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by ERIN PARROTT
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With college football season just six weeks away, the four-day SEC Media Days began on Monday (July 14, 2025) in Atlanta.
Louisiana State University (LSU) head coach Brian Kelly took the stage on day one to discuss his team’s season opener against Clemson.
“We’ve also been 0-3 in openers at LSU under my watch,” said Kelly. “We needed to do some things differently at LSU, and that is to embrace this opener.”
LSU finished the 2024 football season with an overall record of 9-4 – including a 5-3 mark against SEC opponents – but failed to secure a win in last year’s opening game against Southern Cal. Previously, LSU dropped season openers to Florida State in 2022 and 2023 and to UCLA and Mississippi State in 2021 and 2020, respectively.
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In preparation to face Clemson, LSU added multiple wide receivers during the offseason – including Oklahoma’s Nic Anderson and Kentucky’s Barion Brown. The team also welcomes back its top returning wideout, Aaron Anderson – who caught 61 passes for 884 yards last year (good for seventh best in the conference).
All three should be top targets of returning quarterback Garrett Nussmeier – while Brown is also expected to provide a spark for the Tigers’ special teams, having amassed 1,550 career return yards during his three seasons at Kentucky.
“This is a big game, and it’s a tangible goal for our football team to want to be 1-0,” said Kelly. “With the team that we have this year it’s unacceptable for us not to play our very best in game one.”
Clemson – which finished its 2024 season with an overall record of 10-4 – last played LSU in the 2020 College Football National Championship, losing 45-25 to the Joe Burrow-led Bayou Bengals. This year’s opener is set for August 30, 2025 at Death Valley in Clemson. Kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT with ABC providing national coverage.
Clemson is led by Heisman trophy favorite Cade Klubnik, who is coming back for his senior season in the hopes of returning the Tigers to championship form.
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RELATED | CADE KLUBNIK COMING BACK
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Klubnik has posted a 19-9 record as Clemson’s starting quarterback. For his career, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound dual threat signal-caller has completed 659 of 1,040 career passes (63.3%) for 7,180 yards with 57 touchdowns and eighteen interceptions. The Austin, Texas native has also amassed 784 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground during his Clemson career.
While Clemson’s matchup is dominating headlines, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks are set to play Virginia Tech in another ACC-SEC season opener.
Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer addressed the media on Monday as well, discussing his team’s matchup against the Hokies – who were coached by his father, hall of fame inductee Frank Beamer, for nearly three decades.
“It’s probably even more intense because it’s game one,” said Beamer. “There’s going to be so much build-up, there already is and will continue to be leading up to that game, but at the end of the day, it’s about the players on the field.”
Gamecock quarterback LaNorris Sellers – another preseason Heisman candidate – addressed the hype generated by his successful 2024 campaign and what needs to be done to build on that foundation.
“Just building chemistry with those guys, the younger guys, the receivers we had last year, just making sure we’re all good, offensive line as well,” said Sellers. “Just taking it day by day, really, not getting caught up in it too much.”
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All this talk… we’re ready for action. 48 days ? pic.twitter.com/qvu091USPj
— South Carolina Football (@GamecockFB) July 14, 2025
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The Gamecocks opened last season in uninspiring fashion against Old Dominion, besting the undermanned Monarchs 23-19. Despite the inauspicious start, Beamer’s fourth squad rallied to finish the season 9-4.
This year’s opener against Virginia Tech marks the twenty-first matchup between the two teams, with the Gamecocks entering as heavy favorites. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. EDT on August 31, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia with ESPN providing national coverage.
Count on FITSNews for a day-to-day recap of the 2025 SEC Media Days, which concludes on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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