Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney joined The Jim Rome Show this week and discussed various topics, including the top-10 matchup against LSU.
Swinney is stoked for the season-opening showdown between his fourth-ranked Clemson Tigers and the No. 9 LSU Tigers.
The game is set to kick off from Clemson’s Death Valley on Aug. 30 and will be televised on ABC, with Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler on the call.
“It’s going to be an epic battle,” Swinney said. “They’re really, really good. We know we have an opportunity to be a good team. They have an opportunity to be a good team. Both big-time quarterbacks that are going to be pros one day. Both teams have a lot of skill, big dudes in the trenches.
“So, it’s going to be an awesome college football environment. I can’t wait to be right here in Death Valley, a night game. I think we’ve got Herbstreit and Fowler doing the game. So, it’s just going to be a classic college football environment right out of the gate. Big boy football. So, it’s going to be fun. We’ve got work to do, but can’t wait.”
The marquee matchup between the respective conference powers will mark Clemson’s first time opening a season at home since 2019, as the Tigers opened all five seasons from 2020-24 either on the road or at a neutral site.
Swinney said he joked with Clemson athletic director Graham Neff about finally opening a season at home again.
“This is our first home opener since 2019. I told my AD, ‘Look, we’ll play the Dallas Cowboys if we could just play at home once this decade,’” Swinney said. “We have yet to open up at home this decade, so I’m happy about that.”
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.
The two programs have squared off twice during Swinney’s tenure, splitting the two contests. The most recent matchup came in the 2019 national title game with LSU winning 42-25.
Clemson is currently a 3.5-point favorite for this year’s game against LSU, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Star quarterback Cade Klubnik will lead Clemson into battle against the Bayou Bengals, and Swinney also spoke about Klubnik and his development over the past three seasons ahead of his senior campaign in 2025.
“He could have gone anywhere he wanted to. He stayed here, he’s developed, and we’ve hung in there with him, and now he’s set up to really go have a great season and a great career, and he’s going to be a great pro one day,” Swinney said.
“But he’s just a kid that loves where he is. He blooms where he’s planted, he loves ball, he’s a gym rat, and I’m just really proud of him. He is a special young leader for us.”
You can watch some of Swinney’s interview on The Jim Rome Show in the following clips: