For the second straight year, the Clemson Tigers will face the LSU Tigers in the teams' college football season opener. Also for the second straight year, the game will get underway a bit later than previously announced.
During his weekly Monday press conference, LSU coach Lane Kiffin announced that Clemson-LSU will get kick off at 7:49 p.m. ET.
"Couldn't be more excited for this to be here, 6:49 (CT) on Saturday on ABC, stadium sold out," Kiffin said during his introductory remarks at Monday's press conference ahead of his first game as LSU's coach.
Similar to last year, Clemson-LSU had been listed as a 7:30 p.m. start time for months. But as is always the case, games broadcast on either ESPN or ABC often get underway slightly later than their
listed kickoff times due to network overlap, time windows or general pregame festivities.
Auburn faces Baylor in the 3:30 p.m. window on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta before Clemson-LSU.
ESPN's top college football broadcast team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will be on the call for Clemson-LSU Saturday night. Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge will report from the sidelines. "College GameDay" will also be at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge that day. The show begins at 9 a.m. ET.
It's the second straight season that Fowler and Herbstreit have called Clemson-LSU in Week 1. The Bayou Bengals defeated Clemson, 17-10, in last year's season opener at Memorial Stadium.
Clemson is ranked No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and is unranked in the AP Top 25 poll entering the season. LSU is ranked No. 13 in the Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP poll.
Changes coming to Clemson football radio broadcasts in 2026
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Clemson football schedule 2026
All start times Eastern.
- Sept. 5: at LSU Tigers, 7:49 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern Eagles, 7:30 p.m., ACC Network
- Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina Tar Heels, noon, ESPN
- Sept. 25: at California Golden Bears, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
- Oct. 3: vs. Miami Hurricanes, TBA
- Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers, TBA
- Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech Hokies, TBA
- Oct. 31: at Florida State Seminoles, TBA
- Nov. 7: at Syracuse Orange, TBA
- Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, TBA
- Nov. 20: at Duke Blue Devils, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, TBA
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Updated start time for Clemson vs LSU football game announced
