Brian Kelly faces must-win season opener vs. Clemson, SEC Network’s Roman Harper claims
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Brian Kelly has not fared well in season openers at LSU. In fact, that’s giving the head coach a bit too much credit.
The Tigers are 0-3 overall in the first game of the season under Kelly, going 0-2 vs. Florida State in that span with last year’s season-opening loss to USC in Las Vegas. Now, LSU is gearing up for another marquee opener, only this time on the road in Clemson vs. Dabo Swinney and his Tigers.
It will be a marquee Week 1 showdown, and the stakes are relatively high for Kelly, according to SEC Network host Roman Harper. No, Kelly is not on any sort of hot seat in Baton Rouge, but Harper believes an early win over Clemson is the ideal runway for LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes.
“Brian Kelly has not been able to win an opening game so far at LSU. And if you look at LSU’s schedule, if they win this game, they are set up to go on into the Playoff,” predicted Harper. “They have to win this game.”
Both programs carry nearly identical odds to reach the College Football Playoff entering the season, and it will be a disappointment if LSU does not break through this fall under Kelly. An early win over a likely top-10 team, on the road, will give the Tigers a cushion before reaching the treacherous SEC slate. Fans can check out the odds all season long through their favorite Louisiana sports betting app.
“At some point, you’ve got to beat somebody and knock somebody out,” Harper elaborated. “If you want to be the champ, Clemson’s possibly going to be the No. 1 team in the country when this game kicks off.”
No SEC schedule is ever particularly easy, but LSU’s path this fall balances the tough opponents at home and away from Tiger Stadium. Considering the pieces returning to LSU and the overall roster, Kelly should have his program in a great position all season long, provided they don’t drop a clunker right out of the gate.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
