Clemson vs. LSU odds: Kiffin's Tigers heavily favored in Death Valley season opener

No. 11 LSU opens the Lane Kiffin era Saturday night against unranked Clemson at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The market has LSU priced at 77% and Clemson at 23%, as of this writing.

The game marks Clemson's first time opening a season at an SEC venue since a 2016 win at Auburn, and the Tigers enter the year unranked after a 7-6 finish. LSU starts the season ranked No. 11 in Kiffin's debut as head coach, with College GameDay on hand for the marquee non-conference opener.

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Snapshot

Kalshi traders have priced LSU at 77%, with volume on the contract topping $1.9 million. LSU is also priced at 53% to win by over 9.5 points on the companion spread market.

Clemson enters already thin at defensive tackle. Senior Vic Burley, who logged 15 tackles and started the Pinstripe Bowl last season, was suspended indefinitely after an arrest on a disorderly conduct charge in late August, further depleting a position group already replacing all 24 regular-season starts from a year ago.

LSU's headline story is at quarterback. Sam Leavitt, a transfer from Arizona State who helped the Sun Devils win the Big 12 and reach the College Football Playoff in 2024, is Kiffin's projected starter in his first game leading the program. Clemson counters with its own new starter: coach Dabo Swinney named fourth-year junior Christopher Vizzina the starting quarterback this week over true freshman Tait Reynolds, putting him in his first true road start against a ranked opponent. Vizzina's lone career start came last season, a 317-yard, three-touchdown performance in a loss to SMU.

Tiger Stadium's Saturday night crowd is regarded as one of the toughest road environments in the sport, adding another variable for a Clemson team breaking in a new starter under center. The two programs met at Clemson's Memorial Stadium in last year's season opener. This is the first time the series has been played in Baton Rouge.

Kalshi traders have LSU winning by over 9.5 points priced at 53%, as of this writing.

The market has the over on 49.5 total points priced at 51%, as of this writing.

Kalshi traders have LSU priced at 4% on the national championship market, as of this writing.

Kalshi traders have the SEC priced at 38% to produce this season's national champion, just behind the Big Ten (39%), as of this writing.

Kalshi markets now predict:

When is Clemson vs. LSU? The game kicks off Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Where is the game? Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

How can I watch? The game airs on ABC.

What is Kalshi traders' current number? LSU is priced at 77% and Clemson at 23%, as of this writing.

LSU opens Lane Kiffin's tenure as a heavy favorite at home, with Kalshi traders pricing the Tigers at 77% behind a new quarterback in Sam Leavitt against a Clemson team breaking in its own starter.

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