Brian Kelly on SEC scheduling model: 'We want to play Big Ten schools'

SEC Spring Meetings have brought all kinds of ideas when it comes to future scheduling models. Most of the conversation has been about the SEC itself and whether or not they will play eight or nine conference games. LSU‘s Brian Kelly decided to go one step further on Wednesday, though.

“We want to play Big Ten schools,” Kelly said. His proposal would be nine SEC games, a big-time matchup against a Big Ten opponent, plus two more nonconference games at each school’s choosing.

“LSU coach Brian Kelly says officials this week did discuss a regular season scheduling arrangement with the Big Ten, including adding a ninth SEC game,” Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger said via X. “Would be 9 SEC games + B1G game + 2 others.”

Kelly went on to say the SEC wants to show they have depth, from top to bottom. A reporter responded by asking why that could not be shown in the College Football Playoff. The LSU headman dished back, saying, “You can do it in the playoffs too, absolutely. No doubt. But you can also show yourself in the regular season with this opportunity.

“Look, the Big Ten right now holds it on the SEC,” Kelly added. “They’ve won the last two national championships. OK, that’s the reality of it. We want to get challenged in that regard, and we’d like to be able to get that done.”

Conferences having a scheduling agreement would be nothing new in college athletics. Just look at men’s basketball, where the SEC currently participates in the SEC/ACC Challenge. For years, the Big Ten was involved and went up against the ACC. Teams would benefit from getting a quality opponent on the schedule while TV networks receive flashy matchups to promote.

Back to football — there is currently an unequal number of teams in the Big Ten and SEC. Two Big Ten teams would wind up missing out, as their total sits at 18 while the SEC is at 16. Previous year records could dictate who gets to participate in the event.

Even without an arrangement between the two, multiple matchups are on the 2025 schedule. Texas traveling to Ohio State and Oklahoma hosting Michigan headline the early college football calendar. Alabama welcomes Wisconsin to Tuscaloosa as well, being the back end of a home-and-home series.

More could be on the way, if Kelly’s idea ever comes to fruition. In a stretch where strength of schedule has become a massive talking point, relative to the College Football Playoff, this might put some water on the arguments. The ability to compare against one another will be made a whole lot easier with a Big Ten/SEC Challenge of some sort.