FINAL SCORE ALERT: No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10
Team stats
| FINAL | LSU | CLEMSON |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 24 | 13 |
| 3rd down efficiency | 4-11 | 3-13 |
| 4th down efficiency | 0-1 | 2-4 |
| Total Yards | 354 | 261 |
| Passing | 246 | 230 |
| Comp/Att | 29/39 | 19/38 |
| Yards per pass | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 1 |
| Rushing | 108 | 31 |
| Rushing Attempts | 31 | 20 |
| Yards per rush | 3.5 | 1.6 |
| Penalties | 6-45 | 6-57 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 0 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 1 |
| Possession | 36:44 | 22:54 |
11:16 p.m. — Klubnik can't stand the LSU heat with an incompletion on 4th down. LSU hangs on and picks up a road win to start the season.
11:14 p.m. — LSU tries to get the defense set on 4th and 4 at the 15 with 1:04 remaining
11:13 p.m. — Klubnik and the Tigers move to the red zone with 1:08 left
11:11 p.m. — Cade Klubnik and the Clemson offense starts at their own 43 in what's likely their final possession.
11:07 p.m. — Clemson will get the ball back after the two-minute warning and a timeout left LSU goes three-and-out and back on defense.
11:03 p.m — Clemson goes three-and-out and gives LSU the ball back with no impact. Time for Brian Kelly's team to kill the clock for a victory. Clemson has two timeouts remaining and the two-minute warning.
11:00 p.m. — LSU punts to Clemson up 17-10 with 4:26 left. Can Cade Klubnik lead the Tigers on a game-tying drive in the final minutes starting deep in their own territory?
10:43 p.m. — SCORE ALERT: LSU takes the lead in the fourth. Garrett Nussmeier 8-yard TD pass to Trey'Dez Green (Damian Ramos PAT good)
NUSSMEIER GIVES LSU A 17-10 LEAD IN THE 4TH ‼️
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025
Watch the finish of LSU-Clemson on ABC and the ESPN App: https://t.co/Nz7AG4DFyf pic.twitter.com/9Mm76i8bIv
10:30 p.m. — LSU Damian Ramos 46-yard FG missed 4:32 3rd Qtr
In a span of 30 seconds LSU goes from Touchdown, to incomplete, to missed field goal to hurt kicker
— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) August 31, 2025
pic.twitter.com/DBWAbY5RAE
10:12 p.m. — Clemson QB Cade Klubnik pass intercepted LSU's Mansoor Delane at LSU 46 8:15 3rd Qtr
Cade Klubnik throws his first interception of the season.
— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) August 31, 2025
LSU brings pressure, Klubnik not able to follow through with his arm and the ball sails high. pic.twitter.com/iFSIIAUleb
10:06 p.m. — SCORE ALERT: LSU tied the game at 10
2-yard TD run by Caden Durham 8:59 3rd Qtr
LSU ties it up with Clemson in the third 😯
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025
Don't miss the rest of LSU-Clemson on ABC and the ESPN App 👀 pic.twitter.com/PrvfakseZg
Halftime stats (Clemson receives 2nd half kickoff)
Halftime LSU Clemson
| 1st Downs | 11 | 6 |
| 3rd down efficiency | 1-5 | 1-6 |
| 4th down efficiency | 0-1 | 2-2 |
| Total Yards | 177 | 110 |
| Passing | 112 | 91 |
| Comp/Att | 13/18 | 6/12 |
| Yards per pass | 6.2 | 7.6 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Rushing | 65 | 19 |
| Rushing Attempts | 14 | 16 |
| Yards per rush | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| Penalties | 3-20 | 2-20 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 0 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Possession | 16:37 | 13:23 |
Klubnik: 6-of-12, 91 yards
Nussmeier: 12-of-17, 96 yards
9:19 p.m. — Clemson pull off a huge fourth down stop before haltime. Dabo Swinney's team takes a 10-3 halftime lead.
8:57 p.m. —SCORE ALERT: 1-yard TD run by Clemson's Adam Randall (first career score) 4:36 2nd Qtr (Nolan Hauser PAT good) 10-3 Clemson
ADAM GETS THE TD!!
📺 ABC || @8adamrandall pic.twitter.com/RFN4nXGsYf
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) August 31, 2025
8:53 p.m. — Klubnik is cooking on this drive setting up a goal-to-go situation
8:50 p.m. — Huge third down conversion by Cade Klubnik to T.J. Moore for 26 yards to the LSU 44, 10:02 2nd Qtr
8:45 p.m. — SCORE ALERT: LSU ties the game at 3-3 with a 53-yard FG by Damian Ramos, 10:53 2nd Qtr
LSU’s Damian Ramos drills a 53-yard field goal to tie it up. pic.twitter.com/Z1VHACg8ls
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) August 31, 2025
8:35 p.m. — Clemson injury update:
Antonio Williams is heading to the locker room.
— Grayson Mann (@gray_mann21) August 31, 2025
8
The broadcast team said he appeared to be dealing with a hamstring injury.@ClemsonTigerNet
8:14 p.m. — SCORE ALERT: Clemson gets a turnover and strike first with a field goal - 8:57 1st QTR: 3-0
LSU's Bauer Sharp fumble forced by Clemson's Avieon Terrell, recovered by Ricardo Jones at 24
8:57 - 1st Qtr- Nolan Hauser 42-yard FG
Avieon Terrell forces the fumble for the Clemson defense! 💥
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025
Watch No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson on ABC and the ESPN App: pic.twitter.com/RCHElKibrJ
LSU stickers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
LSU is wearing helmet stickers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. pic.twitter.com/qmqQErIY5R
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025
LIVE updates: Follow along with all the action as LSU battles with Clemson in Week 1
All times Eastern
The season opener in Clemson’s Death Valley is more than just a battle of the Tigers. It may be the best game of Week 1 in college football.
Fourth-ranked Clemson and No. 9 LSU collide Saturday night in a matchup loaded with NFL talent, high stakes and playoff implications.
Clemson enters fresh off a College Football Playoff quarterfinal run and brings back the core of a team widely viewed as a national title contender. Junior quarterback Cade Klubnik leads the charge after a breakout 2024 season with 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
He is flanked by an elite defensive line anchored by Peter Woods and T.J. Parker — both projected top-10 picks in next spring’s NFL draft. With Purdue transfer Will Heldt added to the rotation, Clemson’s front is already drawing comparisons to the 2018 unit that powered a national championship run.
For LSU, the challenge is ending a streak of five straight season-opening losses. Coach Brian Kelly, entering a pivotal fourth year in Baton Rouge, turned heavily to the transfer portal in the offseason to shore up deficiencies, particularly on defense. The Tigers landed the No. 1 transfer class in the nation, highlighted by edge rusher Patrick Payton, safety A.J. Haulcy and cornerback Mansoor Delane. They’ll be joined by five-star freshman DJ Pickett in what LSU hopes is a defensive turnaround after being gashed repeatedly last fall.
The offense is in strong hands with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 4,043 yards and 29 touchdowns a year ago after finally succeeding Jayden Daniels. Nussmeier, a candidate to be the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2026, now has new targets in Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson and former Kentucky standout Barion Brown.
Much of the spotlight will be on the quarterbacks. Klubnik and Nussmeier were ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in CBS Sports’ preseason quarterback rankings. With NFL scouts filling the press box, their duel could go a long way toward determining not just the outcome Saturday, but draft boards in April.
The winner earns a massive boost toward the playoff picture. The loser faces a steeper climb, especially LSU, which still has to navigate a brutal SEC slate featuring Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
Both Tigers believe they belong in the 12-team playoff. Saturday will be the first step in proving it.