The 1-0 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns are making a big trip to the West Coast this weekend to face the 14th nationally-ranked and 2-0 USC Trojans in Los Angeles. The game is set for an 8pm kickoff (10pm Louisiana time) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Louisiana comes into this game fresh off a convincing 38-7 win over Lamar. The Cajuns looked great defensively, forcing three interceptions and a fumble, while using a strong ground attack to score five touchdowns against the Cardinals. Needless to say, that performance came against an FCS opponent, albeit a good one who entered that game ranked 14th in the FCS rankings. Now, Louisiana turns its attention to a really talented USC program that has its sights set on a national championship run. USC has also had its fair share of success to start the year, defeating San Jose State 42-26 before shutting out Fresno State 39-0 last week. The biggest story for the Trojans so far has been quarterback Jayden Maiava, who through two games leads all FBS quarterbacks with 635 passing yards. He has thrown five touchdowns without an interception and has completed 89% of his passes, going 48-of-54 up to this point. This will no doubt be a tough test for the Cajuns. Playing a top-15 team that has been on fire offensively is not an easy task, especially for a UL team that will come into this game somewhat shorthanded. Top Receivers Out with Injuries Louisiana will be without starting wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr., who rolled up his ankle in last week’s season opener. Starting slot receiver Trenton Chaney, a redshirt freshman out of Lutcher High School, has also been ruled out against USC with a rolled-up ankle. Starting tight end Caden Jensen, who was Louisiana’s leading receiver last week, will also be out and is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks. Brock Chappell, a talented tight end who missed last week’s game, will return and step in for Jensen on Saturday night. Replacing Sampson Jr. at the X position will be Kristion Brooks, a true freshman out of Zachary. Redshirt freshman Russell Babineaux out of Lafayette will start at the slot position, with KeDarius Wade at the Z position. All three players saw reps last week, with Wade hauling in three catches for 64 yards. Nonetheless, this is still a very young receiving corps. It’s good that they were able to get a game under their belts last week and get some of those game-day jitters out of the way, but having USC as the next matchup certainly doesn’t make things any easier. UL’s success through the air against Lamar primarily came with the help of its tight ends, along with utilizing the short screen passing game. It’s hard to imagine we see much more than that against USC with such a young receiving corps. USC’s defense had a great outing last week against Fresno State, limiting the Bulldogs to just 77 yards through the air and 39 yards on the ground. Can UL Capitalize on the Ground? One of the big highlights that came out of last week's win by UL was a strong performance in the running game. All five touchdowns came on the ground via four different players as the Cajuns rushed for 243 yards. What appears to be a really good running back room with Darrell Smith, Anthony Reagan Jr., JJ Garner and Steven Blanco will likely have to be the workhorse for this Cajuns offense in the meantime until the passing game can get settled. It will be a challenge, however, as USC has limited its opponents to just 70 rushing yards per game so far this season. The Trojans’ defensive linemen aren’t necessarily any bigger than Louisiana’s, but they play physical and fast. They also have a strong linebacker corps led by Deven Bryant, who leads the team in tackles, along with Jadyn Walker and Desman Stephens II. It will be a tall task running against this Trojans defense, but with the options UL has at running back, they won't be shorthanded, that's for sure. Keys to the Game Be perfect. There’s really no other way to put it. Coach Michael Desormeaux has emphasized this in his press conferences over the last few days. If the Cajuns want to have a shot at making this a competitive game, or even creating what would be the biggest upset victory in UL history, they have to be perfect in all phases. That means another great performance in the running game similar to last week, along with seeing a decent amount of improvement through the air. As I said earlier, if last week was any indication, UL has the running back room to create some havoc. Darrell Smith was nicked up a bit earlier this week following the Lamar game, but he’s all set to go Saturday night. He, Reagan Jr. and the other backs in the room should be capable of putting together another good performance as long as the offensive line allows for it. It will be a tall task against a good USC defense, but this group knows they’re capable. A good rotation throughout the game should keep them healthy and the USC defense on their heels a little bit. Passing game-wise, Louisiana needs to be to create some vertical threats. We didn’t really see much of that last week, and if anything, some of the biggest plays downfield came from the tight ends. With Brock Chappell stepping in for Caden Jensen, UL can still rely on its tight ends while also utilizing the short, quick passing game with its speedy receivers on the perimeter, which is what appears to be the focus for this passing game early on this season. San Jose State quarterback Luke Weaver threw for over 230 yards against USC in week “zero,” with the Spartans using the short passing game to put up 26 points. So there should be opportunities for Louisiana to move the football through the air if they can execute correctly and effectively. Defensively, it’ll require a lot of discipline, perfect assignments and consistency if the Cajuns want to slow down Maiava. He has yet to really be slowed down this season. If Louisiana can generate some pressure, make him uncomfortable and force a turnover or two, that could go a long way toward keeping this game within reach. Like I said earlier, though, just about everything needs to go right for UL to have a legitimate chance at biting into this game. When it comes to size, USC doesn't have monsters compared to the Cajuns. They win games through their speed and physicality, and the winner of this game will be determined based on whose players does it better. Final Prediction: USC 38, Louisiana 13 This will be a tall task for the Cajuns. They’re making a long trip to the West Coast and playing late at night against a top-15 team with a high-powered offense that has looked almost unstoppable so far, along with a defense that has done a good job of keeping opponents at bay. It’s hard to imagine UL can be “perfect,” as Coach Des has emphasized, when you’re down multiple starting receivers and still haven’t proven you can consistently move the ball through the air, even against an FCS opponent. The ground game proved to be Louisiana’s biggest strength last week, but now they’re facing one of the best run defenses in college football through the first two weeks of the season. The good news is that Louisiana’s offensive line is fully healthy, and so is the entire defense. Both groups had good outings last week, especially the defense as they didn't allow a single point to be scored. With that said, I think UL can get into the red zone a couple of times and come away with a rushing touchdown or two. Defensively, I also think the Cajuns can create enough resistance to keep USC from scoring more than 40 points and letting it get out of hand really quickly. At the end of the day, UL running backs coach Marquase Lovings said it best: both teams consist of humans who are going to put on pads and play a football game, so anything can happen. This is why we play the game on the field and not on paper. However, these are two programs playing at two different levels of talent with two completely different end goals for this season. It will quite literally take a near-perfect game for the Cajuns to have a shot at pulling this one off, and Cajuns fans know that. In the end, we all hope this so-called “money game” for Louisiana ends with very minimal injuries and that everyone comes back healthy and ready to go for next week’s home matchup against UAB. It sure would be sweet if the Cajuns could come home with a victory as well, but keeping injuries at bay would go a long way this season. 

