Final annual meeting: Alabama and LSU face off for the last time in this format
The SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule removes the annual Alabama-LSU matchup, a rivalry that has been played every season since 1964.
By James Brooks ·
No. 9 Alabama visits No. 15 LSU on Saturday for the final time in their annual series, a tradition that spans 62 seasons. The matchup, which has helped determine national champions, will no longer appear on the schedule every year under the Southeastern Conference’s new structure. Fans will have to wait until 2028 to see the teams play in Tuscaloosa again, as the league moved the game into its rotating pool.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin described the change as sad. He noted that financial considerations often drive decisions regarding rivalries and conference realignments. Kiffin stated that money drives changes to long-standing traditions, a sentiment he shared on Monday. He has coached this specific game from the Alabama sideline as well, serving as the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016 under Nick Saban.
The stakes for Saturday’s game are high for both teams. Alabama and LSU are both 6-2, and the loser will face a steeper climb in the College Football Playoff rankings. Alabama held the No. 5 spot in the selection committee’s initial rankings released on Tuesday, while LSU was listed at No. 14. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who grew up in Oregon, said fans often remind him of the game’s importance when he is out in public.
Leavitt called the experience of finally playing in the rivalry a surreal moment. He previously had to watch the games from the West Coast. The new SEC schedule requires each school to play three annual opponents and six rotating games. Every team will face each conference opponent at least once every two years and home and away over a four-year cycle.
Alabama’s annual rivals are Auburn, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. LSU’s annual opponents are Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas A&M. The league cited traditional rivalries, competitive fairness, and geography when selecting these matchups. Annual opponents will be reviewed after each four-year cycle. The Alabama-LSU game was left for the rotating schedule.
Historical context adds weight to the final annual meeting. Nick Saban led LSU to the 2003 national championship before taking over at Alabama in 2007. In 2011, No. 1 LSU beat No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in overtime in Tuscaloosa. Two months later, Alabama won the national championship by defeating LSU 21-0. That victory began an eight-game winning streak for the Crimson Tide, which LSU snapped with a 46-41 win in 2019. The Tigers also secured a 32-31 overtime victory in Baton Rouge in 2022.
Alabama linebacker Yhonzae Pierre, a native of the state, said the players will be remembered for how they perform in these games. Alabama beat Texas A&M 31-20 before its bye week, snapping a two-game losing streak. LSU faces No. 10 Texas and No. 16 Tennessee after Saturday. Leavitt said the current rankings did not matter to him before the results were released.
