Scheduling Clemson for the first game: good move or not

Pros: Beating Clemson at Clemson would he a big step to getting in the playoffs. It’s one the bigger opening games in recent college football history, the entire country will be tuned in, its great for LSU’s brand. A win at Clemson would create huge momentum, just as the win at Texas in 2019 was one of several signature wins that spurred on their championship season. Big games are more exciting than rent-a-wins. No pollster or media person will accuse LSU of padding their schedule. The game features two legit Heisman hopefuls in Nussmeier and Clubnik and Nuss can get a leg up with a big game. Brian Kelly and Dabo Swinney are two of the most successfully coaches and personalities in college football, adding more intrigue to the game and a chance for Kelly to exorcise his first game demons in a big way. Swinney is a dick, so ruining his season in game one would be cool. Big games are good for recruiting, kids want to be on national tv in big games. And we get Clemson in Tiger Stadium next year for another great opening game in front of a national audience.

Cons: Pretty much the opposite of the above. The selection committee has never fairly rewarded teams with the balls to play big teams, on the road and lose. LSU would probably get more credit for beating a Syracuse in Tiger stadium than for a close loss at Clemson. A loss to Clemson gives LSU little to no margin for error with games at Ole Miss and Alabama coming up and tough home games with A&M and Florida. Two SEC losses might eliminate LSU as a three loss team, whereas with only two losses LSU would probably be a shoe in to the playoffs. Another opening game loss for Kelly would tarnish his image. Klubnik could be the one to get a leg up should he and Nuss be in the Heisman conversation at the end of the year. Swinney is a dick and listening to him do his country bumpkin crowing after the game would be insufferable.

I’m sure there are other pros and cons I missed, and maybe got some wrong that I did.

That said, I think there are enough pros and cons to the point where I can’t predict how the rant will vote. I will say this, if the committee wants college football fans to see more great games like Texas at Ohio State and LSU at Clemson this year, they have to figure out a way where if a team like LSU who loses a close game to Clemson gets less credit than a team like Georgia for beating Marshall, Austin Peay, the Charlotte 49ers and Ga Tech as their out of conference games.