Kiffin calls LSU-Alabama hiatus 'sad' as SEC schedule changes

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin described the upcoming break in the annual matchup against Alabama as a sad development for college football. The two programs have played each other every year since 1964, a streak that often determined national championship contenders.

The annual tradition will pause after the 2026 season. The SEC moved to a nine-game conference schedule and did not designate the LSU-Alabama contest as a permanent rivalry. The teams will meet again in 2028, with a commitment to play at least once every two years thereafter.

"I think that's just sad," Kiffin said on Monday. "And I understand, so I'm not being critical. All the decisions, usually, I think all of them probably really come down to money, whether that's the realignments, whether that's the rivalries."

The SEC selected permanent rivals based on historical precedence, competitive fairness, and geography. Alabama’s three guaranteed opponents are Auburn, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. LSU’s are Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. The conference noted it tried to preserve as many historical matchups as possible while balancing these factors.

The perception of LSU and Alabama as true rivals grew after Nick Saban took the LSU head coaching job and led the team to a national championship. Saban previously coached Alabama, where the Iron Bowl against Auburn and the game against Tennessee on the Third Saturday in October are the most established traditions. Alabama and Mississippi State are also geographically close, sitting roughly 90 miles apart.

Kiffin, who served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016, also criticized the timing of the 2026 game. The contest is scheduled for the afternoon, breaking a long-standing pattern of night games at LSU. Kiffin said he assumed the night slot would continue given the 16-year precedent.

"I mean, I was shocked," Kiffin said during an SEC teleconference last week. "I didn't even think to even think about the time. I just assumed, especially in 16 years, this game has been at night here all the time. I never even thought or considered that it wouldn't be at night."

The coach joked that the SEC changed the kickoff time to reduce an advantage he felt LSU had when playing at night. He noted that the atmosphere at LSU is intimidating for visiting teams in evening games. Kiffin said he was not surprised by the scheduling shift, adding that if the conference wanted LSU to win, they must have been unaware of recent trends. LSU and the SEC have recently clashed over the school’s recruitment of former professional athletes, leading to legal action by the conference.