LSU football is 1-0. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to say that. Brian Kelly and the Tigers went on the road to defeat a top-10 Clemson team, winning as an underdog.
Defenses dominated the first half. Neither offense could establish the run as both front sevens were living in the backfield. LSU was applying pressure to Clemson QB Cade Klubnik with Harold Perkins and PJ Woodland both registering sacks early in the game.
LSU’s offensive struggles were especially prevalent on third down early in the game. The two offenses were a combined 2/11 on third downs in the first half, but two key fourth-down conversions from Clemson were enough for Dabo Swinney’s crew to find the end zone. Clemson led 10-3 after the first two quarters.
In the second half, LSU’s offense began to wake up. LSU RB Caden Durham found the end zone early in the third quarter to tie it at 10. LSU’s defense continued to get stops, and with 3:01 to go in the third, Nussmeier connected with Trey’Dez Green for a touchdown that gave LSU a 17-10 lead. The defense finished the job.
Here are five takeaways from LSU’s win over Clemson.
LSU’s secondary came to play
It’s been talked about all summer. This LSU secondary is the best group of defensive backs Brian Kelly has had at LSU. That was confirmed on Saturday night.
Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane was one of the top-ranked transfer corners in the class. Delane arrived at LSU as a proven power four cornerback, and his veteran presence was felt vs. Clemson. Delane picked off Klubnik in the third quarter and later in the night, put an end to Clemson’s drive by forcing an incompletion on fourth down. Delane played like an All-SEC cornerback, shutting down Clemson’s talented group of wide receivers.
Delane wasn’t the only one. PJ Woodland made some nice plays. So did safety Jardin Gilbert, who got the start after AJ Haulcy was forced to sit out the first half.
If LSU’s secondary plays like this every week, this defense is going to be very good.
Garrett Nussmeier plays a clean football game
Garrett Nussmeier didn’t have his best stuff in the first half, but he settled in to play a clean football game. Nussmeier was 28/38 for 218 yards with a touchdown. But in a game where the margins were slim, Nussmeier protected the football. The LSU QB didn’t turn the ball over and only took one sack.
LSU’s offense wasn’t explosive, so the Tigers couldn’t afford to take negative plays. Nussmeier did his best to keep LSU out of bad situations.
This wasn’t the prolific performance we know Nussmeier is capable of, but he did enough to get LSU the win, and he made the throws when it mattered.
LSU applied constant pressure on Klubnik
For as good as LSU’s secondary played, the front seven was even better. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was under constant duress. It began on the first drive, when LSU cornerback PJ Woodland ran free through the B-gap for a sack. Later in the half, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins registered his first sack of the year.
Between the tight coverage from LSU’s secondary and havoc from the front seven, Klubnik never found a rhythm.
With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Perkins delivered one final fourth-down pressure. Perkins forced an early throw, Clemson turned it over on downs, and that was the game.
Aaron Anderson nearly totals 100 yards
LSU’s offense didn’t put up big numbers on Saturday, but it was a good day for wide receiver Aaron Anderson, who came up just short of 100 yards. Anderson caught six passes for 99 yards, which included taking a screen pass 39 yards to put LSU in scoring position.
Anderson was LSU’s leading receiver in 2024 and has a chance to put together an All-SEC season in 2025. Nussmeier is comfortable with Anderson, which could be critical given the new faces in LSU’s wide receiver room.
LSU puts an end to week one woes
Week one has haunted LSU in recent years. Before Saturday, LSU hadn’t won a week one contest since 2019. It’s been a while. That span includes losses to Mississippi State, UCLA, a couple of losses to Florida State, and last year’s loss to USC.
With LSU facing a top-10-ranked team on the road, it looked like the week one losing streak might continue. But LSU stopped the bleeding. Brian Kelly’s Tigers showed up and got it done. There’s a different vibe around this team now. LSU gets to play with a margin of error from here on out with a signature win already on the resume.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five takeaways from LSU football’s week one win over Clemson