ESPN released its schedule superlatives for the 2025 season, breaking down the teams facing the biggest challenges and the teams with the easiest roads ahead.

Clemson was pegged as the team with the toughest Power 4 nonconference schedule.

Of course, the Tigers will open the upcoming campaign at home against LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m., ABC) before hosting Troy at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 (3:30 p.m., ACC Network). Clemson will conclude the regular season with a road trip to rival South Carolina on Nov. 29 (12 p.m., ABC or ESPN).

“This [toughest Power 4 nonconference schedule] was a coin flip between Clemson and Stanford until quarterback Jake Retzlaff departed BYU. Now the trip to No. 10 BYU on Sept. 6 doesn’t look quite as daunting for the Cardinal, who end the season Nov. 29 at home against No. 7 Notre Dame,” ESPN’s Chris Low wrote.

“So Clemson gets the nod. The Tigers open the season Aug. [30] at home against No. 6 LSU, then close the season Nov. 29 on the road against bitter rival South Carolina, which is ranked No. 13. Clemson also faces Troy, a top contender in the Sun Belt Conference, at home a week after the LSU opener.”

ESPN also listed LSU at Clemson, and Clemson at South Carolina, among the “must-see nonconference games” in 2025.

After four previous postseason meetings, this year will mark the first meeting between Clemson and LSU in regular season play. LSU holds a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series against Clemson. The two programs have squared off twice during Dabo Swinney’s tenure, splitting the two contests.

Low chimed in on Dabo Swinney vs. the SEC, including LSU.

“Clemson’s Dabo Swinney gets another shot at the SEC to open the season in the Battle of Death Valleys on Aug. 30 against LSU,” Low wrote. “Clemson is 18-12 vs. the SEC since the start of the 2012 season, but the Tigers have lost seven of their past 10 games to SEC opponents, beginning with a 42-25 loss to LSU in the 2019 national championship game.”