Clemson football is set to face the LSU Tigers in its Week 1 season opener, which is poised to be one of, if not the most, electric games in college football this season.
Both teams look to enter the matchup ranked in the top 10, with Clemson sitting at No. 4 and LSU at No. 9, according to the AP Poll.
While the fight over Death Valley is one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the matchup, a headline that people seem to forget about is the quarterback battle between the two Heisman candidates: Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier.
Both signal callers have heavy expectations, individually and for their teams, and are looking to take their squads into playoff contention this season. While they share the spotlight, their playstyles and paths couldn’t be more different.
Klubnik enters the season as the established face of the Tigers’ offense. After coming in as a five-star recruit and having an up-and-down start to his career, he found steadiness in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s system.
The 2024 season saw the 6-foot-2 quarterback lead Clemson back to the College Football Playoff for the first time in five years and accounted for over 4,000 scrimmage yards to go with 43 touchdowns.
Ahead of the 2025 season for Clemson, Klubnik’s job is not just to manage the offense but to elevate it. Whether throwing deep passes or extending plays down the field, Klubnik could bring back the explosive consistency the Tigers have missed since Trevor Lawrence was at the helm.
Nussmeier, on the other hand, has been waiting for this stage. After spending years on the bench before last season, the baton is finally his, and his skillset is markedly different from Klubnik’s.
The LSU signal caller thrives via his arm talent, coming out of high school as a four-star pocket passing gunslinger. He’s more aggressive than Klubnik, willing to take deep shots downfield at any time, which could lead to game-changing plays or costly turnovers — speaking to his 12 interceptions last year.
LSU’s coaching staff has put complete faith in Nussmeier heading into his final season, and this opener is his chance to prove he can lead the Tigers the way Jayden Daniels did in his 2023 Heisman season.
Beyond the scoreboard, both quarterbacks enter with Heisman odds already circulating in Las Vegas, making this opener a rare chance for one of them to get a head start in the race. Klubnik and Nussmeier are tied for the second-best odds to win the award at +900, sitting behind Arch Manning at +700, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Oddsmakers currently have Clemson favored by a slim margin, with the FanDuel line hovering around a field goal, underscoring just how evenly matched this contest feels heading into it.
But when two projected first-round quarterbacks face off in primetime, the spread might not matter that much, as the game will likely come down to which Heisman-hopeful makes the bigger statement under the bright lights.
