Enough with bashing Clemson and touting our superiority. It doesn’t matter who we face, Clemson is the team that stands in our way of 11 wins and another top 10 ranking. For those of you not on the team and in Atlanta, time to focus on your booze, getting loud and representing LSU nation. Those of you that are players, please honor the wishes of the coaching staff.

Clemson is 10-2 and ranked No. 13 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 14 in the BCS and AP with no wins over currently ranked teams.

Clemson and LSU have two common opponents: Auburn and South Carolina. Clemson beat Auburn in Week 1 in the Georgia Dome 26-19. They trailed in the 4th before scoring 10 unanswered points. Clemson racked up 528 total yards vs. Auburn with Boyd passing for 208, as a team ran for 320. They gave up 374 to Auburn (194 pass, 180 rush). By comparison, LSU gained 351 total yards (169 pass, 182 rush) against Auburn while giving up 183 total yards (97 pass, 86 rush) but only won 12-10.

Clemson lost at home, last week of the season to USC 17-27 without Marcus Lattimore. Clemson lead at halftime but was outscored 17-7 in the second half. Clemson had 328 yards vs. USC (183 pass, 145 rush). They gave up 444 total yards (310 pass, 134 rush). By comparison, LSU gained 406 yards (148 pass, 258 rush) against USC while giving up only 211 (177 pass, 34 rush).

The average between those two games: Clemson 428 total yards (196 pass, 232 rush). LSU 379 total yards (159 pass, 220 rush). Clemson’s D allowed 409 yards (252 pass, 157 rush) while LSU allowed 197 yards (137 pass, 60 rush).

Historically LSU is 2-0 vs. Clemson with wins in the 1959 Sugar Bowl 7-0 and 1996 Peach Bowl 10-7. LSU and Clemson were in the same conference from 1896-1932 (Southern Intercollegiate AA and Southern Conference) but never played. Since the 1958 season, the teams’ first meeting, Clemson ranks No. 21 in in winning percentage (.610) while LSU ranks No. 14 (.674).

Since 2000, Clemson’s highest ranked finish was No. 15 in 2000. If you took inverse numbers for rankings (No. 1=25, No. 25=1, etc.) Clemson has score of 9.5 over the last five seasons (2007-2011) ranking No. 43. LSU ranks 4th with 76. Over the last ten seasons (2002-2011) Clemson is also 43rd with 18.5 points while LSU ranks 5th at 154 points.

Clemson’s unofficial win count since 2000 over teams’ final rankings is as follows:

2003 FSU 10
2004 Miami 11
2003 Tennessee 15
2009 Miami 19
2011 Virginia Tech 19
2011 Virginia Tech 19
2006 Wake 19
2000 USC 20
2005 FSU 23
2011 FSU 23
2010 Maryland 23

This post was edited on 12/31/12 at 10:23 am