Death Valley plays host to Week 1's premier game of the week on Saturday, Sept. 5, and our experts are serving up sizzling picks for our Clemson vs. LSU predictions.
Let's dive right into what they have on deck with our college football picks before kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Clemson vs LSU expert picks
For help understanding Kalshi probabilities, please see our odds calculator.
 Probability |
|
|---|---|
 Brad Powers: Under 25.5 1H |
53% |
 Rob Paul: Under 50.5 |
51% |
 Colby Marchio: LSU -9.5 |
53% |
 Chris Vasile: LSU -9.5 |
53% |
 Geoff Clark: Clemson +9.5 |
23% |
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi, one of the best prediction market apps.
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Brad Powers’ expert pick: Under 25.5 1H
Price: 53% at Kalshi
I prefer first half UNDER to full-game after the move off a "key" 51 totals' number.
When one mentions Lane Kiffin, many think offense and high-scoring. The reality is the UNDER was 38-21 in his last 59 games at Mississippi.
Clemson quarterback Christopher Vizzina will be making his first road start in front of the most hostile environment in college football this weekend. Expect a conservative gameplan early from Clemson new offensive coordinator Chad Morris.
Rob Paul’s expert pick: Under 50.5
Price: 51% at Kalshi
With 28 of the 44 players on LSU's projected two-deep being new to the program - including the starting QB, lead running back, and all six top receivers - the Tigers' offense should get off to a slow start against a Clemson defense ranked 16th by SP+.
Clemson's offense is poised to get off to an even slower start, with Christopher Vizzina making just his second career start at QB (against the No. 2 ranked defense by SP+) and Chad Morris calling plays for the first time since 2020.
Colby Marchio’s expert pick: LSU -9.5
Price: 53% at Kalshi
I have gone back and forth on who I like in this matchup, but with this number sitting at 9.5 in favor of LSU, I trust the hometown kitties.
Back in July, I wrote that Clemson would stay under its 7.5-win total, noting that the defense would remain solid, but the issues on offense would continue.
The buzz surrounding starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina has not sounded too promising, and trusting a Dabo Swinney-led team is not the same as it once was.
This is not your older brother’s Clemson team.
Give me the Baton Rouge Tigers.
Chris Vasile’s expert pick: LSU -9.5
Price: 53% at Kalshi
Clemson heads into Death Valley with a new starting quarterback and four departed veteran offensive linemen who combined for 161 career starts. That’s a tough spot against a Blake Baker defense that held Clemson to 10 points last year.
LSU won that game despite averaging just 22.8 points per game. With Lane Kiffin and Sam Leavitt upgrading the offense, and question marks surrounding Clemson's DL and LB depth, I’m laying the points with the hosts.
Geoff Clark’s expert pick: Clemson +9.5
Price: 23% at Kalshi
The Dabo Swinney disrespect, or Lane Kiffin hype, has gone too far. Clemson was -4 at home in this matchup last season and now it’s +9.5 on the road. Even if you adjust for LSU’s home-field advantage, a 13.5-point swing is a bit much.
Both teams are stacked with four- and five-star recruits. But Kiffin has rebuilt LSU while Clemson has some of the most continuity of any program in the country.
I’m “buying low” on Dabo and I’m willing to bet Clemson down to +7.5.
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How to watch Clemson vs LSU
| Location | Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA |
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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