The start of the new college football season is almost upon us and we’re set for a huge clash between the Clemson Tigers and LSU Tigers to open the 2025 season on August 30th at Clemson Memorial Stadium.
Clemson are the number five-ranked team and will come into this game as favorites, as they come up against another team considered to be among the contenders for the national title in their opening game of the season.
We’ll take a look at the game and break it down while providing you with our best free NCAAF betting picks, as we try to earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action on the field.
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The Tigers will be coming into this game after being ranked number six for coaches and number four for AP, as head coach Dabo Swinney prepares for a 17th season in charge.
In 2024 the Tigers won the ACC Championship with a 34-31 win over SMU and claimed a 10-4 record over the course of the season, but were disappointed when they were eliminated in the first-round of the CFP after defeat to the Texas Longhorns.
They now come into the 2025 campaign having retained a large portion of their starters, which will give them a big boost. But they lost three players to the NFL: Barrett Carter was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, R.J. Mickens was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers, and running-back Phil Mafah made the move to the Dallas Cowboys.
The South Carolina Tigers will want to avoid a repeat of recent history as they have lost three of their last four opening games of the season, but with lots of players returning in a team that ranked 17th on offense across the nation last year, they should feel confident heading into the new season.
LSU had a decent campaign in 2024 as they claimed victory in the Texas Bowl with a 44-31 win over Baylor, as they earned a 9-4 regular season record, finishing 10th in the Southeastern Conference and missing out on a playoff spot.
Head coach Brian Kelly comes into his fourth season in charge and will be looking to go one step further this time around, having accumulated a 29-11 record in his first three campaigns. But having so far failed to reach the post-season and compete for championships, he’ll be hoping to change that in 2025.
Star quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Garrett Nussmeier returns for his senior season, and the Tigers won’t play against any of Tennessee, Georgia or Auburn on the regular season schedule, which can only be seen as a positive.
The defense has four returning starters and a couple edge rushers picked up in the transfer portal, but overall this is Kelly’s best roster since taking charge.
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LSU head coach Kelly has now lost five of his last six games against AP Top 25-ranked opponents, and he faces a huge task to change that around in this game. Clemson is the preseason No. 5 team in the country, while LSU are ranked No. 7.
Louisiana will be welcoming back their star man Nussmeier back for the 2025 season, but the rest of their offensive lineup is not the strongest. This summer has been a huge rebuild for the coach in Louisiana, and playing on the road against one of the country’s top sides.
Having the opening game of the season at ‘Death Valley’, Swinney will be looking to take full advantage to get Clemson off to the perfect start.
Clemson Tigers went 6-8 ATS last season, failing to cover in six of its last eight games. But with so many of roster returning, there will be great experience and know-how on the field, which should see them ready to start quickly. They will be feeling that they have their best team in a long time, and their quality will make them feel as though they can get even better.
The last time these two sides played against each other was in the 2020 NCAAF national championship game, where Joe Burrow led LSU to the title. But this LSU team is quite a way off having the talent of that team, which also had the likes of Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
Clemson’s star man Cade Klubnik has a point to prove, and he knows that he can rely on Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore to convert for him. Klubnik is a contender for the Heisman Trophy for a reason, and he’ll do himself no harm in the race for that crown with a top performance here.
The home-field advantage will help, and the individual battles on the field should see Clemson come out on top. The price is going out the closer we get to game time, so take the -175 odds while you can for the best value bet.
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About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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