LSU football vs Clemson recap: LSU defeats Clemson in top

Louisiana State University quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) passes the ball during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, August 31, 2025.

No. 9 LSU came out victorious in the battle for the name of the true "Death Valley."

LSU defeated No. 6 Clemson 17-10 on Saturday, Aug. 30 from Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina in Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, marking the first 1-0 start for coach Brian Kelly since he took over at LSU.

Following the victory, Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier proclaimed he's "excited to return to 'Death Valley,'" the nickname both schools use for their home field. Nussmeier threw for 230 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter in the victory.

Nussmeier's 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey'Dez Green with 12:18 left in the fourth quarter gave LSU its first lead of the game. Elsewhere, Caden Durham finished with 17 rushes for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Aaron Anderson led LSU with six catches for 99 yards.

LSU shut out Clemson in the second half and limited the Dabo Swinney-led squad to 151 total yards in the second half, with 42 of them coming on the final drive.

Cade Klubnik finished 19 of 38 passing for 230 yards and an interception. Clemson was limited to just 31 rushing yards on 20 attempts in the loss. LSU is now 4-1 record vs. Clemson, including a 42-25 win in the 2020 College Football Playoff national championship game.

USA TODAY brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out:

LSU vs Clemson score

This section will be updated.

LSU vs Clemson recap

Final: LSU 17, Clemson 10

Final stats for LSU-Clemson

Brian Kelly leads LSU to season opener win

Brian Kelly is victorious in the LSU season opener for the first time in his fourth season leading the program. LSU picks up a 17-10 win over Clemson on the road behind a 230-yard performance from Garrett Nussmeier.

LSU will hold on for victory over Clemson

Cade Klubnik's fourth-down pass to T.J. Moore falls incomplete. That's a turnover on downs for Clemson inside the LSU 20. That essentially will end the ball game and LSU will hold on for the 17-10 victory over Clemson.

Harold Perkins applies the pressure and forces Klubnik to make an errant throw.

Clemson driving in LSU red zone

Credit to Clemson; the Tigers aren't going away. Following an LSU punt returned by Clemson to its own 43, Klubnik and Co. are driving to tie the game and potentially send the game to overtime in Memorial Stadium. Clemson faces fourth-and-4 with 1:04 left at the LSU 11-yard line.

LSU punts from Clemson 40

Clemson defense does its job to limit LSU to no points on the ensuing drive, though Nussmeier and the Tigers did advance all the way to the Clemson 30-yard line. Klubnik and Co. will take over at their 25-yard line following a touchback.

Clemson turns ball over on downs

Cade Klubnik's fourth-down pass to T.J. Moore falls incomplete from the LSU 33-yard line. That results in a turnover on downs for Clemson. LSU will take over from the 33 with just over nine minutes left and a seven-point lead.

Garrett Nussmeier TD pass to Trey'Dez Green gives LSU first lead

Garrett Nussmeier hits Trey'Dez Green for an 8-yard touchdown on a jump ball to give LSU its first lead of the game at 17-10 with 12:18 left in the game. Green boxed out Avieon Terrell to make the go-ahead catch.

The scoring drive is 11 plays for 73 yards and took 5:51 off the game clock.

Most importantly for LSU, Nussmeier appears fully healthy after the scare earlier in the drive.

End of third quarter: Clemson 10, LSU 10

Garrett Nussmeier limping after late hit

Something to monitor moving forward: LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is limping after taking a late hit from Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker. He did not leave the field but is clearly dinged up as the game heads into the fourth quarter.

LSU robbed of TD catch; Damian Ramos misses FG

Damian Ramos misses a 46-yard field goal and comes out hobbling with a non-contact injury. This all comes after it appeared Garrett Nussmeier hit Barion Brown for a 27-yard touchdown.

It was initially ruled short on the field, but the replay booth asked for a review. The broadcast thought it would be ruled a touchdown, however it was ruled an incomplete pass and ended up costing LSU six points in a tie game.

