Lane Kiffin reveals his thoughts on facing Dabo Swinney's Clemson to open the season. The new LSU coach acknowledges Swinney's winning legacy.
The Clemson Tigers' 17-10 loss to LSU was a sign of things to come for head coach Dabo Swinney's program last season.
The Tigers came into the season with the No. 4 ranking. LSU was ranked No. 9.
Clemson would never gain its confidence back after the loss to LSU at home, finishing the season with a 7-6 record. LSU didn't go on to have a phenomenal season like many thought at the time when it beat Clemson.
LSU would decide to part ways with Brian Kelly before November, though his buyout would not be finalized until near Thanksgiving.
After flirting with several SEC programs amid Ole Miss' College Football Playoff run last year, Kiffin decided to join LSU to replace Kelly. His first-ever contest with LSU will be against Clemson in Baton Rouge.
When speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kiffin made a few comments about the Sept. 5 contest. He's excited to play a big name like Clemson. Kiffin also praised Swinney for his long history of winning football games.
"That just seems so far away from me from a work standpoint on how much we do every day to how long that is," Kiffin said, via theadvertiser.com. "You know, it's really cool in that way to have an exciting, premier program to open with at home, not being on the road.
"For a first game, that's exciting having never coached in here on the home side, like many of our coaches (have not). Bu that's a long ways to go. Obviously a premier program and (Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's) won as much as anybody in college football, probably more than anybody active."
Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at Alabama for the national championship games between the Crimson Tide and Clemson in 2015 and 2016. The two programs split those national championships.
Kiffin will face more pressure against Swinney in Week 1 as the head coach. After LSU provided Kiffin with enormous resources this offseason, he's expected to win right away.
For Swinney, he needs a win over LSU the stave off more suggestions that the game has passed him by at Clemson.