LSU Upsets Clemson in Battle of Death Valley

Garrett Nussmeier threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green in the fourth quarter, and No. 9 LSU rallied past fourth-ranked Clemson 17-10 on Saturday night for its first season-opening win since 2019, when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to an undefeated season and a national championship.

Nussmeier, who eclipsed 4,000 yards passing in his first year as a starter in 2024 after biding his time behind Jayden Daniels, got better as game went on, throwing for 134 of his 230 yards in the second half while leading two touchdown drives.

Caden Durham rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown for LSU.

LSU, retooled with a highly touted class of transfers, showed the mental and physical toughness that coach Brian Kelly was seeking after trailing 10-3 at the half.

LSU’s stifling defense limited first-team preseason Associated Press All-America quarterback Cade Klubnik to 19-of-38 passing for 230 yards and an interception.

With 4 1/2 minutes left, Clemson got the ball with a chance to tie the game but failed to manage a single first down with Klubnik under constant pressure.

LSU couldn’t capitalize and had to punt the ball back, giving Clemson one more shot with 1:54 remaining.

Klubnik got Clemson to the LSU 15 before a hurried pass on fourth-and-4 fell incomplete with a defender in his face.

It didn’t help that Clemson lost star wide receiver Antonio Williams, a second-team preseason AP All-American, to an injury early in the first quarter.

It was expected to be a high-scoring matchup featuring a pair of Heisman Trophy hopefuls at QB and two of the nation’s top offenses from a year ago.

But defenses set the tone early, with the only first-half touchdown coming on a 1-yard plunge by Clemson’s Adam Randall on a fourth-down gamble by coach Dabo Swinney. Clemson’s defense forced two fumbles by LSU wide receivers in the first half, including Ronan Hanafin’s strip of Chris Hilton Jr. at the Clemson 13 in the closing seconds, preserving a 10-3 halftime lead.

But the momentum changed early in the third quarter after Clemson’s Nolan Hauser, the hero of last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship win, missed a 48-yard field goal.

Nussmeier began carving up Clemson’s defense on the ensuing drive with completions of 36 and 14 yards to Aaron Anderson. LSU missed a field goal, but came back to score on its next possession when Nussmeier found Green in the right corner of the end zone.

Ring of honor

Clemson honored its latest Ring of Honor member, Michael Dean Perry, at halftime.

Takeaways

LSU: The Tigers’ run defense was dominant, holding Clemson to 31 yards on 20 carries.

Clemson: The injury to Williams hurt, but receiver is one of the team’s deepest positions with Swinney saying earlier this offseason that any of six players could start. That depth will be tested moving forward.

Up next

Both teams are back in action next Saturday, with LSU at home against Louisiana Tech and Clemson hosting Troy.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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