College Football Week 1: LSU’s Surprising Victory and Major Upsets
The first full Saturday of college football action delivered some unexpected results that have already reshaped the early season landscape. Among the most significant surprises were top-ranked Texas falling to Ohio State and LSU’s impressive road victory over Clemson. These outcomes have analysts and fans alike reconsidering their expectations for the remainder of the season.
In a highly anticipated matchup between two prestigious programs, No. 9 LSU traveled to Death Valley and stunned No. 4 Clemson with a 17-10 victory. What made this win particularly remarkable was LSU’s second-half performance, where they completely turned the game around after trailing 10-3 at halftime. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier outdueled his Heisman-contending counterpart Cade Klubnik, leading the Tigers to 14 unanswered points in the second half. The comeback began with Caden Durham’s 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to tie the game, followed by Nussmeier’s game-winning 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green. This signature victory has immediately elevated LSU’s national profile and playoff credentials.
College football analyst David Pollack couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about LSU’s performance, declaring on social media that “LSU was dominant, man. God, I was blown away with LSU.” Pollack emphasized that “the LSU Tigers should be jacked up for what they saw Week 1 out of their squad,” highlighting how thoroughly impressed he was with their performance against a highly ranked opponent on the road. The statistical dominance backed up this assessment, as LSU outgained Clemson in passing yards, rushing yards, and total offense, demonstrating a complete performance on both sides of the ball.
LSU head coach Brian Kelly attributed the victory to his team’s defensive strategy against Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. “I think getting him out of the pocket and primarily got him out of rhythm,” Kelly explained after the game. “I thought we did that very, very well and we took his running game away. Any quarterback that doesn’t have a running game, it becomes predictable and we had some predictable down the distances because they couldn’t run the football.” The defensive game plan worked perfectly, as Klubnik struggled throughout the contest, completing just 19 of 38 passes for 230 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. This represented a significant disappointment for the Clemson quarterback, who entered the season with high expectations.
Meanwhile, another major upset occurred when third-ranked Ohio State defeated top-ranked Texas 14-7 in a defensive battle. This game featured Arch Manning and the Longhorns falling short against the Buckeyes in one of the most anticipated matchups of the opening weekend. The result immediately shakes up the top of the rankings and creates early questions about Texas’s championship aspirations despite their preseason hype. Combined with Clemson’s loss, this weekend has already created significant movement in the college football hierarchy and will likely lead to substantial changes in the next poll.
Looking ahead, LSU will face Louisiana Tech in Week 2 before a significant SEC matchup against Florida on September 13 in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have positioned themselves well with this statement victory, establishing themselves as serious contenders in both the SEC and the national playoff picture. Coach Kelly’s team demonstrated resilience, tactical flexibility, and championship-level execution in their season opener. If they can maintain this level of performance throughout the season, LSU could find themselves in serious contention for both conference and national championships, a remarkable achievement considering they began the season ranked outside the top five.
