Paul Finebaum Calls SEC Program a 'National Championship Team' After Dominant Week 1 Performance

The Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge couldn't have gotten off to a better start. The No. 11 LSU Tigers took on the Clemson Tigers in what many pegged as the game of the week.

LSU Dominates Clemson in the Season Opener

It was far from that. After an early interception by quarterback Sam Leavitt, which resulted in a field goal by Clemson to go up 3-0, it was all LSU. The Tigers would score 51 unanswered points and would win 51-10, giving Dabo Swinney his most embarrassing loss as Clemson's head coach.

Kiffin's offense was stellar, totaling 644 yards of total offense. Leavitt was great, completing 16-of-28 passes for 230 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also added 113 yards and two scores on the ground. LSU ran for 309 yards and four scores in the game.

The defense was just as good. Blake Baker's unit allowed just 145 yards of total offense. They forced one turnover and shut down Clemson's rushing attack, holding it to just 40 yards on 1.5 yards per carry.

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin reacts to a touchdown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Declares LSU a National Championship Contender After Clemson Rout

On "The Matt Barrie Show," ESPN's Paul Finebaum said that he believes Kififn has a legit national championship contender.

"Those naysayers who worried, 'Oh, LSU could lose to Clemson and then Ole Miss and then Texas A&M,' as you said, reboot," Finebaum said. "This is a potential national championship team. They left no doubt. Now, having said all that, they were not playing the best opposition."

LSU Will Face a Much Bigger Test as the Season Moves Forward

The final point is important. LSU could not have been much more impressive against Clemson, but one dominant win does not settle the championship conversation. The Tigers will have significantly more difficult tests ahead, including matchups against the Ole Miss Rebels, Texas A&M Aggies and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

What LSU accomplished Saturday was establishing the ceiling of Kiffin's team. The offense looked explosive, the defense was suffocating and Leavitt immediately appeared capable of leading the Tigers at a championship level. Now the challenge is proving that performance was the beginning of something sustainable rather than simply a spectacular opening night.

If LSU continues to perform at anything close to that level when the competition improves, Finebaum's championship prediction will look much less like early-season optimism and much more like a warning to the rest of the SEC.

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