Disappointing news regarding the 2024 LSU football schedule

LSU football fans know more about the Tigers’ future schedule format. However, we’re wondering why and for how long the unpopular arrangement will stick.

LSU football will have some new, in-conference competition after Texas and Oklahoma migrate to the SEC in August 2024. We thought more SEC team vs. SEC team games would follow the conference’s expansion. However, we now know the SEC in-conference schedule will remain at eight games.

Last week, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told reporters that teams are planning an 8-game SEC schedule for the 2024 season.

Sankey’s comments disappoint those of us who crave more Power 5 school vs. Power 5 school action. However, the commish admitted that SEC teams must schedule a non-conference, Power 5 opponent in 2024. LSU football already has that box checked with games against USC and UCLA on tap for the 2024 season.

There’s talk that Texas and Oklahoma prefer a 9-game SEC schedule but don’t have voting rights until 2024. So, for now, most of the SEC’s 14 teams choose the 8-game plan. However, there’s chatter that opposition to a bump in conference games results from ESPN’s unwillingness to fork over more money.

ESPN paid upwards of $300 million per season for exclusive rights to broadcast SEC football games beginning in 2024. However, the sports network goliath negotiated the deal under an 8-game, in-conference schedule for SEC teams.

Recently, we addressed rumors that an expanded SEC will result in a ‘3-and-6’ schedule format for each team. In other words, LSU football will play the same three opponents every season and six others in an every-other-season format.

Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss were the reported every-season opponents for LSU football. However, such is on hold, for now.

We believe the Tigers will play Alabama and Texas A&M in 2024 because of Sankey’s remarks indicating the SEC will honor tradition and rivalries when creating the schedule. Regardless, we also believe the SEC is an ESPN renegotiation away from moving to a 9-game, in-conference schedule in 2025 and beyond.

LSU football fans can count on a couple of (not so) bold predictions from Death Valley Voice. For one, an expanded College Football Playoff results in more teams willing to schedule marquee, non-conference games. Depending on the strength of the schedule, teams losing two or, perhaps, three games will not signal a playoff death sentence.

Our second prediction is that ESPN will make a ridiculous sum in their first year of the SEC football television deal. Moreover, history shows that networks are open to adding more of the product, making them money. Thus, we’re counting on ESPN to make it worth the SEC’s while to add a 9th conference game beginning in 2025.

Buckle up, LSU football fans; things will change quickly over the next 18 months.