Lane Kiffin has voiced frustration with the direction of college football, arguing that the pursuit of revenue has helped put the SEC Championship Game at risk. The LSU coach says decisions made in the name of money have brought consequences that could reshape the sport—and potentially end a fixture of the SEC season.
The conference championship game, first played in 1992, could be nearing its final edition. The SEC game is reportedly scheduled for December 5 in Atlanta, but the expanded College Football Playoff is creating uncertainty about whether conference title games can continue under the new postseason calendar.
Asked about the possibility of the SEC Championship Game ending, Kiffin said financial considerations drove the decisions that led to the current situation. He also questioned whether people would support returning to a four-team playoff and undoing the changes made since the postseason began expanding.
## How the expanded playoff affects conference title games
The College Football Playoff began with four teams in 2014 and expanded to 12 teams in 2024. It is scheduled to grow again, reaching 24 teams in 2027. Under the new format, the field will include the four Power Four conference champions, the top Group of Six team and 19 at-large selections.
The 24-team playoff is expected to require the December weekend currently used for conference championship games. That scheduling conflict has put the future of those games in question. Reports have also indicated that ESPN could save $140 million by not paying for the SEC, ACC and Big 12 championship games.
ESPN signed a five-year deal worth $1.7 billion for the expanded playoff. The financial structure and the calendar changes have intensified debate about whether conference championship games still have a place in college football’s postseason.
The SEC advocated for a 16-team playoff, a format that would have helped protect its championship game. Commissioner Greg Sankey has also argued that a larger playoff could reduce the revenue the conference would lose if its title game were canceled. Kiffin’s criticism reflects a broader concern: that financial calculations have driven major changes, while the consequences for the sport have received less attention.
## Kiffin questions the changing college football calendar
Kiffin has also raised concerns about how the season is structured. The schedule now begins the week before Labor Day, the regular season ends over Thanksgiving weekend, and playoff games start on the second weekend of December.
Changes to conference scheduling have affected traditional matchups, too. The SEC’s move to non-conference games is one reason LSU and Alabama will not play in 2027.
Kiffin has previously supported a 24-team playoff, with one of his Sunday calls reportedly linking his support to the need for a nine-game schedule. At the same time, he has questioned whether adding another SEC contest immediately before the playoff would help a team’s chances of winning a national championship.
His comments have come amid tensions around LSU’s place in the conference. Earlier this month, after discussing the league’s decision to schedule LSU’s game against Alabama in the afternoon, Kiffin said that anyone who believed the SEC wanted LSU to win “must’ve just been on Mars the last four months.”
## LSU’s season and playoff outlook
LSU entered the season with a 6-3 overall record and a 3-3 mark in SEC play during Kiffin’s first year as coach. The Tigers opened with a win over Clemson in Week 1 and later won at Auburn. They then lost to Ole Miss, 32-24; Kentucky, 35-34, in overtime; and Alabama, 31-13, at home.
Against Alabama, LSU outgained the Crimson Tide, 457 yards to 285, but failed to convert any of its four fourth-down attempts. Kiffin has a 0-6 career record against Alabama. LSU is also involved in a federal lawsuit with the SEC over the conference’s attempt to roster former NFL players.
No. 6 Texas is scheduled to visit Tiger Stadium on Saturday. LSU will then travel to Tennessee before finishing its SEC schedule against Arkansas. With the Tigers at 3-3 in conference play, they are already out of the SEC Championship Game picture. Their College Football Playoff hopes depend on winning their final three games.
For Kiffin, the uncertainty surrounding the SEC title game is part of a larger argument about the sport’s priorities. As the playoff expands and the calendar shifts, the conference faces a choice about how to balance postseason access, established traditions and revenue.
