Brian Kelly: 'LSU-Alabama is a game that we would like to see played every year'

Since Nick Saban came back to college football in 2007, Alabama or LSU has represented the West in the SEC Championship game 13 different times. This year’s game is likely to do the same, once again being a division championship game in Tuscaloosa. Everyone has circled this one on their calendar, annually being the game in the SEC West.

But with schedule changes coming in the SEC, there is a chance Alabama and LSU will not play on an annual basis. A model where there is only one permanent rival would mean a meeting every other year between the two. Greg Sankey has not decided on a 7+1 or 5+3 model quite yet but the possibility is out there.

Brian Kelly wants to make sure the matchup continues on an annual basis. He is going to make an effort to keep Alabama on LSU’s schedule moving forward.

“I think we’re going to have a say on what that scheduling looks like in terms of Alabama against LSU,” Kelly said during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. “I think that Commissioner Sankey has given us the opportunity to talk about the team or teams that we want to keep on our schedule.

“Each school has those natural rivalries and certainly, when talking to Scott Woodward, our AD, he and I both would be in agreement that LSU-Alabama is a game that we would like to see played every year.”

As mentioned, there has been no final determination on the SEC’s future scheduling model. However, a couple of coaches have hinted at 7+1 being the route the conference goes. Hugh Freeze was the first, saying he would miss the Auburn–Georgia game being played annually.

Saban himself directly said there would only be one protected rivalry in the future.

“The way we’re gonna do our seven-team rotation, one-team fixed,” Saban said leading into Alabama’s matchup against Arkansas. “I think you’re gonna play everybody every four years, so almost every guy at your school is going to play every team in the conference. Which I think is great as well.”

If 7+1 is the model Sankey goes with, you would have to assume Alabama would keep their in-state matchup against Auburn. LSU would have a few different options but Texas A&M may make the most sense. Alabama-LSU would be left to be played every other year and in Baton Rouge/Tuscaloosa once every four years.

For at least the next two years, we will get the huge SEC West game. Saturday’s game has massive implications while the 2024 schedule includes it.

Kelly and LSU are going to make an effort moving forward to keep it on the schedule, being a rivalry everyone in the program has enjoyed.