After the 9-month wait for the Lane Kiffin era to finally begin at LSU, the season finally kicked off and LSU found themselves on the good side of a blowout over Clemson. The dust has settled and the season is underway as we go full steam ahead towards week 2. The now 1-0 Tigers will welcome in Louisiana Tech for the second consecutive year. The Bulldogs jumpstarted their season with an even bigger blowout, defeating Northwestern State 80-6 to start their campaign 1-0. Sonny Cumbie’s squad gave the Tigers quite the battle when they came to Tiger Stadium in week 2 of the 2025 season. LSU struggled to get much going, only defeating LA Tech by a final score of 23-7. The Bulldogs went on to finish the regular season with a record of 7-5, before defeating Coastal Carolina at home in Shreveport in the Independence Bowl. While the differences are vast for LSU, much is the same for LA Tech. Cumby, a disciple of the late Mike Leach, is in his 5 th season with the program as head coach. Offensive coordinator, Nathan Young, has been on staff serving as their offensive line coach since 2022, but was promoted to take over for the 2026 season. LA Tech enters week 2 ranked 29 th in total offense with their 528 yards last week. Their 80 points have them ranked 1 st in scoring offense. Going back to last year, they ranked 88 th in total offense with an average of 359.2 yards per game and 71 st in scoring with 27.3 points per game. They’ll face off with an LSU defense that comes in ranked 11 th in total defense after allowing only 145 yards against Clemson and 46 th in scoring with the 10 points allowed. Luke Olson enters his second season as the defensive coordinator, running his unusual 3-3-5 defense. The Bulldogs rank 10 th in total defense with 129 yards allowed in week 1 and T-21 st with the 6 points allowed. Back in 2025, they ranked 68 th in total defense by allowing 374.8 yards per game and 35 th in scoring with 20.8 points per game. On the other side, Charlie Weis Jr’s offense is ranked 11 th with 644 yards last week and T-27 th with 51 points scored. LSU Offense vs LA Tech Defense Passing Game The passing game got off to a bit of a slow start with Sam Leavitt and his receivers against Clemson, but as the game progressed, it got cleaned up. There were multiple batted passes and the tip drill off of Malik Elzy’s hands that led to the interception on the second play of the game. The pass protection could also see some improvement, which would help prevent so much scrambling out of the pocket. Winnie Watkins, Trey’Dez Green, and Phillip Wright III were the first few pass-catchers to emerge with good nights. LSU enters with the 26 th ranked passing offense with 335 total yards including what Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet added. Although the Bulldog pass defense was solid against Northwestern St and come in T-4 th with only 43 yards allowed, it was a struggle in 2025. They ranked 107 th in the country with 240.3 yards per game allowed. Linebacker Jadon Mayfield is the returning leader in sacks with just 3.5 a year ago. Defensive end Donovan Rieman is next behind him with 2.5. The secondary is full of new starters. Free safety MJ Moultrie II is the only of the five that started more than 2 games a year ago. He started in 12 with Hampton and has the most production with 64 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups. Sam Fongang will play aside Moultrie II at free safety and then the Bulldogs play in base nickel with 3 cornerbacks. Amari Butler, Kameron Carter, and Jordan McRae all enter their second season in the program, but have had limited opportunities until this year. They most important aspect of this game for the passing offense is Leavitt and his receivers locking down some better timing. They were a bit off at times last week, which is understandable considering none of them have ever played together and Leavitt was working his way back from foot surgery during the offseason, limiting their practice time together until fall camp. The opportunities should be there against an inexperienced secondary. Expect to see Weis Jr attempt more down field passes, which will force the offensive line to protect their quarterback. Running Game What can’t be said about Dilin Jones last Saturday? He was a beast, carrying the ball 23 times for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. His most impressive stat was the 99 yards after contact. Stacy Gage was the first running back in to the game behind Jones, so it will be interesting to see if that continues moving forward or do individual gameplans call for more Harlem Berry and Caden Durham. Leavitt added 113 yards rushing, mostly on scrambles, looking like he was playing backyard football. The 309 yards rushing against Clemson ranked the Tigers 13 th in rushing offense. Despite the 80-6 blowout, LA Tech gave up more rushing yards than you may have expected. They come in ranked 48 th after allowing 86 yards on the ground. That ranking is pretty spot on with where they were a year ago, giving up 134.5 yards per game on the ground as the 47 th best rushing defense. Look for Zheric Hill, Jadon Mayfield, and Grayson Hardy to be heavily involved against the run. The three combined for 17 tackles a week ago, despite playing limited snaps once the game got out of hand. Of the returners from 2025, Mayfield led the way with 61 tackles and 9.0 for loss. Kiffin and Weis Jr are always going to run the ball. It’s their bread and butter and it’s what helps set up the beautifully drawn up passing plays that open up the entire field. It’s clear that Jones is the guy, so expect much more of him. With massive games to follow in week 3 and 4, I would expect to see more Berry and Durham in this one. Neither of them entered the game until the 4 th quarter against Clemson, but they are likely to be counted on against the Bulldogs. The question will be whether LA Tech decides to replace their nickel corner with an extra down lineman or linebacker if they are getting manhandled in the trenches by the LSU offensive line. LSU Defense vs LA Tech Offense Passing Game Blake Baker’s defense sent Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds home having nightmares. LSU recorded 4 sacks and 5 more QB hits, along with constant pressure all night. Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross lived in the backfield, combining for 2.5 of the sacks and showing why Kiffin brought them in from the transfer portal. The chaos in the backfield made the jobs of PJ Woodland and DJ Pickett easy, each only having to record 2 tackles. The 105 yards allowed have them ranked 25 th in pass defense entering week 2. LA Tech’s offense is very easy to separate in to passing and rushing, because that’s what they do with two quarterbacks. Their passer is ironically named Blake Baker and will be the guy in the game when they’re looking to sling the ball around. Cumby runs an Air-Raid offense, just like what Mike Leach used to do. Baker had a short night against Northwestern St with an efficient 10-14 for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns. He threw for 1,251 yards and 5 touchdowns a year ago. The Bulldogs run a good bit of 4 and 5 receiver sets, normally including tight end Eli Finley, who reeled in 4 receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown in week 1. Jalen Mickens led the way with 3 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown, including a big 75 yard catch and run through defenders on their first offensive play from scrimmage. Look for Marcus Calwise Jr and Oklahoma St transfer, Talyn Shettron, to round out the usual set of receivers. Their 296 yards passing last week have them ranked 40 th , which is a giant improvement from 2025. Last season, they ranked 121 st in the country with only 163.8 yards per game through the air. LA Tech runs out a very experienced offensive line, especially on the edges. Both starting tackles are redshirt juniors and in their 4 th year of college football. They will have their hands full with the pass rush of LSU. This will be an interesting matchup, because with the way Cumby spreads defenses out, we will likely get to see the next set of cornerbacks behind Woodland and Pickett. Ja’Keem Jackson and Havon Finney Jr were listed directly behind those two on the depth chart a week ago, so expect to see plenty of them. This feels like a matchup in which the speed and ferocity of the pass rush is going to make for a tough night for Baker to go through progressions. LSU went cover 0 with no one over the top multiple times against Clemson, trusting their pressure both on the quarterback and at the line of scrimmage against receivers. Running Game Clemson got absolutely stuffed when trying to run the ball a week ago. The longest rush that LSU allowed was of 11 yards and that was on the touchdown run by Eziomume with the 3’s in the game on the final defensive drive. Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery did exactly what was expected of them, filling gaps and flying to the ball all night. Weeks was the leading tackler with 6, along with Umanmielen. Dottery finished with 5 and 0.5 for loss. Baker’s unit only allowed 40 yards rushing, which ended up being 16 th best in the country. It was a solid night on the ground for the Bulldogs in week 1. Their 232 yards on the ground was 40 th best in the country. They also ran the ball very well in 2025, finishing 24 th with 195.4 yards per game. Dylone Brooks is the lead back, carrying 6 times for 48 yards and a touchdown against the Demons. Behind him, Andrew Burnette carried the ball 7 times for 33 yards. The name to watch in the running game is their “running” quarterback, Trey Kukuk. He had 5 carries for 50 yards last week, but was big in their rushing attack in 2025, carrying the ball 98 times for 649 yards and 5 touchdowns. One of my most anticipated matchups in this game is the battle of the interior lines in the trenches. LA Tech is very experienced across the line, but especially so in the middle. From left to right, their left guard is a redshirt senior, the center is a redshirt junior, and their right guard is the youngest as a redshirt sophomore. That’s 9 years of playing experience between 3 players coming in to this year. As for LSU, they’re incredibly young in the middle of their defensive line. Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson are both 5-stars, but they’re both true freshmen playing in their second career game. You can even throw Lamar Brown in there, who lined up as a defensive tackle a few times in certain scenarios against Clemson. Dominick McKinley and Stephiylan Green provide some experience, but I’m looking forward to watching the freshman when they’re in the game. Look for Dashawn Spears to be heavily involved against the run being lined up at the STAR position near the line of scrimmage. He could be especially important when Kukuk enters the game. Prediction The spread for this game is -35.5 in LSU’s favor. It opened at -32.5 and quickly jumped up over 5 touchdowns. I tend to agree with that confidence in the Tigers. Although LA Tech’s quarterbacks each have more experience than what Clemson’s had coming in a week ago, I still see Blake Baker’s unit giving them a very hard time. It will be extremely tough for the Bulldogs to score. On the other side, this is a gigantic mismatch between an inexperienced secondary and a crop of talented weapons. With two massive SEC games to follow, I expect Kiffin and Weis Jr to get Leavitt and his targets on the same page. That won’t all come together immediately, but it can go a long way, especially after not playing for the final 20 minutes in week 1.  LSU – 55 LA Tech - 6

Louisiana Tech wins opener against Northwestern State 80-6, setting multiple new program records.

