Lane Kiffin has found something new to gripe about in the SEC schedule, and it has nothing to do with Auburn, Florida or this week’s Georgia-Florida showcase.
The LSU coach is irritated that Ole Miss’ home game against Georgia on Nov. 7 was picked for a 7:30 p.m. eastern kickoff in Oxford, while LSU’s home date with Alabama landed in the afternoon slot at 3:30 p.m.
On the SEC coaches teleconference, Kiffin said he was surprised by the Alabama decision.
“I didn’t even think to think about the time,” Kiffin said on the SEC coaches teleconference when asked about the LSU-Alabama game being slotted for a 3:30 p.m. kick. “I just assumed, especially since the last 16 years, this game has been at night here all the time. I guess that’s probably naive of me.”
The numbers tell part of the story. The three biggest college football TV audiences this season have all come in ABC’s 7:30 p.m. window:
• Ohio State at Texas, 13.99 million
• Georgia at Alabama, 12.24 million
• LSU at Ole Miss, 10.90 million
That prime-time setting matters to a lot of teams, and Kiffin made it clear LSU is one of them. Asked by Barstool Sports if he preferred night games at Tiger Stadium, he pointed to the atmosphere.
“Having played on the other side (at LSU) the night is electric and kind of intimidating here,” Kiffin told Barstool Sports when asked if he preferred night games at Tiger Stadium. “And it’s interesting that all the sudden for the first time since 2010 Alabama is coming to LSU and not playing at night.
“There’s a lot of people around here upset about it and complaining, and I said I don’t think we got a lot of people around the SEC really rooting for LSU this year after what’s transpired, I don’t think we’re going to get a lot of favors.”
Kiffin also tied the scheduling gripe to the federal lawsuit pending against the SEC involving LSU and the school’s attempt to sign players who had not completed their full collegiate eligibility and had already started pro careers before the NCAA approved the new “5-in-5” rule in June.
“I was joking to [LSU SID Michael Bonnette] earlier, saying obviously the SEC wanted to change it from how it’s been to give LSU less of an advantage because of how well LSU plays at night and how intimidating it is to play here,” Kiffin said.
“I was like, ‘If someone thinks the SEC wants us to win this year after what’s been going on, they must’ve just been on Mars the last four months.’”
While LSU is unhappy about its own kickoff time, the league’s headliner this weekend stays in its usual lane. Georgia-Florida, the most prominent SEC game on the schedule this week, remains in the traditional 3:30 p.m. window on ABC after years in that spot on CBS.
Mississippi State at Texas is the SEC’s other 7:30 p.m. game this week, though that one will air on ESPN. ABC’s prime slot instead goes to No. 1 Miami at North Carolina.
Here’s a look at this week’s SEC game times and TV channels with picks:
Auburn at Ole Miss -12.5, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Pick: Ole Miss 30, Auburn 21
Florida vs. Georgia -12.5, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Pick: Georgia 38, Florida 24
South Carolina at Oklahoma -4.5, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Pick: Oklahoma 23, South Carolina 17
Mississippi State at Texas -20.5, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Pick: Texas 34, Mississippi State 10
Missouri -9.5 at Arkansas, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Missouri 31, Arkansas 24
In Other News...
Georgia Is Gaining Control Of Florida Week For Two Very Different Reasons
Georgias hold on the cocktail-party matchup is looking firmer for two separate reasons, and both were already in view well before kickoff week fully got rolling. The Bulldogs are dealing with the absence of running back Chauncey Bowens, who has been ruled out because of injury, but the bigger backdrop is the uncertainty on Floridas side, where the quarterback situation still hasnt settled and both passers are listed as questionable.
For Georgia, that combination has only sharpened the betting picture. DraftKings Sportsbook has moved the Bulldogs from 9.5-point favorites to 12.5, a sign the market is buying into Georgias edge while Floridas offensive picture remains cloudy. The Gators still have coaches, fans and players pulling in different directions on who should get the start, and until that question is answered, Georgia will keep benefiting from the uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Rumor Puts Kirby Smart In A Tough Georgia Spot
The Arch Manning chatter has given Georgia another uncomfortable offseason conversation to navigate, even before anything official is on the table. Former Bulldogs star David Pollack said he heard from an SEC coach that Manning could enter the transfer portal this offseason, and Georgia was mentioned as a possible landing spot, which immediately ties the speculation to Kirby Smarts program and the quarterback room already in place.
For Smart, the issue is bigger than simply whether Manning would fit in Athens. Georgia has built much of its identity around loyalty to the players already in the building, and Smart has generally been reluctant to push current members aside in favor of outside additions. If the Bulldogs were to seriously explore Manning, it would raise real questions about recruiting, timing and the message it would send inside the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Just Made A Long Term Move That Could Reshape The Program
Georgia is locking in a long-term business relationship that could have a lasting impact across the athletic department, extending its partnership with Learfield for another 15 years and keeping the arrangement in place through 2042. The new deal is designed to expand sponsorship, media, and fan engagement opportunities for Georgia athletics, a sign that the school is thinking well beyond game days and into the broader revenue engine that now drives major college sports.
For athletic director Josh Brooks and football coach Kirby Smart, the agreement underscores how central those partnerships have become in supporting student-athletes and keeping the Bulldogs competitive on and off the field. Learfield CEO Cole Gahagan also framed the extension as part of the larger push to grow athletics revenues, which makes this more than a routine contract update, it is a forward-looking move with the potential to shape how Georgia presents itself for years to come. [Read more 🡒]