LSU fans are in for a treat because the 2025 season isn’t wasting any time. With a top-five matchup locked in for Week 1, Brian Kelly’s Tigers are heading straight into war. On August 30th, the LSU Tigers open their season at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. This match could be a Playoff preview or a preview turned nightmare.
Ranked No. 5 in On3’s post-spring Top 25 by Ari Wasserman, LSU is definitely still on the radar. But the football fandom knows that hype and headlines don’t always make wins. The last time LSU started a season 1-0 was in 2019. And that was the year of Joe Burrow and a national title. So the pressure’s on. And it’s not just Clemson standing in the way.
LSU’s High-Stakes Fight Through 2025 Playoff Rematches
On3’s Wasserman, not so long ago, came out with his Playoff bracket predictions. In the same way, he gives the fandom a preview of how chaotic and rematch-heavy the new 12-team format could become. And LSU seems to be in the thick of it.
NEW: College Football Playoff Projection via @AriWasserman🏆
Do you agree? 🤔https://t.co/7fdSpns0rA pic.twitter.com/qVMajQCnvq
— On3 (@On3sports) May 19, 2025
LSU opens the bracket against none other than Nick Saban’s Alabama. Then comes Clemson, which will be a rematch. If they survive Clemson twice, then they have Penn State is waiting. It is a nightmarish scenario that Wasserman himself admits was not planned.
In an interview on On3’s YouTube that followed the projected brackets, Wasserman didn’t sugarcoat LSU’s fate. “LSU was challenging,” he said, referring to his simulated 12-team Playoff bracket. And it’s easy to see why.
Wasserman’s setup is done blind, just based on seeding. He landed LSU with two rematches against teams they’d already seen in the regular season. That’s a headache no coach wants in a high-stakes, single-elimination format.
Pointing out the obvious trap, Wasserman said, “Getting to the Final Four now is difficult.” This would have been much easier back in the day. But now it is a street fight, and LSU’s road is littered with potential ambushes.
After that Clemson clash, LSU catches a brief breather with Louisiana Tech. But then comes Florida, a familiar SEC nemesis. This is followed by matchups against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and a visit to Alabama on November 8. But that is not even the scariest part.
The LSU Tigers end their season at Oklahoma. Oklahoma is yet another top contender and possible Playoff opponent. Oh, let’s not forget LSU will also face South Carolina and Vanderbilt. As Wasserman sees it, “This wasn’t even planned. You just seed them one through twelve and let it fall where it falls.” And LSU seems to have had a free fall.
To add on, it does not help that LSU’s Playoff résumé hinges on more than just wins. Style points matter. Survive-and-advance isn’t good enough anymore. That’s what makes the Clemson game so pivotal. Win that, and a flag is planted. Lose it, and every game after becomes a must-win sprint.
Kelly has the talent. Garrett Nussmeier is stepping into his own. The defense has been upgraded. The transfer portal was busy. But will it be enough to weather a schedule where even a rematch might feel like déjà doom?
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This bracket isn’t just a prediction, it’s a warning. With rematches, upsets, and brutal matchups baked into the format, no one’s safe. Not even the heavyweights. Can Kelly’s crew survive a schedule that might ask them to beat Clemson and Bama twice in the same season? That’s the million-dollar question.
This is a schedule of landmines. And if LSU slips even once, those Playoff dreams could go up in purple and gold smoke.
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