LSU vs Clemson Betting Guide – Odds, Picks & Predictions

NCAAF

Since their last College Football Playoff appearance in 2020, the Clemson Tigers have been on the outside looking in. Clemson fell behind other programs on the issues of NIL and the transfer portal. But after four years of frustration, head coach Dabo Swinney has finally decided to adapt.

Last year, Clemson showed the first signs of a return to glory with a CFP appearance. Although they were outclassed in the first round, they improved. Now, after a productive offseason, Clemson is getting plenty of future market love.

Meanwhile, for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, fans in the Bayou are demanding a spot in the expanded CFP. Like Clemson, the Tigers and Kelly had a strong offseason of upgrades.

LSU vs. Clemson Preview

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, the Clemson Tigers will host the LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, SC. Kickoff time is at 7:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC.

There are few venues greater than Clemson Memorial Stadium on a Saturday night, thus its moniker of Death Valley. But LSU plays home games at its own Death Valley and, thus, will be used to the insane and electric atmosphere of perhaps the best Week 1 game on the board.

In three years at LSU, Brian Kelly has had three top-15 offenses, the best offensive player in the country (Jayden Daniels in 2023), and the best defensive player in the country (Harold Perkins Jr. late in 2022).

His Tigers have beaten three top-10 teams, and they've spent parts of all three seasons in the AP top 10. They're also 0-3 in season openers, having lost to three unranked teams and four games by at least 20 points.

Their offenses have been consistently good, but they've averaged just a 36.3 ranking in defensive SP+ and 73.3 in special teams.

Gamblers are excited about watching Clemson in 2025, primarily because we'll get to find out exactly what a Swinney program is capable of in the mid-2020s. If the Tigers are ever going to be elite again, you figure it's going to come with this wonderfully experienced team.

Suppose the offense, which has lacked pop for years, is ever going to produce lots of explosions again. In that case, Klubnik will distribute to Wesco, Moore, Haynes & Co. If the defense is going to rebound, it will be with this combination of experience and a new, proven DC. It's going to be fascinating to discover what the Tigers can do.

LSU vs. Clemson Predictions

Clemson is a trending pick to win the national championship with many gamblers. Clemson has the better defense, and home field advantage will certainly help.

But Dabo Swinney has rekindled the magic at Clemson, and a win over LSU will be quite a statement maker for the campaign ahead. Finally, the price is reasonable enough to make the small lay against LSU, a team that has not proven it can field a reliable defense.

LSU Tigers at Clemson Tigers Prime Best Bet: Clemson Tigers

LSU vs. Clemson Betting Tips

The Clemson Tigers opened as a -3.5-point home favorite with a moneyline price of -166. The LSU Tigers opened as a +3.5-point road dog with a moneyline price of +140. Clemson and LSU opened with a total of 57.5.

Both teams will draw their share of public support. Each has strong brand recognition. Clemson may draw more support as the power home team that is getting positive preseason hype. While LSU may draw more action from bargain hunters and sharps as the power road dog that is also touted as an improved College Football Playoff contender.

LSU vs. Clemson Head-to-Head and Key Stats

The last time that Clemson and LSU met was in the 2019 national championship game. LSU won in a rout, 42-25, as -4.5-point favorites, with the game going over the total of 66.5.

LSU has struggled to get the money consistently as a road dog. The Bayou Bengals covered only eight of their last 20 games as underdogs on the road. LSU went over the total in seven of its latest 20 games as a road dog.

Meanwhile, the Clemson Tigers got the cash in eight of their last 14 games as home favorites. Clemson went over the total in 12 of its last 20 games as home chalk.