LSU Football fans have waited long to hear it: LSU is 1-0.
For the first time since 2019, LSU has won a season opener. And not just any season opener against a cupcake opponent. The 2025 Tigers are 1-0 thanks to an impressive Week 1 win against a top-five team on the road. The win is raising eyebrows across the country, and signals that the Tigers are firmly in the National Championship conversation this season.
One game at a time
LSU's mantra of offseason preparations has been simple: One game at a time. Over the last several seasons, LSU fans heard all about how LSU can't win in openers and how Brian Kelly wasn't fixing the problem, as he suffered back-to-back losses to Florida State and a loss to USC last season. But Kelly got it done this time.
After five years of starting 0-1, the Tigers took that one game at a time mentality to Memorial Stadium fully focused on leaving with a victory. They succeeded.
The Goal: One game at a time pic.twitter.com/NgyNSeOolh
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 30, 2025
LSU earns massive win at Clemson thanks to vastly improved defense
The top-10 matchup on Saturday night was a slugfest where nothing came easy. Both offenses looked out of sync early, and a low-scoring game turned into a defensive battle. LSU's defense has been the main cause of frustration among Tiger fans in recent seasons, but the 2025 defense looks vastly improved. With such a dominating performance, the LSU defense looked like the Tiger defenses of old on Saturday night.
LSU DB’s are looking much more like LSU DB’s ain’t they?
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 31, 2025
Clemson mustered up a measly 31 rushing yards on the night, and LSU's secondary shut down Clemson's passing game. In total, LSU held Clemson to just 261 yards of total offense, and just 13 total first downs. Potential top-five pick Cade Klubnik struggled all game long, completing just 50 percent of his passes on the evening.
Veteran QB Garrett Nussmeier didn't put together an other-wordly stat line, but he remained poised, calm, and confident, ultimately leading LSU to a huge win. His eight-yard touchdown pass to Trey'Dez Green early in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winning score.
With a win like this under their belts, it's off to the races for the 2025 Tigers. LSU is back in action next Saturday, Sept. 6 against Louisiana Tech at Tiger Stadium.