Mansoor Delane intercepts Cade Klubnik

LSU forces its first turnover of the season as Mansoor Delane picks off a pass from Cade Klubnik. LSU takes over on its own 46-yard line with a chance to take its first lead of the game.

Caden Durham rushing TD ties game

Caden Durham scores from 2 yards out to tie the game 10-10 with 8:59 left in the third quarter. A pair of penalties on Clemson aided the touchdown scoring drive. Durham has nine rushes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

The drive goes nine plays for 69 yards and takes 3:48 off the clock.

Nolan Hauser misses field goal to extend Clemson lead

Nolan Hauser misses a 48-yard field goal for Clemson and the score remains 10-3 in favor of Clemson with 12:47 left in the third quarter.

LSU allows Clemson to reach its 30-yard line, but buckles down to force the field goal attempt, which is no good.

Clemson starts on offense to start second half

LSU will start the second half on defense as Clemson deferred during the coin toss.

Halftime: Clemson 10, LSU 3

Halftime stats for Clemson-LSU

Halftime stats

LSU trails Clemson 10-3 at halftime

LSU will enter halftime trailing 10-3 after failing to convert a fourth-and-2 from the Clemson 11. Garrett Nussmeier hits Chris Hilton Jr. with a short pass, but Hilton is short and fumbles it, with Clemson's Kylon Griffin coming up with the recovery.

Griffin also forced the fourth down by breaking up a pass on third down intended for Aaron Anderson.

Adam Randall gives Clemson first TD of season, lead

Adam Randall's 1-yard score on fourth-and-goal gives Clemson its first touchdown of the season and a 10-3 lead with 4:36 left in the first half.

Clemson's scoring drive is 13 plays for 75 yards and takes 6:17 off the game clock.

Damian Ramos ties game 3-3 with field goal for LSU

Damian Ramos hits a 53-yard field goal to even the game at 3-3 with 10:53 left in the first half. The field goal is two yards off Ramos' career-high of 55 yards.

After Garrett Nussmeier was sacked on second down, Brian Kelly called a conservative short pass to Ju'Juan Johnson for 9 yards to get LSU into field goal range.

The scoring drive is eight plays for 49 yards and takes 4:47 off the game clock.

End of first quarter: Clemson 3, LSU 0

Clemson leads LSU 3-0 after first quarter

Clemson exits the first quarter with a 3-0 lead over LSU. Nolan Hauser hit a 42-yard field goal following an LSU fumble for the only score of the game so far.

LSU has outgained Clemson 77-36, but the turnover is the difference in the game early on.

Nolan Hauser gives Clemson lead on field goal

Following the turnover, LSU's defense makes a stop on the sudden field change. Nolan Hauser connects on a 42-yard field goal to give Clemson a 3-0 lead with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter.

The scoring drive is three plays for 0 yards and takes 54 seconds off the game clock.

Clemson forces fumble, takes over in LSU territory

Bauer Sharp catches a ball from Garrett Nussmeier but fumbles it and Clemson's Ricardo Jones recovers it and returns it to the LSU 24-yard line.

LSU defense forces 3-and-out from Clemson

PJ Woodland sacks Cade Klubnik on third-and-long to force a three-and-out for Clemson on its first drive. LSU stands up and gets a defensive stop to start the season.

LSU begins its second drive on its own 37-yard line following a holding penalty.

First drive of season ends in punt for LSU

LSU's first drive of the season got off to a promising start with a 24-yard rush by running back Caden Durham. However, the Tigers punted the ball from the Clemson 39-yard line, with the punt going for a touchback.

Cade Klubnik and Clemson will start on their own 20-yard line.

LSU opens 2025 season on offense

LSU will open on offense to start the new season after Clemson won the toss and opted to defer to the second half.

Pregame

College football game scores today

No. 1 Texas was knocked off by No. 2 Ohio State 14-7 in Columbus, Ohio; No. 8 Alabama is trailing Florida State 24-17 midway through the fourth quarter. LSU will have a chance to climb from the No. 9 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll with a win.

