David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
By Hunt Palmer
It’s time to kick the 2025 season off. LSU visits Clemson for a primetime matchup under the lights at Memorial Stadium. A pair of Heisman hopefuls are behind center for these playoff contenders.
Clemson has been torched in consecutive openers, and LSU has dropped five straight. Something’s got to give. We asked the staff at 104.5 ESPN to give us their score predictions.
Jacob Hester, Co-host, Off the Bench: Nussmeier leads a late field goal drive, and Damion Ramos boots it through as time expires. 31-28 LSU
Matt Flynn, Co-host, Off the Bench: If they’d let me take LSU -9.5, I’d do it. Tigers win by double digits. 38-27 LSU
Taylor Sharp, Video Producer, Off the Bench: I’m picking the Tigers in this one, the good guys, of course! LSU down in the 4th quarter, Nussmeier drives the offense down the field for the go-ahead TD with a minute to play. Then the defense then gets a big sack to seal it. It feels weird picking LSU after their poor performances in season openers, but it has just felt different all fall camp. The team appears to be more locked in and ready to go than in years past. But if Clemson happens to win this game, I’ve already prepared myself and I’m ready to be hurt emotionally once again. Geaux Tigers! 30-28, LSU
Charles Hanagriff: Co-host, Live at Lunch: Clemson wins a few more battlesup front and takes a close one at homebetween two 2025 playoff teams. Clemson, 23-21
Hunt Palmer, Host, The Hunt Palmer Show: I picked against LSU in Orlando. Then I regrettably picked LSU against my gut in Las Vegas. Those teams were flawed, and I knew it. This one doesn’t feel like that. The floor is so high all over the field. Unless the offensive line just rolls over, LSU is going to be really good this year. That starts Saturday night. LSU’s defense makes a statement that it’s among college football’s elite. The offense does enough. 20-17 LSU.
Jacob Beck, Audio Producer, The Hunt Palmer Show: LSU’s inexperience on the offensive line and Clemson’s very experienced defensive line are the x-factors here. Cue LSU fan pandemonium. 27-20 Clemson.
Matt Moscona, Host, After Further Review: This is Brian Kelly’s most talented and veteran team at LSU. This is also his most difficult opener. If this were a neutral site game or played in Tiger Stadium, I’d likely side with LSU. A true road game against the team returning the most talent in the country is a big ask especially with five new starters on the offensive line. 27-24 Clemson
Matthew Musso, Audio Producer, After Further Review: I believe this is LSU’s toughest season opener since 2011 against Oregon. A true road game against a playoff team from a year ago while replacing four starters on the offensive line. Plus, new faces on the backend of your defense. All of those things worry me in this one. I could see some communication issues early for LSU this season. Opening up in a hostile environment against a top five team is not the place you want those game one kinks. I think it ends up being too much to overcome. 28-20 Clemson
Paul O’Neill, Video Producer, After Further Review: The offense establishes its new playmakers, and the defense makes the big stops when needed. 32-27 LSU
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