LSU coach Brian Kelly isn't sure Clemson's Dabo Swinney saw the 2nd half of their game

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's post-game scoring matched that of his team's output Saturday night at home against LSU: too little.

That was LSU coach Brian Kelly's basic assessment Tuesday when he met reporters on the heels of his team's 17-10, come-from-behind win at Swinney's then-No. 4 Clemson Tigers.

Swinney had termed the contest an opening-of-school exam that left his Clemson squad with "about a 58" and Kelly's Tigers, in Swinney's metrics, with a 65.

Kelly, who earlier had rebuffed the notion of his LSU team earning a grade of 65,

"Well, I mean I thought we dominated them in the second half," Kelly said. "So, he's either a really good grader for giving himself a 58, or he's a really hard grader on us. Or, he didn't see the second half. Which, that might be the case. He might not have wanted to see the second half. 

"So, again, look, this is all like, you know, past. We're much more focused on Louisiana Tech, to be honest with you. And, Clemson is a darn-good football team. I mean, that's a really good ... that's a top-notch team. And they're going to be a team in the hunt for a Playoff picture. And we hope we are, too. But it was only one game I don't know if he's a hard grader or an easy grader, but I like the way we played in the second half." 

Kelly's LSU squad outscored host Clemson 14-0 in the second half. Swinney's team did not score, at home, across the game's final 34 minutes.

While Clemson had 261 yards in the game, it posted just 13 first downs. Star Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik completed just 50% of his passes, going 19-for-38 for 230 yards and no touchdowns with one interception. Clemson possessed the ball less than 10 minutes in the second half.

The victory marked Kelly's first-ever in a season-opening contest at LSU, and it was the program's first debut win since 2019 -- when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff Championship. 

Clemson hosts Gerad Parker's Troy Trojans Saturday while LSU hosts Louisiana Tech. Kelly's squad begins SEC play a week later at home against Florida. Clemson also starts ACC play that same weekend on the road at Georgia Tech.