The 2025 college football season doesn’t ease into the action. It kicks the door open.
August 30 isn’t just the first Saturday of the season, it’s a national stage, a playoff preview, and a quarterback duel for the ages. When Clemson and LSU meet under the lights in Death Valley, it’ll be more than just a battle of two powerhouse programs. It’s the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks in the country, Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier, stepping onto the field with Heisman hopes and championship dreams already hanging in the air.
These aren’t just two talented quarterbacks. They’re the faces of their respective teams, the engines that make two playoff-caliber offenses go, and the reason the whole country will be watching when ABC’s cameras pan across Memorial Stadium that Saturday night.
Cade Klubnik enters the season as the top quarterback in the country according to 247Sports, and analyst Joel Klatt agrees. It’s a meteoric rise for a player who, just a year ago, was still fighting off doubts about whether he could lead Clemson back to national relevance. Then came a breakout 2024 campaign: 3,639 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes, just six interceptions. Add another 463 yards on the ground and seven rushing scores, and you have one of the most complete quarterback seasons in the country. Klubnik was third nationally in touchdown passes and second in total touchdowns. And he was just getting started.
More importantly, he was consistent. Klubnik threw three or more touchdowns in nine games last season, tied for the most in college football with Cam Ward. And in Clemson’s playoff game against Texas, even in a losing effort, he threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. His poise, decision-making, and leadership were on full display, rallying his team until the very end.
Now, he’s back for his senior season with a deep receiver room headlined by Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco, and T.J. Moore, and another year of continuity with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. The stage is set for Klubnik to take that final step, from star to superstar, from All-ACC to All-American. His confidence is unshakable. His ceiling? Heisman.
But on the opposite sideline, Garrett Nussmeier might have something to say about that.
After sitting behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, Nussmeier took over as LSU’s starter in 2024 and made sure no one forgot the name. He finished with over 4,000 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and averaged more than 300 yards per game. He’s fearless, aggressive, and wildly talented, a quarterback with the arm strength and swagger to take over a game in a single drive. But he also threw 12 interceptions, and the knock on Nussmeier has never been about talent. It’s been about consistency.
Still, when he’s locked in, few can match his playmaking ability. In wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina, he was electric in the fourth quarter. In losses to Alabama and Texas A&M, he pressed too much and paid the price. But with another year under his belt and a veteran group of weapons around him, he enters 2025 not just as LSU’s leader, but as a co-Heisman favorite, tied with Texas quarterback Arch Manning at +800 odds.
Klubnik is close behind at +900. So yeah, this opener matters.
This game won’t just be a fireworks show through the air, though. Clemson’s defense remains one of the most disciplined and physical units in the ACC, and it will be tasked with containing Nussmeier’s arm without getting burned deep. LSU’s challenge? Making Klubnik uncomfortable. If Clemson’s offensive line gives him time, he’ll pick apart any secondary. LSU’s front seven will need to generate pressure quickly and force Klubnik off his spot before he can get into rhythm.
The environment won’t make it any easier for the visiting Tigers. Death Valley is already one of the most hostile places to play in college football, and this will be Clemson’s most anticipated season opener in years. It’s not often you get two Top 10 teams, two Heisman contenders, and a regular-season first between two storied programs all rolled into one game.
Historically, Clemson and LSU have met three times, all in bowl games, the most recent being the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl. This time, it’s different. It’s a two-year home-and-home that starts in the Upstate and ends in Baton Rouge in 2026. But the first leg might already be the more pivotal one. Win, and you’re vaulted into the front of the playoff conversation with a statement win and a signature performance under your belt. Lose, and there’s no time to sulk—because one more misstep might mean missing the 12-team playoff altogether.
For Clemson, this game is an early opportunity to show that last year’s run wasn’t a fluke, that Dabo Swinney’s program is back on the national title track.
For LSU, it’s a chance to prove that Nussmeier’s ceiling is as high as advertised, and that Brian Kelly’s vision for LSU is built to last.
And for the quarterbacks, it’s the ultimate spotlight. Klubnik, once the nation’s top high school quarterback recruit, now looking every bit the part of a polished, experienced veteran. Nussmeier, the gunslinger with NFL upside, aiming to dominate in his first full season as “the guy.”
It’s not often that the biggest game of the season comes first. But this one has it all. History. Hype. Heisman stakes. Playoff implications. And two quarterbacks with everything to prove and nothing to hold back.