The stage was set. After months of talk and build up, it was time to play football. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans. For 9 months, LSU fans had waited patiently as folks around the country criticize their coach, national media discussed integrity with the “professional player” saga, and so on. They were faced with one more test. A nearly 2 hour lightening delay dumped water across the entire stadium. As most fans ran for cover, the student section remained. Belting out Purple Rain from the top of their lungs as the heavens opened up, they weren’t letting anything slow them down. Eventually, the skies cleared and the 90-minute warmup countdown began. As the crowd filled the stadium, there was a pop of cheers for every position group that jogged on to the field to stretch and warm up. It didn’t matter who it was, Tiger fans were anxious to see their team back on the field. The band took the field to play pregame, the National Anthem was sung, Lane Kiffin led his team through the tunnel for the first time, and FINALLY, it was time for football. LSU’s offense was first to take the field to open the Lane Kiffin era. After a quick 8-yard pass from Sam Leavitt to Eugene Wilson III, Malik Elzy had a pass bounce off of his hands right in to the waiting arms of Ashton Hampton and two plays in to the game, Clemson had a takeaway. Blake Baker’s defense faced an immediate test back at their own 33-yard line. They picked up right where they left off in 2025 with a 3-and-out, forcing a 49 yard field goal attempt. Nolan Hauser drilled it and Clemson struck first to take a 3-0 lead. The only returning wide receiver from last year’s roster, Phillip Wright III, took the ensuing kickoff for a solid return, but a holding penalty brought the Tigers back to their own 10 yard line. Leavitt went straight to work, taking the ball 59 yards to the Clemson 31-yard line before facing a 3 rd down. A batted pass forced an incompletion and LSU would have to settle for a field goal attempt of their own. Scott Starzyk nailed his first attempt as a Tiger from 49 yards to tie the game at 3-3. After Christopher Vizzina hit Bryant Wesco Jr for a quick 22-yard pass to start their drive, the Tiger defense stiffened back up. Clemson had a short 3 rd and 2, but Whit Weeks shot out of a cannon around the edge for a tackle for loss and force the first punt of the game. There was much speculation about who would get the first crack at punt returner and it turned out to be Wilson III, who secured a fair catch at the LSU 11-yard line. Dilin Jones started the next drive with 3 straight runs that picked up a couple of first downs and 22 total yards. Just a few plays later, he capped off a 12-play, 89 yard drive with a 1-yard plunge in to the endzone for the first LSU touchdown of the season and a 10-3 lead. Clemson was facing a 3 rd and 6 to start their ensuing drive and that’s when all hell broke loose. Defensive end transfer, Jordan Ross, dropped back in to coverage and baited Vizzina in to an interception. He made a few moves and took it to the house to set it off in Death Valley. The crowd pop was so loud, it registered as a small earthquake on campus. In the blink of an eye, a 3-3 game turned in to a 17-3 LSU lead. Clemson followed with another 3 and out, giving LSU pretty good field position at their own 34 yard line. Facing a 4 th and 3 on Clemson’s 30, Kiffin surprised many by opting for the field goal attempt instead of going for it. Unfortunately, Starzyk pushed his 48-yard attempt wide right. After another 3 and out, LSU took over and went on an 8-play, 72-yard drive to get back in to the endzone on a drive in which Leavitt took over. He had completions of 20 and 18 yards, then runs of 18 and 8 yards with the latter being a scramble around the edge or a touchdown to make it 24-3. Clemson’s next two drives also resulted in 3 and outs, with an LSU punt sandwiched between them. With the ball right at midfield, Leavitt and the Tigers took over with just 2:46 left in the half. Winston Watkins made his second 20+ yard catch of the quarter, taking a 27 yard reception down in to the red zone. Once again, Leavitt finished off the drive with back-to-back runs, including a 13-yarder with a nifty stretch of the ball to cross the goal line and give his team a 31-3 lead. True freshman, Tait Reynolds, entered the game for Clemson, but nothing changed as Princewill Umanmielen’s first sack as a Tiger helped lead to the 6 th punt of the first half for Swinney’s team. Once the second half started, it did not take long for their 7 th punt. With Reynolds still in the game, he completed an 11-yard pass to start the drive. Clemson immediately went backwards, though, thanks to Ross’s first sack as a Tiger, setting up the punt. A holding call on the first play of LSU’s next drive put them in a 1 st and 20 hole, but as it was all night, Leavitt’s legs bailed them out. Facing a 3 rd and 5, Charlie Weis Jr dialed up a beautifully executed misdirection play that left Watkins wide open for a 32-yard touchdown reception to make it a 38-3 game. After another Clemson punt, LSU’s offensive starters came out for what would be their final drive. A 32-yard pass to Jackson Harris kicked off the drive, which lasted just 6 plays for 78 yards, capped off by Jones’s second touchdown run of the night from 12 yards out. Kiffin kept the offense on the field for a 2-point attempt, but Leavitt’s options were covered and he took a sack. Their debut was over with a 44-3 lead and 3:24 left in the 3 rd quarter. Although a mental mistake by Malik Blocton gave Clemson a free 15 yards to start their next drive with a late hit on Reynolds, they still could not find any success. Their 9 th punt of the night gave LSU the ball with 1:52 seconds left in the 3 rd quarter. Landen Clark took the field to lead the offense and made