Brian Kelly believes LSU is the real Death Valley over Clemson: 'We're letting them borrow it'

The LSU Tigers and head coach Brian Kelly once again open their season with a massive test. 2025 will open with a trip to play the Clemson Tigers in what is known by fans as Death Valley.

Of course, LSU also plays in a stadium known as Death Valley. Unsurprisingly, that has led to some debate over the years as to which school has the stronger claim on the nickname. Kelly would make it clear at SEC Media Days that he believes LSU has the true Death Valley, but he’s fine letting Clemson borrow the nickname.

“It’s also a program that’s regarded as a premier program,” Brian Kelly said. “So, we’ve got an incredible challenge, one we’re excited about. One that we’re looking forward to. We still think we are the Death Valley. They can use the name too. We’re letting them borrow it. But I would say, at the end of the day, it’s about the respect I have for him and what he’s developed in his program, and then maintaining that consistently year in and year out.”

Accounts of how Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge earned the nickname Death Valley differ. The most common seems to stem from Crowe Peele’s Shell gas station in town. It was nicknamed “Deaf Valley Shell” due to its proximity to the loud stadium. Then, after beating Clemson in the 1959 Sugar Bowl, LSU fans felt it was their right to steal the nickname.

Clemson’s usage of the name goes back further. The name is typically attributed to Presbyterian College Head Coach Lonnie McMillian in the 1940s, comparing Memorial Stadium to Death Valley. A nickname was born. Howard’s Rock, which was later installed, also comes from Death Valley, the desert, itself.

Brian Kelly has plenty of familiarity with Clemson and Dabo Swinney going back to his time at Notre Dame. While with the Irish, he went 1-3 against Clemson. That included a loss on the road at Clemson. So, there’s plenty of room for respect going into the game.

“I know Dabo very well. He’s extremely passionate about the game, but he wants to teach through this game. He wants to develop his players spiritually, intellectually, socially. He wants to give them the opportunity to be the best version of themselves on the field and off the field,” Kelly said. “And he runs a program accordingly. He gets knocked all the time for not wanting to take transfers. That’s not really the heart of it. He’s not bringing anybody who doesn’t have the right fit. We all know what that means. You might have the skills, but you might not fit the culture, and he’s developed a winning culture there and I respect him for what he’s done.”

In the previous three seasons at LSU, Brian Kelly has failed to win an opening game in any individual season. Those games were all against Power Four opponents. However, in a year where much is expected from the Tigers, he’ll want to turn that luck around. Still, it won’t be easy and the LSU Tigers need to be ready for an excellent Clemson Tigers team when they meet on August 30th.