It’s way too early to predict how the LSU Tigers will fare in 2026 — this team has only practiced together a handful of times, after all.

But that didn’t stop CBS Sports this week from predicting the outcomes of some of Week 1’s biggest games.

LSU is set to open the 2026 season in Baton Rouge on September 5 against the Clemson Tigers.

CBS Sports predicts the final score of LSU vs Clemson in Week 1

LSU has won its last two matchups against Clemson.

And CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford thinks LSU will make it three in a row.

Crawford has LSU beating Clemson 31-17 on September 5.

“One of these teams signed the nation’s top-ranked transfer class, while the other is slotted at No. 66 overall,” noted Crawford. “You can probably guess which one owned the portal. Lane Kiffin is out for blood in Year 1 with the Tigers with a new-look roster and coaching staff in Baton Rouge. Dabo Swinney made necessary personnel changes at his program as well but is running out of opportunities to get back to the top.

“Clemson hasn’t won a College Football Playoff game since 2019 and has lost three straight season openers. Spoiling Kiffin’s debut at Tiger Stadium is going to be a challenge as a double-digit underdog, the largest spread against Clemson since Georgia (12.5 points) to open the 2024 campaign.”

Season-openers can be weird, and the outcomes don’t always accurately reflect the identity of a team.

But this certainly feels like a game LSU should win. It’s at home, and LSU has the more talented roster — all signs point to a win for the Bayou Bengals. But again, weird things can happen in openers, so it’s far from a guarantee that LSU will take down Clemson in Week 1.