LSU will no longer play Alabama and Florida every season. That's according to a report from On3.com's Chris Low, who released the annual opponents for the next four seasons for all 16 teams in the Southeastern Conference.
The SEC said it would unveil the three permanent opponents for every SEC team on Tuesday night as part of the new nine-game conference schedule that's coming for the 2026 season and beyond. But Low let the cat out of the bag a day early.
LSU three permanent opponents for the 2026 through 2029 seasons will be Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
The rivalry between the Tigers and Aggies has really grown over the years so it makes sense they play each other every year. For Ole Miss and Arkansas, you can make a strong argument that LSU is their biggest rivals. Rebel fans get more satisfaction beating LSU than they do Mississippi State.
And for Arkansas, Missouri is a rival from its Big 8 days, but since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992, LSU has been its biggest rival.
But it will look weird to look at an LSU schedule and not see Alabama on it. It's the most anticipated game every year and usually one of the most watched football games across the country. Because money is driving conference realignment, I thought LSU and Alabama would remain an annual battle.
Instead, Alabama's permanent opponents are Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi State. You knew Tennessee and Auburn would be their permanent rivals and Starkville is a short drive from Tuscaloosa.
LSU-Florida have played each other every year since 1971 and during that time, there's been a lot of crazy and memorable games. The overall series is also very tight, with LSU's all-time record against Florida as 35-34-and-3.
Instead, Florida's permanent rivals are Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky. Even Tennessee didn't make the cut for Florida. That Florida-Tennessee game was the SEC's best rivalry in the 1990s.
Now this does not mean that LSU will not play Alabama or Florida next season. But it does mean, the Crimson Tide and the Gators will not appear on LSU's schedule for two seasons between 2026 and 2029.
The SEC is expected to reexamine the permanent opponents every four seasons.