LSU coach Lane Kiffin on Monday lamented the end of his program's annual rivalry game vs. Alabama.
The longtime former SEC West rivals have played one another every year since 1964, with many of those games going a long way to deciding who competed for the national championship. Saturday's contest could have similar implications with both teams ranked in the top 15.
But Alabama and LSU won't play next year as the game wasn't designated a permanent rivalry when the SEC moved to a nine-game conference schedule. Instead, they'll play in 2028 and at least once every two years beyond that.
"I think that's just sad," Kiffin said. "And I understand, so I'm not being critical. All the decisions, usually, I think all of them probably really come down to money, whether that's the realignments, whether that's the rivalries. So, I think it's all sad in general in the big picture of things that money drives to make [changes to] such great traditions and rivalries.
"And there's really good things that have changed in college football over the years, but there's also a lot that I think myself and a lot of people wish that they were the way that they were, rivalries and conferences the same. And so unfortunately it's where we are that really doesn't seem like much is going to be protected when it comes to TV contracts and money and other people's ideas."
Alabama's three permanent rivals are Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
LSU's three permanent rivals are Texas A&M, Arkansas and Ole Miss.
In putting together the schedule and selecting permanent rivals, the SEC focused on maintaining as many historical rivalries as possible. The conference also took into account competitive fairness and geography.
While Alabama and LSU have played one another for decades, the notion of it being a true rivalry didn't gain popularity until Nick Saban joined the Crimson Tide after previously taking the Tigers to a national championship.
Alabama's more historic rivals are Auburn and Tennessee -- the games earning the nickname of the Iron Bowl and the Third Saturday in October, respectively. Alabama and Mississippi State, meanwhile, are the two closest SEC schools, located roughly 90 miles apart.
Kiffin, who was Alabama's offensive coordinator 2014-16 under Saban, also took issue with the timing of the Alabama game last week, specifically that it will be played in the afternoon rather than at night.
"I mean, I was shocked," Kiffin said on the SEC teleconference last week. "I didn't even think to even think about the time. I just assumed, especially in 16 years, this game has been at night here all the time. I never even thought or considered that it wouldn't be at night. So, I guess that's probably naive of me."
Kiffin said he was joking with someone that the SEC wanted to change the kickoff time this year to "give LSU less of an advantage."
"Because of how well LSU plays at night and how intimidating it is to play here," he 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.' I guess when I look at it that way, I'm not surprised."
LSU and the SEC have been at odds of late over the school's signing of former professional athletes, with the conference taking one of its founding members to court.