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Clemson Tigers (Football)
Aug 30, 2025 6:07 PM EDT
Clemson football will honor two of its most accomplished alumni when it takes the field for one of the biggest season openers in many years. Ahead of Saturday night’s showdown against LSU, the Tigers to have DeAndre Hopkins and Shaq Lawson as honorary captains for the game.
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The recognition is fitting, considering both players left their mark on Clemson football — and on LSU, in Hopkins case — before going on to NFL stardom.
DeAndre Hopkins Legacy vs LSU
Hopkins is remembered not just for his prolific Clemson career but for one of the most important catches in program history. His fourth-down grab in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl kept the Tigers final drive alive, leading to a game-winning field goal and a 25–24 victory over LSU.
He finished that game with 13 receptions for 191 yards, a performance that still ranks among the most memorable in Clemson bowl history.
Hopkins left school holding records in receiving yards, touchdowns, and 100-yard games before becoming a first-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2013 NFL Draft. Now a five-time All-Pro, Hopkins has carved out a career defined by highlight-reel catches and big-game moments.
His return to Clemson as an honorary captain feels like a full-circle moment as the Tigers prepare for another high-profile meeting with LSU.
Shaq Lawson will stand alongside Hopkins on Saturday as another reminder of Clemson’s defensive dominance during the mid-2010s. Lawson emerged as one of the nation’s most disruptive defensive ends, leading the country in tackles for loss in 2015.
His relentless style powered Clemson’s playoff push that season and cemented him as a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Now entering his ninth NFL season, Lawson has played for multiple teams and remains known for his toughness and energy on the defensive line.
For Dabo Swinney and the Tigers, having Hopkins and Lawson back on the sideline this weekend is more than a ceremonial gesture. It’s a reminder of the program’s standard — and a nod to two players who helped Clemson rise to national prominence.
About the Author
Jeremy Lockett
College Sports Writer, Athlon Sports
Jeremy covers college sports and the Savannah Bananas for Athlon Sports. A Carolina-born and raised writer and photographer, he also regularly covers his alma mater, Clemson University.