The legendary LSU-Alabama yearly rivalry, a cornerstone of college football since 1964, is officially going on hiatus in 2027, and LSU head coach Lane Kiffin isn’t shy about his feelings: he’s “sad,” and he thinks he knows exactly why it’s happening. Kiffin laid it all out Monday, according to ESPN’s Alex Scarborough, pointing directly to the cold hard cash that’s dictating changes across the sport.
Money Talks, Tradition Walks
Kiffin pulled no punches, stating, “I think that’s just sad.” While he understood the underlying forces, he was clear about the culprit. “All the decisions, usually, I think all of them probably really come down to money,” Kiffin explained, linking it to the wider realignments and the gutting of classic rivalries. He lamented the general “sad” state of things where money “drives to make changes to such great traditions and rivalries.” For Kiffin, it’s clear: college football might have some good changes, but losing these historic matchups isn’t one of them. He believes “it’s where we are that really doesn’t seem like much is going to be protected when it comes to TV contracts and money and other people’s ideas.”
The reason for this seismic shift? As Scarborough detailed, the SEC is moving to a nine-game conference schedule and, as a result, designated three permanent rivals for each team. The shocker? Alabama and LSU didn’t make the cut as permanent rivals. That means no yearly showdown in 2027, though they will clash again in 2028 and at least once every two years after that. For Alabama, their permanent foes are Auburn, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. LSU’s locked-in rivals are Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. Traditional rivalries with Auburn and Tennessee played a big part for Alabama, and Mississippi State’s proximity, roughly 90 miles away, sealed their spot due to geography.
A Rivalry Forged by Legends, Now Sidelined
Kiffin knows this rivalry intimately, having served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014 through 2016 under the legendary Nick Saban. And speaking of Saban, he wasn’t just an Alabama icon. Saban actually coached LSU for five seasons before he turned Alabama into the powerhouse we know today over his 17 years at the helm. That shared history, with a figure as notable as Saban bridging both sides, truly elevated the rivalry to must-watch status. Now, that storied annual tradition gets put on the shelf.
But before that tradition gets sidelined, there’s one more epic battle coming Saturday. This game marks Kiffin’s first time facing the Crimson Tide as LSU’s head coach, and you better believe the stakes could not be higher. The winner of this clash will find themselves in solid College Football Playoff position, while the loser faces a likely three-loss season, probably staring at the outside looking in for the stretch run. What a way to cap off, at least for now, one of the greatest rivalries in college football.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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