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LSU cracks Top 5 in On3's post-spring rankings, set for massive Week 1 showdown

Untitled design (1)by:Julie Boudwin•05/12/25
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Can Brian Kelly deliver a breakthrough year in 2025 at LSU? The Tigers are ranked inside the Top 5 by On3's post-spring rankings.

LSU fans won’t have to wait long for a major test this fall.

On3 national college football writer Ari Wasserman released his post-spring Top 25 this week, and he has Brian Kelly’s Tigers firmly in the national spotlight at No. 5. That sets the stage for one of the biggest season openers in the country: LSU will head to Death Valley—not Baton Rouge, but Clemson’s Memorial Stadium—to take on the No. 3 Clemson Tigers in a top-five showdown on Saturday, August 30.

We don’t need to remind Tiger fans, as this has been a hot topic of discussions, but LSU has not won a season opener since the 2019 championship season.

Wasserman didn’t hold back when evaluating LSU’s potential.

“Brian Kelly isn’t Mr. Popular, but he’s unequivocally been a successful college coach during his career,” Wasserman wrote. “Though things haven’t gone according to plan in his first three years at LSU, we’re at the point where it’s starting to feel like he needs to win big.”

The Tigers will have a shot to do exactly that this season, with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier leading the way. Nussmeier became the starter following Jayden Daniels’ departure to the NFL, and he impressed throughout 2024. Going into Year 2, many believe Nussmeier has all the necessary tools to have a major year in 2025, including early Heisman talk. Alongside a revamped roster that includes 18 transfer portal additions, LSU is aiming to fix its most glaring weakness: the defense.

“If LSU can fix its defense, it should be in the mix in the SEC,” Wasserman added.

Meanwhile, Clemson is being pegged as a College Football Playoff contender after winning the ACC last season. Quarterback Cade Klubnik returns with a talented receiving corps, and the Tigers boast what Wasserman called “the best defensive line in the country.”

“For some reason, Clemson has the eighth-best odds to win the national championship and is sitting at around 20-1 to win it all,” he wrote. “That’s value… Dabo Swinney won the ACC last year with a solid team. What will he do with a loaded one?”

The Week 1 matchup will provide immediate answers for both programs. For LSU, it’s a golden opportunity to make an early statement—and to show the Tigers under Kelly are ready to take the next step. Are you buying the LSU hype?

Wasserman’s Top 10 looks like: No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Oregon and No. 10. Illinois.

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