Lane Kiffin leads LSU to 51-10 victory over Clemson in season opener
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 7, 2026, 11:54 PM
Last updated Sep 7, 2026
Lane Kiffin began his tenure as LSU head coach on Saturday with a 51-10 victory over Clemson. The Tigers offense generated 600 yards and a program-record 38 first downs during the contest. Quarterback Sam Leavitt contributed 112 rushing yards and 230 passing yards in his debut for the team. Analysts ranked the performance as the top coaching debut among the 31 head coaches in new positions across the Bowl Subdivision for 2026. The win followed significant offseason hype surrounding the roster talent under Kiffin. LSU prepares to move forward after a successful opening showing against a high-profile opponent.
- •LSU defeated Clemson 51-10 on Saturday.
- •The Tigers totaled 600 yards of offense and 38 first downs.
- •Sam Leavitt recorded 342 total yards in his debut for LSU.
- •The performance is currently ranked as the best head coach debut of 2026.
- 11:54 PMYahoo Sports — Lane Kiffin's LSU football coaching debut was the best of 2026
"Lane Kiffin earned high praise after his LSU Tigers throttled Clemson on Saturday night. Kiffin's coaching debut was the best of 2026.
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