a 'Shell of Its Former Self'

Week 0 of the 2026 college football season is in the books, as the rest of the country kicks off their seasons this year. One of the biggest games of the weekend will be on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC when the Clemson Tigers travel to face the LSU Tigers.

LSU Vs. Clemson Brings Major Storylines

This game features a ton of storylines. It marks the debut of Lane Kiffin as the coach at LSU. He took that job after six seasons as the coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. He went 55-19 in his six seasons there, with his best season being last year, when he led the Rebels to an 11-1 record and their first College Football Playoff berth. He left to become the coach at LSU because he wanted a new challenge and felt the Tigers gave him a better chance to compete for national championships every season.

The other storyline centers around whether Dabo Swinney can prove last season was a fluke for Clemson and that the Tigers are still a legit contender. Clemson went 7-6 last year, despite starting the year ranked No. 4 and having national championship expectations. That record was the worst since 2010, Swinney's second full season at the helm. So, that has created questions about whether Swinney's program is still capable of competing at the highest level.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney encourages his players stretching during practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Predicts LSU Will 'Roll Over' Clemson

ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed his pick for that game on Saturday, while also revealing he isn't buying a Clemson resurgence just yet on "The Paul Finebaum Show."

"Whether (Dae'Quan) Wright plays or not, LSU is still going to run and roll over Clemson," Finebaum said. "Clemson is a shell of its former self, and this is not going to be its coming-out party."

Clemson Has a Chance to Answer Its Doubters

LSU has plenty to prove with a new head coach, but the Tigers aren't entering the matchup with nearly the same uncertainty surrounding the direction of the program. For Clemson, this is an opportunity to immediately push back against the idea that the program has slipped from its place among college football's elite.

A win in Baton Rouge wouldn't erase everything that happened last season, but it would send an early message that Clemson remains a team capable of competing with the SEC's best.

And for Kiffin, a win would provide the kind of opening-night statement that could immediately accelerate the excitement surrounding his new era at LSU.

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