his first completion as a Tiger to Jayce Brown for 14 yards. He had them driving down the field but a fumbled snap on a direct snap to Stacy Gage on a 3 rd and 2 backed LSU up to the Clemson 39-yard line, forcing only the second Grant Chadwick punt of the night. Vizzina came back in at quarterback from Clemson, but it was more of the same. They had another 3 and out, forcing their 10 th and final punt of the game. Harlem Berry made his first appearance for LSU on his next drive, but it was another returning Tiger that made the big play. Clark threw a short pass to Phillip Wright III, who turned the corner and hit the jets down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown. It was remarkable that he was able to stay in bounds, a testament to his speed and athleticism. That was a glimpse of why he was the only wide receiver that Kiffin and the staff brought back from 2025’s roster. The score would be LSU’s final of the night, making it a 51-3 game.  Blake Baker finally called off the dogs, putting in his 3’s. That resulted in an 8 play, 71 yard drive that was capped off by a David Eziomume 11-yard touchdown for Clemson. Husan Longstreet entered the game for the Tigers for the final drive and despite the big lead, Kiffin actually let him throw the ball. He and Wright III connected on a nice 33-yard pitch and catch on the left sideline. Caden Durham also made his debut on that drive. The clock mercifully ran out and LSU had defeated Clemson 51-10.

Mississippi State sets new offensive record with 762 yard performance

The wait is nearly over. It's been 277 days since LSU hired Lane Kiffin as their head football coach. We've gone through the drama over his Ole Miss departure, a wild transfer portal period, spring practice with questions about Sam Leavitt, and now the ongoing lawsuits to make class of 2022 players eligible once again. A book could be written about Kiffin's time at LSU and there hasn't even been a football game, yet. We’re less than 48 hours away from kickoff between LSU and Clemson. Both teams are looking to bounce back from incredibly disappointing seasons in 2025. For LSU, they fired Brian Kelly and hired the aforementioned, Lane Kiffin. His entire offensive staff including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr followed him to Baton Rouge and will look to bring their success at Ole Miss with them. The Rebels offense was ranked 1st in the SEC in total offense with 489.7 yards per game and 3rd in scoring with 36.9 points per game. Blake Baker is back for his third season as the Tigers defensive coordinator. He turned down opportunities to be a head coach at both Tulane and Memphis this offseason, citing his desire to bring a title to LSU. His defense was good in 2025, but should see even more improvement thanks to a few key additions. Baker’s unit ranked 6th in the SEC in total defense, allowing 328.7 yards per game. As for scoring defense, they finished 5th by only allowing 19.8 points per game. There’s a ton of turnover for the Clemson offense. The departure of veteran quarterback Cade Klubnik is the biggest of all. Chad Morris now takes over as offensive coordinator, which is his second stint in the position and third overall at the school. He was previously the OC between 2011-2014 and then returned, again, as an offensive analyst in 2023. He is calling plays for the first time since being the OC at Auburn, following two years as head coach of Arkansas. As for Clemson’s offense in 2025, they finished 9th in the ACC in total offense with 392.2 yards per game and 11th in scoring with 27.2 points per game. Tom Allen is entering his 2nd season as the defensive coordinator for the Tigers. He was head coach of Indiana for 7 years between 2017-2023, then spent a year at Penn St as DC in 2024, before making it to Clemson a year ago. His unit was a solid one, but they lost a ton of talent across their defense. In 2025, they ranked 8th in the ACC with 356.7 yards per game allowed and 3rd in scoring with 20.5 points per game. LSU Offense vs Clemson Defense Passing Game LSU’s prized addition was quarterback Sam Leavitt. After starting for two years at Arizona St and leading the Sun Devils to the inaugural 12-team playoff in 2024 as a redshirt freshman, he battle a Lisfranc injury that hobbled him for most of 2025. He’s reportedly back to 100% after surgery and a full offseason of rehab and set to pioneer the Kiffin/Weis Jr offense. In his two seasons at Arizona St, he threw for 4,513 yards with 34 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also ran for 749 yards and another 10 touchdowns. He’s dynamic and the key to LSU’s success relies on his ability to stay healthy. As for who he’ll be throwing to, that’s a big mystery. His options are clear, but who emerges from the Tigers crop of wide receivers is the question. LSU added 10 receivers in the transfer portal. Guys like Jayce Brown (Kansas St), Jackson Harris (Hawaii), Tre Brown (Old Dominion), Eugene Wilson (Florida), and Winston Watkins (Ole Miss) seem like the most likely candidates to lead the way for the receiving core. The only non-question in terms of pass catchers is tight-end Trey’Dez Green. The 6’7 freak of nature is back for his junior year and highly expected to dominate and become a top NFL draft pick in April of 2027. Despite a putrid offense in 2025, Green was able to haul in 33 receptions for 433 yards and 7 touchdowns. He will, without a doubt, be the go-to target. Now wearing the infamous #7, Green is expected to have a big year. Clemson had been blessed for years with two separate stints of Terrells at cornerback. Younger brother, Avion Terrell, spent the past three seasons with the Tigers, becoming a 2nd round pick by the Falcons in this past NFL Draft. His departure has left Clemson with a hole at CB1. Ashton Hampton seems like the most likely