No. 9 LSU walked into Memorial Stadium and left with a statement win, edging No. 4 Clemson 17-10 on Saturday night in Clemson, S.C. (). Garrett Nussmeier engineered the go-ahead fourth-quarter drive and LSU’s defense slammed the door late, giving Brian Kelly his first season-opening victory at LSU and ending the program’s recent Week 1 skid.
Key Takeaways
- Final: LSU 17, Clemson 10 in Death Valley after a 10-10 tie entering the fourth quarter.
- Garrett Nussmeier (LSU): 28 of 38 for 230 yards and 1 TD, plus a key third-down scramble on the winning drive.
- Go-ahead score: 8-yard TD pass to TE Trey’Dez Green with 12:18 left, capping an 11-play, 73-yard march.
- Caden Durham (LSU): 74 rushing yards and a 2-yard TD; K Damian Ramos hit from 52 but later missed from 46.
- Cade Klubnik (Clemson): 230 passing yards on 19 of 38 with 1 INT; Clemson rushed for just 31 yards on 20 carries.
- Clemson defense forced two first-half turnovers and led 10-3 at halftime.
- Antonio Williams (Clemson WR) exited early with a hamstring issue and was limited thereafter.
- LSU snapped a five-game streak of season-opening losses; Kelly earned his first Week 1 win at LSU.
Verified Facts
Clemson struck first after a forced fumble set up a short field, and Nolan Hauser converted a 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. LSU answered with a 52-yard Damian Ramos kick to level it 3-3. Clemson then pieced together an aggressive drive with two fourth-down conversions, finishing when Adam Randall powered in from close range for a 10-3 halftime edge.
LSU flipped momentum after the break. A nine-play, 69-yard series ended with Caden Durham’s 2-yard touchdown at 8:59 of the third quarter to tie it 10-10. Nussmeier found rhythm with Aaron Anderson, while LSU’s offensive line steadied against a Clemson front featuring blue-chip rushers Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
The decisive sequence arrived early in the fourth: LSU traveled 73 yards in 11 plays, with Nussmeier converting on the ground and later hitting Trey’Dez Green from 8 yards out for a 17-10 lead at 12:18. Clemson’s last red-zone push reached a fourth-and-4 before LSU star Harold Perkins pressured Klubnik into an incompletion to end it.
Nussmeier finished 28-of-38 for 230 yards and a score; Anderson led LSU with six receptions for 99 yards (long of 39). Durham paced the ground game with 74 yards and a TD. Clemson’s Klubnik threw for 230 yards with an interception; four Tigers receivers logged four catches apiece. Clemson’s running game managed only 31 yards on 20 attempts, a critical shortfall late.
A pivotal third-quarter sequence saw a superb Nussmeier deep throw to Barion Brown overturned to incomplete upon review; LSU then came up empty when Ramos missed a 46-yard field goal.
Context & Impact
The win immediately strengthens LSU’s College Football Playoff profile: a top-five road victory paired with noticeable improvement on defense compared with last season. It also buries the Tigers’ recent Week 1 narrative under Brian Kelly.
Clemson’s defense showed championship traits, forcing two first-half takeaways and bottling LSU early. But the Tigers’ inability to run the ball and protect in key moments proved decisive. With only two ranked opponents currently on the remaining slate—and none in the top 10—Clemson still has time to regroup.
For NFL talent evaluators monitoring two premium quarterback prospects, Nussmeier’s poise under pressure and accuracy stood out. Klubnik had flashes but an ill-timed interception and the lack of a rushing complement limited Clemson’s ceiling on the night.
| Team | Points | Pass Yds | Rush Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU | 17 | 230 (Nussmeier) | 74 (Durham) |
| Clemson | 10 | 230 (Klubnik) | 31 (team) |
Official Statements
We think we’re going to be the first 16-0 team. It’s a race to do that.
Dabo Swinney to ESPN (preseason)
Unconfirmed
- Severity and timeline of Clemson WR Antonio Williams’ hamstring injury were not disclosed at game’s end.
Bottom Line
LSU delivered a mature, road-tested win built on fourth-quarter execution and a second-half defensive shutout. If the Tigers sustain this balance, they belong in early national title conversations.
Clemson remains formidable on defense, but improving run-blocking and finishing drives will determine whether Dabo Swinney’s team meets its lofty preseason aims.