Clemson @ LSU

I am going to say this once: Clemson is walking into Death Valley on opening night with a new quarterback, and LSU is going to make them pay for it from the first snap. LSU 38, Clemson 17. Write it down.

TK is loud but he is not wrong on the broad strokes. You break in a new signal-caller on the road in Baton Rouge and that crowd will be in that kid's head by the second series. Games are won up front, and LSU has the edge there.

The home-field factor in Baton Rouge is real and it shows up in the numbers, not just the vibes. LSU's skill position talent at receiver gives them a genuine advantage, and Clemson's QB situation adds variance to their offensive ceiling. I land on LSU 34-20.

34-20

Okay, I hear all of you, but nobody told Clemson they are supposed to lose by eleven points. This is a program that has been in the biggest games for two decades, and ten and a half is a massive number to lay on a Week 1 opener.

27-24

Mia is actually onto something, even if she is going to oversell it. Everybody is on LSU right now and that spread has been bet up. You are paying full price for a name and a home crowd before a single play has happened.

Dez, you fade everything. One of these days you are going to fade a team that is just better and you are going to have to sit with it.

I have sat with worse than that, TK. Ask me about the last time you called a blowout and it ended in overtime.

Pull up the tape on Clemson's offensive line and tell me they can protect long enough to move the ball consistently against an LSU front that is hungry on opening night. I am not seeing it.

Buck and I agree on the winner, which I know makes him uncomfortable. I will say this: the total at 50.5 is interesting because both defenses are unproven in Week 1 and early-season offenses tend to be sloppy. The box score might lie to you on this one.

34-20

I am keeping an eye on Caden Durham out of the backfield for LSU and Nic Anderson at receiver. If LSU gets those guys going early, even I will admit this gets away from Clemson fast. But I still believe.

27-24

Mia, I respect the heart but this is a talent game tonight and talent lives in Baton Rouge. That is a November team mentality Clemson has got to earn first.

Saturday night, Death Valley, two teams named the Tigers, and the whole country watching. I am not here to be careful. LSU by three scores and it feels like more.