LSU and Clemson will be one of the most anticipated season-opening matchups in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season. For Clemson, its first-ever regular-season trip to Baton Rouge gives this matchup extra weight, as it is also the first time the program has opened a season at an SEC venue since 2016, which began with a win at Auburn. The issue for Clemson is that LSU is an 11.5-point favorite. So, can Dabo Swinney and his Tigers pull the upset? Clemson's Strengths Oklahoma defensive lineman Markus Strong (99) celebrates his second consecutive sack in the second half of an NCAA football game between Oklahoma (OU) and Temple at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK The strongest part of this Clemson team is the defense, even after losing defensive tackle Peter Woods, edge rusher T.J. Parker and cornerback Aveion Terrell in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.…