There will inevitably be a fair number of changes when the Southeastern Conference expands in the coming years, and that will necessitate change.
One of those changes will come in the form of scheduling, with one proposal creating a 9-game conference schedule, with each team having three "permanent rivals." One setup would see LSU having permanent fixtures against Texas A&M, Alabama and Ole Miss, according to ESPN. That scenario would be just fine with the Tigers coach, set to enter season No. 2 in Baton Rouge.
"No disrespect to any of the other schools that we play outside of the SEC, but they just don't excite me," said Kelly in the ESPN report. "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, and that's really why I came down here."
Changes will be necessary with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma beginning in the 2024 season. It would mean an increase from the 8-game SEC slate that the league currently plays. The other six opponents on the list, under this proposal, would be set on a rotating basis each season.
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"I want to play those games," Kelly said, "and I think playing nine SEC games is great for your schedule, and it prepares you for the opportunity to play for a championship but also play for the national championship."
It's a mindset that nearly had LSU with a potential climb from the grave into the College Football Playoff last season, a bid that was undone by a regular-season finale loss to a struggling Texas A&M team. The Tigers opened their season with a narrow loss to Florida State at the Caesars Superdome, and suffered a blowout loss to Tennessee later in the year. But even with those two losses, LSU retained CFP hopes after it upset Alabama and beat Ole Miss to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship game. That result was a walkover for the Bulldogs, as they had in many games over the past two seasons en route to back-to-back titles, but it does underscore the importance of SEC games and the value they have throughout the process.
LSU finished the season ranked No. 16, with a 10-4 record after a 63-7 demolition of Purdue in the Citrus Bowl.
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For the full report from ESPN, click here.