Lane Kiffin's LSU era begins with easy victory over Clemson - ESPN

BATON ROUGE, La. — It turns out LSU doesn't need any more NFL talent on its roster — it's already oozing it, and it was on full display on a steamy Saturday night in the No. 11 Tigers' resounding 51-10 win against unranked Clemson.

The entire week leading up to the biggest game of Labor Day weekend was filled with speculation about whether first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin would go against the newly implemented rules of the SEC and add two former NFL players who had been cut from professional rosters but were granted a fifth year of eligibility by a local judge. The university, its president, coach, and athletic director were at the epicenter of controversy and a national debate on eligibility.

With scouts and personnel from 17 different NFL teams watching, along with a raucous, damp, sell-out crowd of 102,321 that waited through a two-hour weather delay, LSU put on a show with the players it already had. Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt, who injured his foot last year, looked like he did in 2024, when he led the Sun Devils to the Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Wisconsin transfer running back Dilin Jones resembled the downhill runner he was before he suffered a turf toe injury against Ohio State that ended his season. Together they combined for four rushing touchdowns.

Both players were complimented by an offensive line that pushed Clemson around and receivers who consistently blocked for them to take off for big gains. Kiffin infused his first roster with 48 transfers — the top portal class in the country, according to ESPN.com — but they played with a well-choreographed cohesiveness that resembled the familiarity of a veteran team. Together they methodically dismantled Clemson