Brian Kelly won 10 games in his first two seasons at LSU, but that total fell to nine wins a year ago, raising some speculation that his tenure may have peaked.

Opening-game problems have become a symbol for LSU falling short. The 2025 opener against Clemson is a chance to "change the narrative."

That’s a sharp contrast to Alabama, which hasn’t played an in-state non-conference opponent since it faced Howard College (now Samford) in 1944. The Crimson Tide does face in-state SEC rival Auburn each year, as it has done since 1948.