August 21 marked the beginning of a new phase of SEC scheduling. Starting in 2026, every team will play nine conference games instead of eight, aligning with the Big Ten and the Big 12. Those nine SEC games, one non-conference power 4 game or Notre Dame, and two G5 schools will make up a season’s regular schedule. League commissioner Greg Sankey stated, “Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation.” Competition never dies. Nor do Brian Kelly‘s wishes. 

If there’s anyone elated about the SEC’s latest scheduling move, it’s Brian Kelly. In a X thread by Jack Schemmel on August 21, the HC didn’t wait to tiptoe around his feelings while discussing the nine-SEC schedule. “I like it. I was in favour of it from day one,” he said, remaining true to what he stood by during his initial years in Baton Rouge. “I told Scott [Woodward, LSU Athletic Director] that’s why I want to be at LSU. I want to play the best.” That’s the same statement he used in 2022 when discussing a potential 9-SEC team schedule. 

Brian Kelly talked strategy. Ten games against top competition, he argued, means a team is battle-tested for the postseason. “Others look at it as, well, you’re just knocking each other off,’” he said. “I don’t see it that way. I see it as you’re going to prepare yourself playing the very best week in and week out.” And with a hot seat this season, he’s looking at strength of schedule, quality wins, and even quality losses as metrics that matter in a playoff-hungry world. 

This isn’t just about SEC bragging rights. The nine-game slate protects marquee rivalries, giving fans the matchups they crave every season. As Greg Sankey added, “This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional Power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff.”

Think Alabama vs. LSU on the First Saturday in November. Even if the Tide has dominated lately, the history and hype don’t fade. Or the Magnolia Bowl between LSU and Ole Miss, a rivalry stretching back to 1894, now with a trophy and pride on the line. Over a two-year span, every team will face all league opponents, and over four years, it’s home-and-away across the board. “Give them what they want to see. So let’s give them a schedule that they can be excited about,” he added. With rivalries locked, schedules set, and the SEC gauntlet officially in place, Brian Kelly now turns his focus off the field, retooling LSU’s roster and budget to match his championship ambitions.

Brian Kelly and LSU’s $18 million makeover

After a rollercoaster 2024, Brian Kelly went full throttle on roster reinvention. On his first radio show of the year, he dropped the figure everyone’s been whispering about. $18 million that covers 18 transfers in LSU’s No. 2-ranked portal class and a Top-10 high school recruiting haul. Pete Nakos at On3 pegged it, and the HC confirmed the Tigers are no longer timid in chasing talent.

NIL support also got a makeover. Brian Kelly and his wife committed to match up to $1 million in donations, turning it into a $3.2 million raise for Bayou Traditions. “It’s put us in a position to be aggressive on anybody that comes into the portal,” he said. This was a statement of intent. LSU wants the College Football Playoff, and the fifth-year HC is making sure every dollar, every recruit, and every matchup moves the program closer to that goal. And that starts right this season with a crucial season opener against the ACC champs. 

Brian Kelly is reshaping LSU in his own image with the nine-game SEC slate, marquee rivalries, and an $18 million roster overhaul. Can fulfilled desire win championships?