Brian Kelly reveals approach to perception of Alabama-LSU being a College Football Playoff elimination game

LSU is 6-2, Alabama is 6-2, and everything may be on the line for both in their Top-15 matchup this weekend in Baton Rouge. Still, Brian Kelly doesn’t want anyone thinking about it like that.

Kelly discussed the perception of the stakes surrounding this game between the Tigers and Tide earlier on Monday. Rather than think about that, he’s more so focused on how his team can play their best football in the game, which is what they’ve been doing since the start of their second bye week.

“Yeah, you know, I think, you know, each game that we play is a new game in itself. I think it goes to what I talked about, you know. We’re much more focused on playing four quarters of football, you know,” said Kelly at his press conference. “Our focus last week was, you know, cleaning up the things that we needed to take care of internally. So our focus, where our real work was was thinking about what we need to do better to play at a higher level.”

“Look, all that other stuff is out there but it doesn’t help us relative to what we need to do,” Kelly said.

Being in the Southeastern Conference also makes Kelly dismiss that thought. With seven teams in the Top-10 and nine teams having one or two losses in conference play, they’re all playing against one another each week for potential positioning in the College Football Playoff.

“I know there’s been other national talks about, you know, this is an elimination game. Well, if this is an elimination game, every game in the SEC is an elimination game, you know?” Kelly said. “Everybody that has a loss, everybody that has two losses, everybody that plays each other – it’s an elimination game. So, we can kind of, like, put that to rest.”

“Each team in the SEC knows where they’re at, right? I mean, the record speaks for itself,” said Kelly.

Much will be made and determined about either team that wins or loses on Saturday night in Death Valley. That’s why Kelly is more worried about the Tigers being on the right side of the final score than anything else.

“This is about you need to play your very best when your best is needed,” said Kelly.