The Clemson Tigers are almost in a win-win situation for their season opener against LSU.
For the second straight year, the Clemson Tigers will open their regular season against LSU, but this time, the matchup will be in Baton Rouge.
Clemson fell to LSU at home last season in a dud that set the tone for an incredibly disappointing campaign for Dabo Swinney's club. Clemson entered the year ranked No. 4 in the country, but never recovered from the defeat.
So what is at stake for the Tigers on Sept. 5?
Well, not nearly as much as last year, and for multiple reasons.
First of all, expectations are not nearly as high for Clemson this time around. The Tigers aren't even ranked in the AP top 25, and they are 23rd in the Coaches Poll. Very few people expect them to make any sort of significant run in 2026.
Meanwhile, LSU enters the campaign ranked No. 11 in the program's first season under Lane Kiffin. LSU had a banner offseason, loading up on talent both offensively and defensively. The other Tigers also rarely lose home games in prime time.
Long story short? LSU is the heavy favorite, and Clemson is playing with house money.
Second, Swinney and Co. can really only increase their College Football Playoff chances next Saturday.
A loss to LSU wouldn't really do all that much. Again, few people are expecting Clemson to win this game anyway, so unless Clemson gets absolutely annihilated, a defeat wouldn't really alter its CFP standing all that much.
A win, however, would be absolutely gigantic.
Of course, it could potentially mean that LSU perhaps wasn't as advertised, much like Clemson last year. LSU did beat Clemson in 2025, but, paralleling Clemson, went on to win just seven games on the campaign.
But it could also mean that Clemson (sorry for the continued use of "Clemson," but let's be honest: both schools have the same name) is much better than people initially expected.
The Tigers also have a very manageable slate the rest of the way, outside of a meeting at home against Miami in early October. A victory LSU could very well set the stage for a double-digit win campaign, which, even in the ACC, could get Clemson into the CFP.
This is almost a win-win situation for the Tigers ... but it would certainly be nice if they went out there and got a W.
