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Lane Kiffin's highly anticipated LSU debut earns College GameDay treatment

ByNicholas Rome
Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Louisiana State Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, left, stands next to Louisiana State Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Louisiana State Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, left, stands next to Louisiana State Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

With every day that passes, the anticipation for Lane Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge builds. When Kiffin made the decision to leave Ole Miss for their SEC foe, it built a buzz like few coaching moves have before. The move itself built a ton of buzz, but Lane Kiffin's off the field moves have only added to that fire.

The Tigers spared no expense this offseason, building an exciting roster using the Transfer Portal to give LSU a chance at competing in Year One. Add in Kiffin's usage of social media, and the recent shots he took at Ole Miss in his Vanity Fair interview, and people are beyond excited to watch this season.

LSU Vs Clemson earns College GameDay treatment for Week 1

On Tuesday, College GameDay announced that they'd be heading to Baton Rouge to start the 2026 college football season to watch the LSU Tigers host the Clemson Tigers.

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The decision by College GameDay makes perfect sense as few matchups are as intriguing for the entire season than LSU vs Clemson.

On one side of the matchup, you have the debut of Lane Kiffin and the start of what LSU fans will be an incredible run. Lane Kiffin is expected to win championships at LSU, and he has a roster capable of making a Playoff run this season.

On the otherside, Clemson is still a household name coming off an abysmal season that started with championship hopes. This season could end up being Dabo Swinney's last at Clemson if the Tigers don't bounceback, and there's a ton of interest in this roster.

The matchup itself still has a ton of questions as LSU awaits Sam Leavitt's return from injury while Clemson will have to name a starting quarterback, but the storylines are all there for a great matchup between two Power 4 schools.

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