Week 1 is almost here, even if we have to wait all Saturday for arguably the premier matchup of the day. LSU leaves its own Death Valley to enter another, going up against Clemson. It’s a storyline galore matchup, no matter which way you look at it. Predictions for the game have begun to roll […]
Week 1 is almost here, even if we have to wait all Saturday for arguably the premier matchup of the day. LSU leaves its own Death Valley to enter another, going up against Clemson. It’s a storyline galore matchup, no matter which way you look at it.
Predictions for the game have begun to roll in, including from Josh Pate. He is going with Dabo Swinney and Clemson to not just win but cover as well. More than anything, Pate is banking on Clemson’s wide receivers making an impact in crunch time. The likes of TJ Moore, Bryant Wesco, and Antonio Williams against an unfamiliar LSU secondary.
“If you’re banking on Clemson’s offense to get it done on third down more this year, it’s because I trust those guys to win contested balls,” Pate said via Josh Pate’s College Football Show. “I think that will happen here. And that is why I’m going to ride Clemson to win, ride Clemson to cover. Competitive game decided in the fourth quarter.”
For a few years, finding an elite receiver was difficult for Clemson. A program proud of doing such throughout Swinney’s tenure, the group emerged at the end of 2024. Cade Klubnik settled into a groove once they did, bringing all this excitement to the Tigers’ chance moving forward.
Looking at this from LSU’s perspective, there is no sugarcoating how important this one is for them. Brian Kelly needs to make a statement heading into his fourth year. The program, as a whole, is looking to snap a five-year losing streak in openers.
Pate is not picking LSU to leave town with a win. However, if they can pull off an upset, he sees a world where the ball really gets rolling in Baton Rouge.
“If I’m wrong and LSU goes up there and wins, it becomes pretty apparent pretty quickly that the JP Poll was too low on them, I was too low on them, and at that point, it’s off to the races,” Pate said. “This is what God created big Week 1 matchups for.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET with ESPN having the broadcast. The network’s top crew will be on the call with play-by-play voice Chris Fowler, color analyst Kirk Herbstreit, and sideline reporter Holly Rowe. Everyone is hoping the showdown lives up to the hype, producing an instant classic to get the 2025 season started in a grand fashion.
Category: General Sports
