LSU football opens the year vs. Clemson for the second consecutive season on Saturday night. Last year, LSU went to Clemson and won a defensive battle, 17-10.
Most LSU fans are somewhat familiar with the Clemson program. LSU and Clemson don't share a conference, but the two played a year ago and Dabo Swinney's group has taken the spotlight in a handful of big moments over the years.
LSU and Clemson met in the 2019 national title game. LSU, led by Joe Burrow, secured an emphatic win to cap off an historic 15-0 season.
LSU leads the all-time series 4-1 with Clemson's only win over LSU coming in the 2012 Peach Bowl. With kickoff just days away, here are five things LSU fans should know about the Clemson Tigers.
Where Clemson ranks in returning production
Clemson ranks No. 58 in ESPN's returning
production metric, putting Swinney and the Tigers just above average. On offense, Clemson only returns 48%, which ranks No. 88. But on defense, Clemson ranks No. 33 nationally with 61% returning production. Returning production isn't literal. It accounts for transfers and position weight.
Clemson's No. 88 offense ranking has a lot to do with losing quarterback Cade Klubnik. With Klubnik gone, Clemson didn't hit the transfer portal and opted for in-house options. Christopher Vizzina will step into the QB1 role, but he lacks experience.
Clemson's offensive line took a hit, too, with all five starters leaving. Only three starters return across the entire offense.
More on Christopher Vizzina
Clemson's QB battle stretched into this week as Swinney didn't name Vezzina the starter until Tuesday.
Vizzina is an unknown. He played in four games last year but made only one start. Vizzina impressed when given the chance, throwing for 317 yards and three touchdowns vs. a good SMU defense.
Vizzina will do most of his work through the air and isn't much of a runner.
Vizzina was a blue-chip recruit when he signed with Clemson three years ago. Clemson is optimistic about the talent, but leading Clemson's offense on the road in Death Valley will be Vizzina's toughest task yet.
Clemson has a new playcaller in 2026 (sort of)
Dabo Swinney made a change at offensive coordinator, so the Tigers have a new playcaller this fall, but he's far from a stranger. Chad Morris is back at Clemson.
Morris coached at Clemson from 2011-14 and played a key role in Clemson's rise to prominence. He left Clemson to be the head coach at SMU, and eventually landed at Arkansas. Morris' tenure with the Razorbacks didn't go well.
Morris hasn't been a true play caller since he was fired at Arkansas in 2019. It's been a minute.
Morris typically runs a spread offense that emphasizes the deep ball and establishing the run. The LSU defense should expect Clemson to come out firing and take a few shots down the field early.
The Clemson defense should be pretty good
Clemson's defense wasn't immune to player departures, but the unit should be decent in year two under defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
Markus Strong and Amare Adams form a strong defensive tackle duo on the interior, though depth a concern at that position. Will Heldt returns at defensive end, where he figures to have an All-ACC season.
Clemson's linebacker group, led by Sammy Brown, could be one of the Power Four's best.
Expectations are high in the secondary, too. Eliot Washington transfers from Penn State. Allen knows Washington from their time at Penn State. Ashton Hampton has All-ACC upside at corner, and the safety room is deep.
Clemson's defense will be a good test for LSU in Game 1.
Clemson is unranked in the preseason AP Poll for the first time since 2011
Clemson isn't the powerhouse it once was under Swinney. The program is unranked in the preseason AP Poll for the first time since 2011. Clemson went 7-6 in 2025 and finished the year unranked. That was Clemson's worst record since 2010.
In 2011, Swinney and Co. responded and won 10 games. Clemson fans would probably be happy with double-digit wins this year given the direction of the program.
That 10-win season in 2011 began a streak of 12 straight double-digit win years for Clemson. That run included two national titles and two more appearances.
Questions remain about the future of the Clemson program. Can Swinney stop the slide and turn it around? Or will 2025 be another letdown year? And if it is another letdown year, what does it mean for the man who is the greatest coach in school history?
LSU football vs. Clemson betting odds
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five things LSU football fans should know about the Clemson Tigers
