Lane Kiffin's LSU debut sets a credential mark in Tiger Stadium history

Why is this the game that broke the record?

Kiffin left Ole Miss for a $91 million contract in Baton Rouge and spent the offseason at the center of an eligibility fight that pulled in the SEC and the NFL. 

LSU pursued former NFL players granted a fifth year of eligibility by a Louisiana court, landing tight end Dae'Quan Wright after Cleveland waived him and a commitment from defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, cut by New Orleans. The SEC responded with a policy barring players who have signed pro contracts, then said it would comply with the court order.

There is also a docuseries following his first season, a new weekly show that debuts Thursday in Baton Rouge, and a quarterback in Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt who arrived on the Maxwell Award watch list. Clemson counters with continuity under Swinney, nine players lost to the draft and his largest transfer class.

A credential total measures attention, and much of the intrigue around this game was built in courtrooms and news conferences across eight months before a snap.

Kiffin opened game week on Monday discussing the hoopla surrounding the contest.

"It's awesome having College GameDay here. I think that speaks a lot (about) where LSU is as a program and how it's viewed. That's what kids want. They want to be the national game of the week and they want College GameDay to cover them, so really excited for that part, but again this will be about preparation, not hype. There's so much hype in this game." Kiffin said in his Monday news conference.