LSU will face both Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana in football this season, continuing a long-standing practice of scheduling non-conference games against in-state Group of 5 or FCS opponents.
The Tigers have faced at least one in-state non-conference opponent every year since 2018, with the exception of 2020 when the COVID pandemic led to an All-SEC schedule during the regular season. LSU did have a game scheduled with Nicholls that season, which was later moved to 2024.
LSU coach Brian Kelly was asked about his scheduling philosophy at SEC Media Days on Monday. Like all SEC teams, the Tigers are required to play at least one power-conference opponent in a non-conference game each season (LSU opens with Clemson this year), but he said he’s in favor of playing in-state schools in order to “balance the schedule” and share the wealth.
“In the state of Louisiana, we have such a passionate base,” Kelly said. “Why not play the schools from your own state and share in the revenue? Share around, if we’re gonna have to pay somebody to come in and play us, why not pay your in-state schools and take care of them? And we’ve got some great schools. We’re gonna play Louisiana Tech and Southeast Louisiana this year, and we’re excited about those. So it’s really about sharing with those that are in the state and balancing the schedule.”
That’s a sharp contrast to Alabama, which hasn’t played an in-state non-conference opponent since it faced Howard College (now Samford) in 1944. The Crimson Tide does face in-state SEC rival Auburn each year, as it has done since 1948.
While former Alabama Nick Saban
said as recently as 2022
that he would be in favor of facing in-state non-conference schools on a periodic basis, the idea has gained no traction with the man ultimately in charge of scheduling — Greg Byrne. The Crimson Tide athletics director has typically shut down any such discussions,
saying in 2024
that “we have a scheduling model we’re comfortable with at this time.”
Auburn has played or has scheduled every Division I school in the state of Alabama in a non-conference game since 1996, with the exception of Troy. The Tigers face South Alabama for the first time this season, and will meet North Alabama in 2028.
Arkansas also has traditionally shied away from in-state opposition until very recently. The Razorbacks hosted Arkansas-Pine Bluff for the first time to begin the 2024 season (winning 70-0) and will play its first-ever game vs. Arkansas State on Sept. 6 in Little Rock.
Four SEC schools have built-in non-conference rivalry games — Georgia (Georgia Tech), Florida (Florida State), South Carolina (Clemson) and Kentucky (Louisville), respectively. However, the Gators have also faced Florida Atlantic, South Florida and Central Florida in recent years, and plays both USF and Miami this season in addition to FSU as always.
The Gamecocks have also played Wofford, Furman and South Carolina State the last three seasons, and will face South Carolina State again this year. The Wildcats faced Murray State and Eastern Kentucky the last two seasons, and has another game scheduled with Murray State in 2027.
The Bulldogs have not played an in-state team other than Georgia Tech since facing Georgia Southern in 2015, and does not have any others scheduled. Ole Miss has not played an in-state non-conference opponent since Southern Miss in 1984, but does have a game with Alcorn State scheduled for 2028.
