Football is weird. Seriously. You have two massive programs, both claiming the "Death Valley" moniker, both wearing shades of orange or purple, and yet they’ve only met a handful of times in over a century. But when they do? It’s usually a car crash of elite talent and high-stakes drama.
If you’re looking for the LSU and Clemson score from their most recent clash, you’re likely thinking of the August 30, 2025, season opener. It was a defensive slugfest that felt nothing like the high-flying shootouts we've seen in the past.
LSU walked out of Memorial Stadium with a 17-10 victory.
It wasn't pretty. Honestly, for the first half, it was downright frustrating if you like offense. Clemson held a 10-3 lead at the break, and it felt like Dabo Swinney’s squad had finally figured out how to lock down the post-Joe Burrow era Tigers. Then the second half happened. LSU’s defense decided to turn into a brick wall, pitching a shutout over the final 30 minutes.
The 2025 Defensive Stand in South Carolina
Coming into that game, everyone was talking about the quarterbacks. Garrett Nussmeier versus Cade Klubnik.
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Nussmeier was the one who kept his cool. He didn't put up video game numbers—finishing 28-of-38 for 230 yards—but he was efficient when it mattered. The turning point was an 8-yard fade to Trey’Dez Green in the fourth quarter. That catch put LSU up 17-10, and Clemson simply had no answer.
Clemson’s run game was nonexistent. Like, actually gone. They finished with 31 rushing yards as a team. You can't win big games in the SEC or the ACC if you're running for less than a yard per carry. LSU's front seven lived in the backfield, making Klubnik’s life miserable for most of the second half.
The stadium was deafening, yet by the final whistle, the only thing you could hear were the LSU fans who made the trip East. It was LSU’s first season-opening win since 2019. That’s a long time to wait for a Week 1 "W."
Quick Look at the 2025 Box Score
- Final Score: LSU 17, Clemson 10
- Passing: Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) 230 YDS, 1 TD; Cade Klubnik (CLEM) 230 YDS, 1 INT
- Key Stat: Clemson outscored 14-0 in the second half.
- Rushing: Clemson held to just 31 total yards.
The 2020 National Championship: A Different Universe
You can't talk about the LSU and Clemson score without mentioning the 2020 National Championship. That game was a total 180 from the 2025 defensive battle.
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It was a masterpiece. Joe Burrow was a man possessed. He threw for 463 yards and five touchdowns, leading LSU to a 42-25 win in the Superdome. It snapped Clemson’s 29-game winning streak. At the time, Trevor Lawrence hadn't lost a single game in college.
LSU fell behind early—17-7 in the second quarter—and people started wondering if the "Greatest Team Ever" talk was premature. Then Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase just... exploded. Chase had 221 receiving yards. Two hundred and twenty-one. Against a Brent Venables defense. It remains one of the most dominant individual performances in the history of the sport.
All-Time Series: A Surprisingly Rare Sight
Despite both being powerhouses, they’ve only played five times. LSU leads the series 4-1.
- 1959 Sugar Bowl: LSU 7, Clemson 0 (Billy Cannon’s era).
- 1996 Peach Bowl: LSU 10, Clemson 7.
- 2012 Peach Bowl: Clemson 25, LSU 24 (The lone Clemson win, decided by a last-second field goal).
- 2020 National Championship: LSU 42, Clemson 25.
- 2025 Season Opener: LSU 17, Clemson 10.
Basically, if these two are playing, bet on the Under. Aside from the Burrow-led track meet in New Orleans, these games are historically low-scoring, physical, and decided by a single possession.
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Why the Score Matters for the Playoff
In the current landscape, a Week 1 result like the 17-10 LSU win carries massive weight. For LSU, it provided the resume cushion they needed to survive a mid-season stumble. For Clemson, it sparked an immediate debate about their offensive identity and the lack of explosive plays in Dabo’s system.
If you're tracking these scores for betting or just to win an argument at the bar, remember that the "home" Death Valley hasn't been kind to Clemson lately in this specific matchup.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
Check the upcoming 2026 schedules to see if a rematch is brewing in the postseason. LSU's defensive metrics from the Clemson game are the gold standard for how to shut down a modern RPO-heavy offense. If you're looking for highlights, the 2025 condensed game on YouTube is a masterclass in secondary play and pressure-cooked quarterbacking.