candidate to fill that spot, entering his 3rd season in the program. He’s coming off of a solid sophomore season in which he had 10 pass breakups and an interception. Elliot Washington is most likely to line up opposite of Hampton. He transferred after 3 seasons with Penn St. While he has a ton of experience by playing in 36 games, he’s only made a single start. There’s a trio of safeties that are likely to see the field. Corey Myrick transferred over from Southern Miss after a phenomenal sophomore season in which he recorded 92 tackles, 4 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions. Senior Ronan Hanafin started 5 games last season and totaled 64 tackles with 5 pass breakups and an interceptions. They’ll be joined by Jerome Carter III, who transferred in after two seasons at Old Dominion. In 2025, he started 12 games and recorded 75 tackles with 2 pass breakups and 6 interceptions. LSU’s ability to protect Leavitt will be paramount. The other prize from the portal was left tackle Jordan Seaton. He is likely to line up across from Will Heldt, Clemson’s senior defensive end and sacks leader from a year ago. After two years at Purdue, Heldt transferred over and racked up 7.5 sacks in 2025. Running Game Running back may LSU’s deepest position, especially at the top. Dilin Jones has transferred in from Wisconsin and seemingly taken full control of the top spot. He was the starter for the Badgers, but went down with turf toe after just 7 games. Harlem Berry and Caden Durham return for the Tigers and look to find much more success in the new scheme after the struggles under Joe Sloan. Frank Wilson’s rotation left a lot to be desired, making it hard for either back to get much of a rhythm and amassing just 996 yards and 5 touchdowns combined. Clemson’s leader is linebacker Sammy Brown. He delivers constant production, racking up 106 tackles with 13 for loss and 5 sacks a year ago. He’ll be in the #47 and active all over the field. He’ll be joined by Jeremiah Alexander, who is entering his 2nd season with the Tigers after three years at Alabama. The interior of the defensive line has been rebuilt following a few key departures after last season. Amare Adams played sparingly as a true freshman, but looks to step in to a prominent role this year. He’ll likely be joined by Andy Burburija, the transfer from community college where he racked up 78 tackles with 27.5 for loss and 14 sacks. His ability to elevate his game to a FBS level will be key. LSU’s offensive line was abysmal a year ago, but all indications point to severe improvement under 1st year offensive line coach Eric Wolford. Seaton and Aliou Bah are the two newcomers, but despite the struggles under Brad Davis, three of the starters will be returners. Center Braelin Moore was good in 2025, but played hurt after injuring his ankle on the first series in week 2. Bo Borderlon has emerged after 4 years in the LSU program and will start at left guard. Weston Davis struggled mightily as a full time starter, but his raw ability and size point to a special player somewhere in there. Wofford hopes to unlock that ability and round out his starting line at right tackles. LSU Defense vs Clemson Offense Passing Game As good as Baker’s defense was in 2025, they were missing one key component. An every down pass rusher. They brought Princewill Umanmielen over from Ole Miss with his 9.0 sacks, immediately upgrading the defense as a whole. Dylan Carpenter and Jordan Ross are likely to rotate at the other defensive end position. PJ Woodland started all 13 games a season ago and truly blossomed in to a good cornerback with 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Former 5-star stud DJ Pickett steps in to the other starting cornerback position, giving the Tigers a great 1-2 punch. Safety is where LSU is deep in the secondary. They added Ty Benefield from Boise St, who has the ability to do everything. He’s already been compared to Tyrann Mathieu by the Honey Badger himself. In two seasons as a starter with the Broncos, Benefield totaled 235 tackles with 18 for loss, 17 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. He’ll be joined by a rotation of Tamarcus Cooley and Jhase Thomas at the other safety position. Cooley played over 700 snaps a year ago, but the emergence of Thomas during training camp was one of the biggest storylines. Dashawn Spears will play the star position, which is typically an extra defender in the box that can be flexible with his assignment. He’ll be the first safety to fill the role following two years of Harold Perkins for Baker, which may help with coverage ability. As mentioned earlier, Clemson is replacing their multi-year starter at quarterback. Christopher Vizzina won the job over talented freshman Tait Reynolds, but expect to see a mix of both every now and then. Vizzina has been around the program for 3 years, but has played sparingly behind Klubnik. He’s made one start and it came at home against SMU in 2025, in which he played extremely well. He went 29-42 for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns with no turnovers. Saturday night will be his first road start, though. Thankfully for him, he has plenty of experience at the receiver position to lean on. Both TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr return as starters from a year ago. Moore finished with 52 receptions for 837 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Wesco recorded 31 receptions for 537 yards and 6 touchdowns in just 7 games played. Tristan Smith Jr is a 5th-year senior that will provide even more experience as a 3rd or 4th receiver. Keep an eye out for Naeem Burroughs, a 4-star freshman who was highly ranked out of high school. Chad Morris does like to use his tight ends, so look for them to get Christian Bentancur involved, as well. He had 20 receptions for 