LSU defeats Clemson 51-10 in Lane Kiffin's debut, cites weather delay tactic
LSU beat Clemson 51-10 in Lane Kiffin's first game as head coach, amassing 644 offensive yards, while Kiffin said he let a pre-game weather delay continue to disadvantage Clemson.
LSU opened Lane Kiffin's tenure with a 51-10 victory over Clemson, recording 644 total yards on offense, including 309 rushing yards on 58 attempts. The defense limited Clemson to 40 rushing yards and 3.0 yards per play, registering 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
After a lightning warning caused a nearly two-hour delay, officials offered to shorten the 90-minute warm-up period before kickoff. Kiffin told reporters he declined, saying he wanted to keep Clemson waiting in its locker room.
"That locker room sucks over there," Kiffin said. "If I think 90 minutes is gonna help us win, we're gonna sit in the locker room for 90 minutes."
The win moves LSU into the conversation for a College Football Playoff spot despite a challenging schedule. The team will face Louisiana Tech next before a scheduled game against Ole Miss on September 19.