Lane Kiffin was the biggest story in college football at the end of the 2025 regular season. It makes sense that his first game at LSU will be in the spotlight, as ESPN’s College Football GameDay will broadcast live from Baton Rouge prior to the Tigers' regular-season opener against Clemson.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that the popular television show has decided it will be on the LSU campus for the Kiffin debut, which is expected to be electric. This is the 40th season of College GameDay and this will be the popular show’s 500th episode.
When you look at the other games on Sept. 5, the decision makes sense. The preseason polls have yet to come out, but LSU-Clemson is the only game that day that could be a matchup between Top 25 teams.
LSU opened the 2025 season by beating Clemson in the “Other Death Valley” 17-10, which snapped a skid of five consecutive years with a season-opening loss.
With the hiring of Kiffin, a top-ranked transfer portal class for LSU, and a decline in talent with Clemson’s roster, LSU is a 10.5-point favorite to win on what is expected to be a hot, steamy night at the real “Death Valley.”
Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard, and Rece Davis will be on the LSU campus that morning to get the party started.