215 yards and 3 touchdowns a year ago. This particular matchup could decide the entire game. Vizzina is stepping in to what would be a dangerous environment for just about any quarterback, much less one that’s making his first road start and just his second overall. The battle between a very good LSU secondary and some productive, experience Clemson wide receivers will be an important one. Morris will likely utilize a lot of quick routes to get the ball out of his vulnerable quarterback’s hands as quickly as possible. Running Game You’d be hard pressed to find a better linebacker duo than what LSU will be putting out on to the field this year. Whit Weeks has been a constant in his 3 seasons as a Tiger and they basically cloned him. TJ Dottery transferred over from Ole Miss and can do everything Weeks can do. He led the SEC in tackles in 2025 with 98. He had 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Weeks was banged up for much of the year and even when he was on the field during the second half of the season, he was severely hindered by his ankle injury. There’s no question what he can do when healthy, though, totaling 205 tackles with 16.5 for loss and 5 sacks over his career. Both have experience as the quarterback of the defense and have experience wearing the green dot communication helmet. Along with Trey’Dez Green, Weeks was awarded #7, making it the first time the number has been worn by two players at a time. Up front helping clog the middle will be a combination of 5-star freshman and former 5-star Dom McKinley, now a junior. Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson are both freaks up front, as proven by how quickly they have found their way to the field. Clemson struggled to run the ball in 2025 as the 11th best team in the ACC and now they go forward without their top running back. With Adam Randall gone, Gideon Davidson takes over as the starter. He had just 260 yards on 60 carries a year ago as a freshman, but has yet to find the end zone. Next behind him is Chris Johnson Jr, a transfer from SMU. He had 479 yards and averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per carry last year, cashing in 4 touchdowns. The best way to help a young quarterback is with a rushing attack, but that is as big of a question as Vizzina. Chad Morris’s gameplan and how he decides to attack this excellent Blake Baker defense will be a sight to behold. Clemson has 4 new starters on the offensive line, which adds to the unknown. Senior Harris Sewell is the only returner and has moved from guard to center. Prediction There is so much newness on both sides of this matchup to kickoff the 2026 season. New quarterbacks, new coordinators, new skill position players, new guys in the trenches, and for LSU, the new head coach. That’s not super surprising when two teams that have each won a national championship in the past 10 years ends up going 7-5. It’s likely that Clemson is being undervalued to some extent. All of the hype is around LSU and that’s understandable given the circumstances. It’s not empty hype, though. Lane Kiffin is a hell of a coach. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that. Between his ability to turn an SEC program around and the resources that have delivered him anything and everything he needs since taking the job, it’s hard to pick against LSU until we’re given reason to be wary. On top of the X’s and O’s, the environment in Death Valley on Saturday is going to be special. It’s already been reported that over 900 media/celebrity credentials were given out, making it the most credentialed game in the history of Tiger Stadium. The excitement is palpable. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which LSU doesn’t kick off the Kiffin era with a bang. All signs point towards a fun future for the Tigers and that will start on Saturday night as they cruise to victory. LSU – 31 Clemson - 13

How X Games Found Its Perfect Match in New Orleans

HOUSTON, Texas - If there was one message SLU wanted to send at the 2026 Southland Conference Opening Drive, it was simple: the Lions aren't rebuilding. They're reloading. Representing SLU at media day were head coach Frank Scelfo, starting quarterback Kyle Lowe, and senior defensive lineman Peyton Anderson. Across multiple interviews and media sessions, one theme consistently emerged above all else: culture. Whether discussing leadership, recruiting, player development, or expectations for the upcoming season, the trio repeatedly returned to the same idea. At SLU, everyone is expected to protect the team, push one another, and focus on the little details that ultimately separate good teams from championship teams. A New-Look Team With Familiar Expectations SLU enters the 2026 season looking much different than last year's squad after replacing a senior class of 26 players. Despite the younger roster, Scelfo made it clear that the expectations of the program haven't changed. "You can expect to see an explosive, talented team," Scelfo said, adding that fans will see more players rotating into meaningful roles thanks to the depth the coaching staff has built. The Lions have posted the conference's best record over the past two seasons, and Scelfo believes the next wave of talent is ready to continue that success. Building Through Louisiana During the coaches' roundtable, Scelfo doubled down on SLU's recruiting philosophy. While NIL has become a valuable tool to fill immediate needs, he emphasized that high school recruiting remains the heartbeat of the program. SLU signed 28 players in its most recent recruiting class, the largest class in the Southland Conference, knowing today's college football landscape means some players may eventually move on through the transfer portal. "We'll continue recruiting high school players," Scelfo explained. "We might lose them