LSU 51, Clemson 10: Tigers Dominate in Lane Kiffin’s Debut

Sep 9

2 min read

Updated: 15 hours ago

LANE KIFFIN TRACKER — 2-0 at LSU

Lane Kiffin is 2-0 as LSU head coach after a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech. His next game is a return to Oxford against Ole Miss on September 19. Full recap: https://www.tigerhype.com/post/lsu-louisiana-tech-45-14-recap-2026

LSU opened the Lane Kiffin era with a statement: a 51-10 win over Clemson on Sept. 5, 2026, at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers controlled the opener from start to finish, piling up 644 yards while holding Clemson to 145 and setting a school record with 38 first downs.

LSU 51, Clemson 10 scoreboard graphic from Lane Kiffin's 2026 debut.

LSU vs. Clemson final score

Quick answer

LSU opened the Lane Kiffin era with a 51-10 win over Clemson, piling up 644 yards as Sam Leavitt accounted for three touchdowns in Tiger Stadium.

Final: LSU 51, Clemson 10
LSU total offense: 644 yards
Clemson total offense: 145 yards
LSU first downs: school-record 38
LSU record: 1-0

Sam Leavitt leads a balanced LSU attack

Quarterback Sam Leavitt completed 16 of 28 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown while adding 113 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. He accounted for three touchdowns in his LSU debut and was later named SEC Offensive Player of the Week.

Running back Dilin Jones also rushed for 113 yards and scored twice. Winston Watkins Jr. led the receiving corps with seven catches for 110 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown reception.

LSU defense keeps Clemson contained

The Tigers paired the offensive explosion with a dominant defensive performance. Jordan Ross returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown, and Clemson managed only 145 total yards. LSU carried a shutout deep into the fourth quarter before Clemson scored its lone touchdown late.

Why the opener matters

The result gave Kiffin a 1-0 start at LSU and immediately changed the national conversation around the Tigers. LSU moved from No. 11 to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 on Sept. 8 and also rose to No. 8 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

It was only Week 1, but the combination of explosive offense, rushing balance and defensive control gave LSU an early résumé-building win and a strong first data point for the 2026 season.

What's next for LSU

LSU followed the Clemson win with a 45-14 victory over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12 and now visits Ole Miss on Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Read the Louisiana Tech game recap for the full Week 2 result and key takeaways.