The upset was already complete. LSU had just shocked No. 4 Clemson 17-10 in Death Valley, ending years of season-opener heartbreak for Brian Kelly. But it was what happened next on social media that perfectly captured the moment \u2013 Kim Mulkey\u00a0dropping her trademark blend of praise and playful jabs that reminded everyone why LSU\u2019s championship culture runs deeper than any single sport.<\/p>\n
Why Did Kim Mulkey\u2019s Post Steal the Show After the Historic Win?<\/p>\n
Mulkey took to X<\/a> hours after LSU\u2019s victory with her signature flair, delivering a message that celebrated both the team\u2019s performance and Kelly\u2019s passionate sideline presence. Her post read: \u201cSo proud of @LSUfootball win tonight, but just as proud of the charge @CoachBrianKelly took for the team on the sideline\u2026great form\ud83d\ude09! See you in Death Valley next weekend! #GeauxTigers \ud83d\udc9c\ud83d\udc9b\ud83e\udd0d\u201d<\/p>\n So proud of @LSUfootball<\/a> win tonight, but just as proud of the charge @CoachBrianKelly<\/a> took for the team on the sideline\u2026great form\ud83d\ude09! See you in Death Valley next weekend! #GeauxTigers<\/a> \ud83d\udc9c\ud83d\udc9b\ud83e\udd0d https:\/\/t.co\/d3Q23Ya0CG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kim Mulkey (@KimMulkey) August 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The \u201ccharge\u201d Mulkey referenced was Kelly\u2019s passionate sideline presence that TV cameras caught throughout the night. Anyone who watched the game saw Kelly getting fired up, yelling at refs, and living every play with his team. It\u2019s become his calling card at LSU during crucial moments, and Saturday night showed exactly why that energy matters.<\/p>\n The context made Mulkey\u2019s praise even sweeter. During a summer speech, Kelly had called Clemson\u2019s stadium \u201cDeath Valley, Junior,\u201d trash talk that didn\u2019t sit well with the Tigers. Clemson defensive end TJ Parker responded by saying they\u2019d \u201chandle all that on August 30.\u201d\u00a0Instead, LSU handled them on their home turf.<\/p>\n How Did This Win Change Brian Kelly\u2019s LSU Story?<\/p>\n This wasn\u2019t just another victory for Kelly. He\u2019d lost all three previous season openers at LSU, continuing a program-wide drought that stretched back five straight years since 2020. The pressure had been building for him to finally break through against elite competition, and Saturday night in enemy territory against a top-five team, everything clicked.<\/p>\n Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier orchestrated the comeback from a 10-3 halftime deficit, finding tight end Trey\u2019Dez Green for the game-winner with 12:18 remaining. It was the kind of clutch drive that had been missing from LSU\u2019s recent season openers, executed when the lights were brightest.<\/p>\n NUSSMEIER GIVES LSU A 17-10 LEAD IN THE 4TH \u203c\ufe0f<\/p>\n Watch the finish of LSU-Clemson on ABC and the ESPN App: https:\/\/t.co\/Nz7AG4DFyf<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9Mm76i8bIv<\/a> Beyond the offense, LSU\u2019s defense delivered when it mattered most. Transfer cornerback Mansoor Delane grabbed a crucial third-quarter interception that shifted the game\u2019s momentum completely. Harold Perkins Jr. was everywhere with five tackles and a sack, while the entire unit held Clemson\u2019s running attack to just 32 yards on 19 carries\u00a0against such talented competition.<\/p>\n Mulkey\u2019s congratulations carry extra weight because of who she is within LSU\u2019s championship culture. She\u2019s not offering polite pleasantries from the sidelines. Mulkey delivered the university\u2019s first women\u2019s basketball national title in 2023, just two years after arriving from Baylor. She understands what championship-level success looks like and what it takes to achieve it.<\/p>\n Her coaching style mirrors what Kelly has been building with his football program: demanding, authentic, and relentlessly focused on winning the biggest games. When she tells Kelly \u201cgreat form\u201d about his sideline energy, she\u2019s speaking from experience about the passion required to win elite matchups.<\/p>\n The message also shows Mulkey recognizes this wasn\u2019t simply about beating Clemson. This was Kelly finally earning his breakthrough victory against top-tier competition, the kind of statement win that can define a program\u2019s trajectory. Now the question becomes whether Saturday night was the beginning of something special or just a memorable one-time performance.<\/p>\n\n
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\u2014 ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n