The SEC's move to a nine-game conference schedule has had multple repercussions, but one of them reaches beyond the borders of the conference.
LSU has joined in with multiple other SEC schools in canceling future home-and-home series with Power-4 non-conference opponents by taking their scheduled matchups in 2029 and 2030 against Arizona State off the books.
Interestingly enough, this move comes at the same time LSU has announced adding non-conference games against Northwestern State, Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, and Tulane, capitalizing on in-state games rather than Power-4 matchups.
This all comes after Alabama canceled their upcoming series against West Virginia and Oklahoma State, Florida removed their scheduled series with Arizona State, Georgia backed out on series with Florida State and Louisville, and South Carolina cancled their border war with North Carolina.
The longer conference schedule has Greg Sankey concerned about CFP spots
Adding an extra conference game may sound great to SEC fans, but commissioner Greg Sankey seems to be concerned that the weight of an extra conference game could potentially sabotage the SEC's hopes at some playoff spots.
Sankey said during the 2026 SEC Media Days State of the Conference address that he has had "unsatisfactory conversations" with the College Football Playoff committee about how the 9th conference game would come into play with the selection process.
SEC’s Greg Sankey on confidence of CFP selection committee recognizing SEC’s schedule strength: “I’m actually one who believes competitors want a great challenge. We have heard about strength of schedule, strength of record. We had what I would call an unsatisfactory conversation…
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 20, 2026
Translation: It's not going to do our league any justice if playing yet another difficult conference game will only hinder us when it comes time for playoff selection, and we don't trust the committee.
With the margin for error seemingly getting smaller despite the playoff field getting larger, that's probably a legitimate concern. It also underlines the fact that the CFP committee has repeatedly said emphasis would be placed on one measurable, and then openly admitted to using another when the selection process took place.
This puts some of the top programs in the SEC -- LSU included -- in a difficult spot. No LSU fan will likely be upset by removing Arizona State from the schedule, but will it have a derogatory effect when it matters most? Is it more prudent to worry about the optics of removing a scheduled Power-4 opponent, or the truth of playing yet another difficult conference game?
All questions that no one -- especially the College Football Playoff Committee -- seems to be able to (or want to) answer. For LSU and Lane Kiffin, the biggest hurdle is just winning. and then everything else will map itself out.
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