Clemson’s Dabo Swinney Makes Request Before LSU Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 6:34 PM ET

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers have become the clear-cut favorites to win the ACC once again, coming in at No. 4 in the AP preseason poll. Last season, they barely squeaked into the College Football Playoff, only to get bounced in the first round by the Texas Longhorns.

But this year, Swinney and Clemson have a bigger goal in mind: a national championship. And that starts on Saturday when they host the No. 9 LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium.

Swinney Makes Request to Clemson Fans

Ahead of the season opener against LSU, Swinney joined the radio show 105.5 The Roar to discuss the matchup. He urged fans to wear orange instead of purple so there would be no doubt about who the home team is.

“Let’s make sure we got a stadium full of orange on Saturday night," Swinney said. "I love the purple, but let’s all wear orange. Let’s show up in that orange so they (LSU) don’t mistake it for anybody else.”

Swinney’s request stems from the schools’ similar color schemes. Clemson’s colors are orange and purple, while LSU’s are yellow and purple. By asking fans to wear all orange, he hopes to avoid any confusion with those in purple (or yellow).

History of Clemson vs. LSU

Clemson and LSU rank among college football’s most storied programs, each winning national championships in the late 2010s (Clemson in 2018, LSU in 2019). Despite their success, the two Tigers have faced each other only four times in history, all in the postseason.

LSU took the first two meetings in the 1959 Sugar Bowl (7-0) and the 1996 Peach Bowl (10-7). However, upon Swinney's arrival, Clemson turned the tide on LSU with a 25-24 win in the 2012 Peach Bowl. Their most recent meeting came in the 2019 season, when LSU defeated Clemson in the national championship.

Overall, LSU holds a 3-1 advantage over Clemson, but against Swinney, it is 1-1.

Clemson will take on LSU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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