After the proposal of a new SEC scheduling format in February, many coaches around the league shared their opinions on the potential shift. The proposed change, which is in response to the conference adding Oklahoma and Texas in 2024, will give each of the 16 teams a nine conference game schedule with three fixed opponents.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban shared his disdain with the proposed format in early March, telling Sports Illustrated, “I don’t know how they come to that [decision],” when discussing the Tide’s supposed fixed rivals of Tennessee, Auburn and LSU.
Speaking on the same topic, LSU head coach Brian Kelly took a different tone. Talking with , the former Notre Dame leader doubled down on the proposed scheduling.
BK on 9-game SEC sked: “I want to play the best. I came down here to the SEC because I wanted to play against Alabama. I want to play A&M. I want to play Auburn, the great teams, and in our new scheduling we get to play Alabama every year, Ole Miss every year and A&M.”
— Heather Dinich ()
The second year Tiger head coach said, “I want to play the best. I came down here to the SEC because I wanted to play against Alabama. I want to play [Texas] A&M. I want to play Auburn, the great teams, and in our new scheduling we get to play Alabama every year, Ole Miss every year and A&M.”
Kelly is coming off of a very successful first season in Baton Rouge. He led the Tigers to a 10-4 record and an upset victory over Alabama to cement an appearance in the SEC title game where he ultimately fell to the eventual National Champion Georgia Bulldogs.
The Tide takes on LSU this season at home in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 4 and will look to avenge last season’s heartbreaking overtime loss.
Why is LSU one of Alabama’s Permanent Rivals?
To those who have only begun watching the Crimson Tide more recently, this may seem like an obvious answer, but many Alabama fans are questioning LSU as a fixed rival for the Tide.
Alabama has faced off against the Bayou Bengals 87 times in total, and the pair have played each other every single season since 1964, but there is one other team who is not only closer geographically, but may have a deeper history with the …read more
Source:: Heavy.com