LSU depth chart vs Clemson

Montgomery Advertiser LSU beat writer Cory Diaz has a look at the LSU two-deep depth chart for the matchup against Clemson. Check it out here.

LSU players warming up in '1-0' shirts

LSU is confident it can win against Clemson on the road. The players warming up are wearing warm-up shirts that say, "1-0" ahead of the matchup.

Cade Klubnik leads Clemson against LSU

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik will be under center for the season opener. Klubnik, like Nussmeier, is an early contender for the Heisman Trophy and the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

He enjoyed a breakout 2024 with 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns to six interceptions. Here's a look at his NFL draft prospects heading into the 2025 college football season.

Garrett Nussmeier looking to lead LSU past Clemson

Garrett Nussmeier is back as the starting quarterback for LSU, and he could be in for a big season. Not only is Nussmeier an early contender for the Heisman Trophy, but with a strong season, he could be in the talks for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Here's a look at his draft projections heading into the 2025 college football season.

What time does LSU vs Clemson start?

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
• Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
• Where: Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina

The Week 1 matchup between LSU and Clemson is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 30, from Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

What TV channel is LSU vs Clemson on today?

• TV: ABC
• Streaming: ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)

LSU vs Clemson will air nationally on ABC. Streaming options include the ESPN app, ESPN+ and Fubo, the last of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

LSU-Clemson predictions

• Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Sports: Clemson 27, LSU 24

"With two evenly matched teams facing off, homefield advantage late will prove to help Clemson prove to have the true 'Death Valley' as a late touchdown pass from Klubnik gives Clemson the victory."

• Cory Diaz, Lafayette Daily Advertiser:Clemson 27, LSU 24

"Two evenly-matched teams and no team leads by more than one score throughout. Naturally, the game comes down to the final seconds and Clemson, because of the backing of its home crowd, walks it off on a game-winning field goal."

• Derrian Carter, Greenville News: Clemson 31, LSU 27

"This will be one of the most anticipated home games for Clemson in years as both teams have Heisman candidate quarterbacks and national championship aspirations. LSU hasn't won a season-opening game since 2019, and that trend will continue as Clemson wins in a prime-time thriller."

LSU football schedule 2025

Here is LSU's schedule and results.

• Saturday, Aug. 30: at No. 6 Clemson | 6:30 p.m. | ABC (ESPN+)
• Saturday, Sept. 6: vs. Louisiana Tech | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+
• Saturday, Sept. 13: vs. No. 17 Florida* | 6:30 p.m. | ABC (ESPN+)
• Saturday, Sept. 20: vs. Southeast Louisiana
• Saturday, Sept. 27: at No. 15 Ole Miss*
• Saturday, Oct. 4: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. No. 13 South Carolina*
• Saturday, Oct. 18: at Vanderbilt*
• Saturday, Oct. 25: vs. No. 21 Texas A&M*
• Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 8: at No. 8 Alabama*
• Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. Arkansas
• Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Western Kentucky
• Saturday, Nov. 29: at Oklahoma*

*Denotes SEC game

Clemson football schedule 2025

Here is Clemson's schedule for the 2025 season:

• Saturday, Aug. 30: vs. No. 9 LSU | 6:30 p.m. | ABC (ESPN+)
• Saturday, Sept. 6: at Troy | 2:30 p.m. | ACC Network (ESPN+)
• Saturday, Sept. 13: at Georgia Tech* | 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 20: vs. Syracuse*
• Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 4: at North Carolina*
• Saturday, Oct. 11: at Boston College*
• Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 16 SMU*
• Saturday, Oct. 25: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 1: vs. Duke*
• Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Florida State*
• Friday, Nov. 14: at Louisville*
• Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Furman
• Saturday, Nov. 29: at No. 13 South Carolina

*Denotes ACC game

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football vs Clemson recap: LSU defeats Clemson in top-10 battle

Reporting by Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORK / Lafayette Daily Advertiser

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