Lane Kiffin Criticizes Nine-Game SEC Schedule and CFP Selection Process
During SEC Media Days, LSU coach Lane Kiffin didn’t hold back about his worries over the SEC’s shift to a nine-game conference schedule. He’s got some pretty strong opinions about how this change might mess with the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process.
Kiffin’s been around college football long enough to spot trouble. He pointed out that the current system just doesn’t do a great job of rewarding teams for having a tough schedule. That’s a big deal for SEC teams, and honestly, for the whole sport.
Lane Kiffin’s Concerns About the Nine-Game SEC Schedule
His main gripe? The extra conference game means fewer non-conference matchups. Those games are where teams get to show what they’re really made of against totally different opponents.
Kiffin thinks the CFP selection process is already a bit flawed, and this move just makes it worse for leagues like the SEC. He sees the ACC and Big 12 as having a bit of an edge under the current rules.
The Impact on Non-Conference Games
He’s worried that teams will start dodging tough non-conference games altogether. If everyone’s just playing each other in the SEC, how do you prove you’re better than the rest of the country?
“If we’re all in the same conference and we keep playing each other, we don’t really prove that we’re better than anyone else and we’re taking away out-of-conference games,” Kiffin said. That’s not a minor detail—it could mean more conference losses and a lot more confusion about who’s actually good.
Comparing Different Conferences
Another thing bugging Kiffin: it’s just plain hard to compare teams from different conferences right now. He figures a 9-3 SEC team could be way stronger than an 11-1 team from somewhere else, but the selection process doesn’t really see it that way.
That’s how you end up with deserving SEC teams sitting at home during the playoffs. It’s not exactly fair, is it?
Lessons from Other Sports
He brought up college baseball as an example. Oklahoma won the national title in baseball with a 14-16 SEC record—imagine if something like that happened in football. Not a chance, right?
Baseball teams get a shot to prove themselves with non-conference games, and Kiffin seems to think football could use a little of that flexibility. The current CFP setup just doesn’t allow for it.
Potential Solutions and Future Changes
So what’s the fix? Kiffin wants the CFP selection process to actually value strength of schedule. Maybe it’s time for a more detailed look at who teams are playing and how tough those schedules really are.
The Role of the SEC Commissioner
He admits the SEC commissioner’s job isn’t easy. There are tough calls to make, and not everyone’s going to agree with every decision.
Even so, Kiffin’s convinced the system isn’t ready for this nine-game schedule. He’s hoping for some teamwork to get the CFP selection process caught up.
Lane Kiffin had a lot to say at SEC Media Days about the nine-game SEC schedule. He didn’t hold back on the College Football Playoff selection process either.
Kiffin pointed out how cutting non-conference games makes it tough to compare teams across conferences. Is it really fair to judge teams on such uneven ground?
He seems to think the current system doesn’t do a great job of rewarding teams for a tough schedule. Honestly, it’s hard to argue with that.
If you’re curious to dig deeper into Kiffin’s thoughts, check out the full article on On3.
