During a segment on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday morning, ESPN’s lead college football analyst, Kirk Herbstreit, chimed in on tonight’s top-10 season opener featuring No. 4 Clemson and No. 9 LSU.

Herbstreit gave some of his overarching thoughts entering the highly anticipated showdown at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.

“[LSU defensive coordinator] Blake Baker was kind of playing with one hand tied behind his back last year with the personnel, all due respect to LSU,” Herbstreit said. “But they went into the portal and they went to a whole ‘nother level now with the defensive front and what they now have with the experience on the back end.

“Talking to Blake Baker this week, I think he’s really excited to kind of see what he can do. If they can hold up on early downs against Cade [Klubnik] tonight, get him to third down, that’s where he can get super exotic and very confusing. Will he be able to do that tonight?”

Herbstreit also can’t wait to see the matchup between star LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, a leading Heisman Trophy contender, and a Clemson defense that is expected to be one of the nation’s very best this season.

“The other thing to me is, Garrett Nussmeier, with some new offensive linemen, against this Clemson defense in that environment. It’s going to be must-see TV,” Herbstreit said. Kickoff from Clemson’s Death Valley is set for 7:30 p.m. on ABC.