Latest news with #BrianKelly
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How much does LSU football need to beat Clemson in week one? Is it a must win?
LSU football reports for fall camp this week. The Tigers are one month away from opening the 2025 season at Clemson -- yet another opener vs. a big-name opponent. This will mark LSU's sixth consecutive kickoff vs. a Power Four program. LSU has come up short in the previous five openers, a stretch dating back to 2020. LSU enters every season with expectations. It's rarely national championship or bust, but LSU expects to compete for a playoff spot on an annual basis. Over the last five years, that preseason optimism has quickly faded to something else as 0-1 starts have been the norm. And now, as LSU prepares to go on the road and face a Clemson team loaded with potential All-Americans and first-round picks, there's fear that a familiar story could unfold. It begs the question: Is LSU's week one game at Clemson a must-win? Let's start with the playoff implications. Starting 1-0 with a win over a top-right team gives LSU a signature before the calendar hits week two. That's a big deal when you look at how the rest of LSU's schedule shapes up. It's a typical SEC grind that includes meetings with Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida, and Ole Miss. Two of those contests are on the road. In all likelihood, LSU isn't going 4-0 against that bunch of teams. A win vs. Clemson allows LSU to take another loss and remain near the top of the College Football Playoff rankings. Especially if Clemson goes on to be as good as many predict. LSU hasn't gotten the luxury of that margin for error in recent years. Week one losses forced LSU to play the rest of September with a cloud over its head. Every game suddenly became a must-win game. It's hard to play with that type of pressure every week. If LSU can pull off a week one win, we might see a Tigers team that looks much more comfortable the rest of the way. Aside from playoff implications, there's the narrative. If Brian Kelly drops another season opener, there will be rumblings about his job security. Fair or not. I tend to think he's a good coach and one game shouldn't define his 2025 season, but talk will persist nonetheless. Kelly knows that, and he's embraced the pressure of week one this offseason. The entire LSU team has. Beating Clemson has been the sole goal of LSU's offseason preparations. In the era of the 12-team playoff, it's hard to call a week one game a must-win. A team with LSU's schedule can go 9-3 and remain in the playoff discussion. And if LSU goes 10-2, the Tigers are practically a lock. At the same time, the magnitude of this game can't be understated. LSU is riding into the 2025 season with a wealth of momentum, and another 0-1 star will let the air out of that balloon. Clemson isn't a true must-win for LSU -- but it's the next closest thing.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
When does LSU football report for fall camp?
The 2025 college football season is about a month away and LSU football will begin its preparations in the coming days. The Tigers report for fall camp on July 29, with the first date of practice being July 30. They open the 2025 schedule with a top-10 road matchup at Clemson on August 30. LSU is currently a 3.5-point underdog in that contest. Following last season, head coach Brian Kelly's staff went to work in the transfer portal and signed the top class of the cycle. It included overhauls to the wide receiver and defensive end rooms, specifically, both of which benefited from an influx of proven power four talents. Garrett Nussmeier returns for his second season at the helm of LSU's offense. The quarterback is chasing the program's all-time leading passer mark in his fifth year donning the purple and gold. He's expected to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC and compete for the Heisman Trophy. As usual, the expectations are to compete for the College Football Playoff in Baton Rouge.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Clemson football finished among ACC competition, plus game-by-game picks
All that stands between fans and Clemson football is 37 days. With the fateful Saturday approaching, the folks over at went through the 2025 schedules of all ACC teams and predicted each and every game, including Clemson's. Spoiler Alert: Clemson makes it to the ACC championship, but the Tigers don't make it there unscathed. Clemson Football schedule predicted by CFN August 30 will be the fifth time in history that Clemson and LSU meet on the gridiron, and the Bayou Bengals have a 3-1 lead in the all-time series. According to CFN, Clemson fans shouldn't hold their breath going into week one. They predict that the 'Battle of the Death Vallies' will end with a Clemson loss, which would be an embarrassing conclusion after LSU head coach Brian Kelly's comments about Clemson's home stadium. The Tigers are also picked to lose their final game against in-state rival South Carolina, giving the Gamecocks back-to-back Palmetto Bowl victories. However, that's where the losing stops. CFN predicts Clemson to win out the rest of the season, including the Tigers' ACC championship rematch with SMU. Joining Clemson at the top of the ACC is Miami, with a similar record. However, CFN has the Hurricanes losing a conference game, allowing Clemson to finish as the No. 1 team in the ACC. To see CFN's game-by-game ACC predictions, click here. ACC predicted regular season records
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
LSU head coach Brian Kelly takes jabs, calls Clemson's Memorial Stadium 'Death Valley Jr.'
The buildup to Clemson football and LSU's primetime clash on August 30 continues to gain steam, and Tigers head coach Brian Kelly isn't shying away from the spotlight. Speaking Wednesday at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club, Kelly didn't miss the opportunity to take a swipe at Clemson's home turf. 'You need those [championship] traits when you're on the road [at Clemson]; when you're at Death Valley Junior,' Kelly said, reigniting the long-running rivalry over which program holds the true claim to the 'Death Valley' nickname. Kelly's comments came on the heels of what he said earlier this month at SEC Media Days, where he not only praised Clemson as a worthy opponent but explained how the season opener has been central to LSU's offseason preparation. 'It's also a program that is considered a premier program,' Kelly said. 'We got an incredible challenge that we are excited about and one that we are looking forward to.' Recently, Kelly revealed that Clemson's logo has become a daily presence inside LSU's football facility. 'We have made this a specific goal, meaning it is tangible for our guys. You go through our weight room, and we have a Clemson paw print on the bags that we hit every day. It is on every monitor in the building to go 1-0,' he said. Despite the mutual respect he expressed toward Dabo Swinney and Clemson's consistency, Kelly still couldn't help but joke, 'We still think we are THE DEATH VALLEY. They can use the name, too. We are letting them borrow it.' As for his own squad, Kelly is confident in what LSU will put on the field this fall. 'On paper, this is the best roster we will put out there since I have been here,' he said Wednesday. 'It's not just about names. It's about individuals, through the transfer portal process, to win a championship for LSU. They're not here for any other reason.' LSU leads the all-time series 3-1, including a memorable win in the 2019 national championship. Clemson, however, will have home-field advantage this time — in its own version of Death Valley. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with playoff hopes, conference pride, and bragging rights all on the line. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
When does 'SEC Football: Any Given Saturday' come out on Netflix? What Tennessee Vols fans should know
Are the Tennessee Vols about to get their Netflix moment? "SEC Football: Any Given Saturday," an upcoming sports series aims to take fans deep into the world's most competitive college football conference, giving access to players, coaches, staff and more. The highly anticipated, eight-episode series is set to premiere on the streaming platform in August, exploring the 2024 season of the Southeastern Conference. A 1-minute, 53-second trailer was released on July 14 during SEC media days in Atlanta, taking college football fans all over the world into SEC locker-rooms, sidelines and even players' homes with their families. SEC game-day environment will be showcased. What is SEC Football: Any Given Sunday about? This SEC docuseries will highlight the conference's most elite players and coaches. It will offer a look into each team's traditions, routines and lifestyles, showing the journeys of seeking a championship. "This behind-the-scenes docuseries will bring all the drama and pageantry of Southeastern Conference football to a worldwide Netflix audience," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in Netflix's announcement. LSU head coach Brian Kelly, LSU linebacker Whit Weeks, Florida quarterback DJ Lagway and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia were a few faces featured in the trailer, giving interviews. "Whether you're a die-hard fan, a lapsed alum, or just curious what life really like inside college football's most elite conference, the series brings unmatched access to the culture, commitment, and chaos of SEC football," Netflix said in announcement. "It's as much about the grind and emotion as it is about touchdowns and trophies." Which teams may be included in SEC Football: Any Given Saturday? The full roster of teams has not been announced, but according to the Netflix trailer, these organizations could be featured in the series: Tennessee Florida Arkansas Auburn LSU Texas A&M Mississippi State South Carolina Vanderbilt Kentucky Who is producing the SEC football series? "SEC Football: Any Given Saturday" will be produced by Box To Box films, the same production team of "Formula 1: Drive to Survive", "Break Point", "Sprint" and "Full Swing." James Gay-Rees, Paul Martin and Hillary Olsen are set to executive produce the series, while Collin Orcutt will be the showrunner. This show will spotlight the intensity of the SEC and what it takes for these organizations to have success in such a dominate conference. When and how to watch 'SEC Football: Any Given Saturday' The series premieres Aug. 5, only on Netflix. All eight episodes will be available to stream on that day. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: When does 'SEC Football: Any Given Saturday' come out on Netflix?
