When the College Football season kicks off, we may get the best regular season game of the year in week 1. The LSU Tigers are heavily expected to make the College Football Playoff yet, they'll head to South Carolina to take on the defending ACC Champion Clemson Tigers. As team's are more focused on ensuring they don't take a loss that could cost them a Playoff bid, both teams are willing to play each other giving the fans an incredible game.
The difficult aspect of projecting who will win this matchup is the fact that both Tigers are loaded across the board. When you look at the Way-Too-Early Mock Drafts for the 2026 NFL Draft, you don't have to go long between picks before you see the next LSU or Clemson Tiger. After looking at the mock drafts and expert projections, the following storylines stand out.
A loaded Clemson Defensive Line faces a brand new LSU offensive line
The first thing that shows up when you take a look at Clemson's projected 2026 draft picks is the fact that the Clemson Tigers have an absolutely loaded defensive line. In most mock drafts, edge rusher T.J. Parker is a Top-5 selection and the first defensive player projected to be drafted. On the interior, defensive tackle Peter Woods further drives home that sentiment projected to be a Top 15 selection. Add defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart who's a Top-90 player in the draft class to the equation and there's no easy matchup on Clemson's defensive line.
Facing that much talent on the defensive line would be a tall task for any team but for LSU the first week matchup is even more difficult. The Tigers will be debuting an offensive line that just lost 4 starters to the NFL Draft meaning LSU will have 4 new starters looking to gel on the road against one of the best fronts in the Country.
Two of the best Quarterbacks in the Country duel
In almost any matchup, you feel the best when you have the advantage at quarterback, when Clemson and LSU face off neither team may have that advantage. In any mock draft you look at, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik are two of the first quarterbacks to come off the board and at times they're the 1st and 2nd overall picks.
Cade Klubnik had one of the most underrated seasons with an incredible 36-6 touchdown to interception ratio. Coming into his third season as the starter, Klubnik is comfortable in the offense and will be able to help lead his team as they break in several new pieces.
Garrett Nussmeier waited his time at LSU sitting behind Jayden Daniels until it was finally his team in 2024. At times, Nussmeier looked like the best quarterback in the SEC but, he also had a rough stretch in the back half of the season. After passing for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, if Nussmeier can cut down on his mistakes he'll have a chance to win the Heisman and solidify his status as a Top-10 pick.
The supporting casts are just as talented as the Quarterbacks
The quarterbacks are both the leads for their teams but, the supporting casts are both National Championship good on their own. Along with the defensive line, on Clemson's side of this matchup, Avieon Terrell is often mock drafted as the top cornerback in the class and a top-15 selection. Wide Receiver Antonio Williams often gets selected as a first round pick as well while many believe he's the best receiver in the class. Offensive Tackle Blake Miller is also projected as a Top-75 pick in the draft giving Clemson another key piece.
On LSU's side, there's no clear 1st round pick aside from Garrett Nussmeier but, there are several pieces in the conversation. If Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr fully recover from their injuries, they're often projected in the back half of the first round. The same can be said for transfer wide receiver Nic Anderson who is coming off of a significant quad injury. Aaron Anderson and Mansoor Delane join the group as Top-60 prospects as well.