Clemson Tigers football is coming into the 2025 season with enormous expectations, being named the favorites to win a conference title by some, and in many cases, a multitude of their players are being marked as potential top picks in the 2026 NFL draft as well.
These expectations are understandable given the level of talent the team has heading into the year, and if they can find breakout seasons from some of their key players, they may be in for one of their best campaigns in a long time.
They should receive some love from the primetime slots as well, being given the opportunity to clash with some of the best in the college football landscape all season long, and the ACC looks to be rather strong once again in 2025.
One of their most notable matchups will be against an SEC opponent, as their first game of the year comes against a tough LSU team led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
These two teams have only met four times in the past, with LSU holding a 3-1 lead, as the last matchup was the 2020 National Championship. Now, Clemson will get their chance for revenge and will get to do so on a televised primetime broadcast.
When it comes to Clemson's first matchup of the year, they will be given a primetime slot, as a report from Brett McMurphy of Action Network provides the schedule indicating that Clemson and LSU will be on ABC in the 7:30 P.M. slot.
The other two opening weekend broadcasts will be Syracuse and Tennessee at noon on ABC, and Alabama at Florida State will receive the 3:30 P.M. slot on ABC.
ESPN announced all of those game times later in the day during their TV up-fronts with advertisers.
This gives Clemson a chance to show their worth early on in the 2025 season, taking on an out-of-conference opponent, and a pretty strong one at that.
According to ESPN's way-too-early 2025 rankings, this matchup would be between the No. 2-ranked Clemson and No. 6-ranked LSU, and with the talent on display from both teams, it should be a great game to open the year for these rosters.
Getting an opportunity to go up against a top team early in the year can be a blessing or a curse, and in the case of Clemson, if they can make use of their enormously skilled roster to pull off a win, it could be just what they need to get the ball rolling in 2025.
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