after three or four years, but that's just the nature of the beast." Unlike many conference rivals that recruit heavily in Texas, SLU continues to build primarily from Louisiana, particularly Southeast Louisiana. As the easternmost football member of the Southland Conference, the Lions have found success by keeping local talent close to home. That philosophy became even more relevant during a discussion about recruiting footprints. East Texas A&M head coach Clint Dolezel praised Texas as the premier recruiting state in the country, referring to it as the "king" of high school football recruiting. He also highlighted Florida and California while failing to even acknowledge Louisiana. Dolezel went on to tout the benefits of hosting the Southland Conference Media Day in Houston, all but suggesting Louisiana schools should be thankful for the opportunity to recruit in Texas' backyard. That sentiment didn't sit uncontested. Northwestern State head coach Blaine McCorkle quickly came to Louisiana's defense. "Per capita there is no more passion and talent than the state of Louisiana," McCorkle said, adding that Louisiana has produced more NFL players per capita over the past 40 years than any other state. For a program like SLU that has built its roster around Louisiana talent, the exchange reinforced the recruiting identity Scelfo has embraced. The results only speak for themselves. While ETAMU has managed only 5 wins over the past 2 seasons, SLU has won 13 over that same timespan along with an FCS Playoff berth this past year. Protect the Team No phrase was repeated more throughout the day than "Protect the Team." Lowe and Anderson each described a locker room where accountability isn't optional. Teammates challenge one another daily on the practice field, in the weight room, in the classroom, and away from football. "Hammond fans are extremely passionate and supportive," Lowe said. "The team feels that support, and we want to play for the people who have our backs." Anderson echoed that sentiment from a different perspective. As a St. Amant High School alumnus, growing up just 30 minutes from Hammond, he said SLU has always felt like home. He is thankful that his friends and family have the opportunity to see him play every week he's in Strawberry Stadium. "The culture in our locker room is a team that's bought in," Anderson said. "When you have a team with that passion that's willing to push each other outside their comfort zones, good things are bound to happen." Both players repeatedly emphasized that "Protect the Team" isn't just a slogan. It's something they strive to live every day, whether on the football field, in the classroom, or throughout the community. The Details Matter During a one-on-one interview later in the day, Scelfo expanded on what separates this team. He pointed to players like Lowe, who has already earned his MBA in five years, and Anderson, who will be completing an engineering degree in just four years. "They're detail-oriented people," Scelfo explained, saying that attention to detail translates directly to success on the football field. That same mindset was echoed by Anderson during his own interview. "The little things will be the difference maker," he said. "If you're comfortable, you're not great." For Anderson, success comes from embracing his role, taking pride in the details, and continually improving year after year. Loyalty Still Matters One of the more refreshing storylines surrounding SLU is player loyalty. In an era where the transfer portal has reshaped college football, Anderson is entering his fourth season with the Lions. 4th Round NFL Draft pick Kaleb Proctor of the Arizona Cardinals also spent four years in Hammond. Sources have indicated that Anderson had opportunities to transfer, including reported interest from a touted SEC program, but chose to stay at SLU and finish what he started. That decision speaks volumes about the culture inside the program. For recruits considering where to spend their college careers, SLU is selling more than playing time. The Lions are selling development, stability, and a program that invests in its players both on and off the field. Eyes on the Prize Coming off another successful season, Lowe believes the Lions still have another level to reach. "We want to get over the hump," he said. "Win the conference and make a deep playoff run." Personally, Lowe has focused his offseason on improving his accuracy, becoming a stronger leader, distributing the football more effectively, and continuing to develop both his strength and mobility. Those goals mirror the team's mentality as a whole. Every interview throughout the day circled back to improving the small things, trusting one another, and continuing to build the culture that has made SLU one of the Southland Conference's most consistent programs. A Program Built to Compete Scelfo also took time to highlight what makes Saturdays in Hammond, America so special. From the atmosphere surrounding Strawberry Stadium to one of the conference's premier tailgating scenes, he described game day at SLU as one of the most unique experiences in the Southland. He also praised the league itself. "Southland football is exciting," Scelfo said, pointing to the level of talent throughout the conference and the quality of competition fans can expect every weekend. If Opening Drive served as an early glimpse into the 2026 season, SLU made one thing abundantly clear. The Lions may be younger than they've been in recent years, but inside the program, expectations haven't changed. The culture remains intact, the leadership is in place, and the goal is the same as it's been all along: compete for a Southland Conference championship and make a deep run in the FCS Playoffs. Photo Credit: @LionUpFootball on X

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