LSU head football coach Brian Kelly has never been one to shy away from a challenge. As one of the sport’s most respected voices, his recent comments about SEC scheduling and his desire to play Big Ten opponents sparked widespread discussion, not only in Baton Rouge but across the landscape of college football. For Kelly, the goal is simple: elevate LSU into one of the most consistently elite programs in the country by seeking out and embracing competition, wherever it may be found.
Since arriving at LSU in 2021, Kelly has been clear about what he expects from his program and the types of games he believes will best prepare his team for national championship contention. In an era where scheduling has become a strategic chess match—balancing playoff implications, conference realignment, television rights, and traditional rivalries—Kelly’s philosophy cuts through the noise. He wants LSU to face the best, whether those opponents come from within the SEC or from powerful programs up north in the Big Ten.
Kelly’s stance on expanding the SEC schedule from eight to nine conference games is rooted in the belief that iron sharpens iron. With the upcoming additions of Texas and Oklahoma to the league, the SEC will become even more grueling, boasting a deeper collection of top-tier programs than any other conference in the nation. But rather than lament the added difficulty, Kelly welcomes it. In fact, he champions it. In his view, LSU should regularly square off against the conference’s best, even if it means a tougher path to the postseason. According to Kelly, that’s the very nature of being part of the SEC.
When he speaks about the subject, there’s a noticeable edge in his voice—not born from arrogance, but from confidence in what he believes college football should be: the most competitive teams playing each other on the biggest stages. He sees no value in avoiding difficult opponents or softening the schedule to rack up easy wins. That, he argues, is not how championships are won.
Playing Alabama every year? Bring it on. Matching up annually with Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Auburn? Sign him up. Kelly doesn’t believe in ducking these matchups for the sake of record padding. He views them as critical tests that shape a team’s identity, expose its flaws, and reveal its true potential. LSU, under Kelly’s leadership, is striving to build a program that doesn’t just survive those battles—but grows stronger because of them.
But Kelly’s ambition doesn’t stop at the conference border. He’s also vocal about wanting LSU to take on non-conference powerhouses, particularly from the Big Ten. His motivation isn’t just about fan excitement or TV ratings—it’s about matching up against the best and proving his program belongs in the elite tier of college football.
When he mentions the Big Ten, it’s not as a throwaway comment. He understands the respect and prestige that conference carries, especially when it comes to programs like Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. These are teams steeped in tradition, with fanbases as passionate and massive as any in the country. Playing—and beating—those schools would not only elevate LSU’s national profile but also offer crucial data points for the College Football Playoff selection committee in the new 12-team format.
Moreover, Kelly sees value in cross-conference games that challenge his team with different playing styles. The SEC and Big Ten, while both physical and competitive, often showcase contrasting identities. SEC teams are known for speed, depth, and raw athleticism, while Big Ten squads often emphasize physicality in the trenches, power running games, and methodical control of tempo. Facing Big Ten competition, in Kelly’s eyes, would force LSU to adapt and improve, becoming a more versatile and complete team.
There’s also a strategic element at play here. As conference realignment continues to reshape college football, with the SEC and Big Ten emerging as the two dominant superconferences, Kelly is positioning LSU to be a leader in this new era. By expressing a desire to play across conference lines, he’s signaling a willingness to lean into the chaos and use it as an opportunity for growth, rather than retreating into a protective shell.
In many ways, Kelly’s approach is a return to what made college football great: iconic matchups between regional powerhouses, the drama of the unknown, and the excitement of styles clashing under the lights. It’s a direct challenge to the trend of carefully engineered schedules designed to secure bowl eligibility or manufacture playoff appearances. Instead, he wants his teams to earn everything through merit, competition, and toughness.
His track record supports that philosophy. Even before LSU, Kelly led Notre Dame against some of the toughest opponents in the country. He understands the long-term value of playing difficult schedules, even when they result in short-term setbacks. For him, a hard-fought loss against a top-five team is more instructive—and more valuable—than a 56-0 blowout of a lower-tier FCS school.
From a recruiting standpoint, this mentality is also attractive. Recruits want to play in big games. They want the opportunity to prove themselves against elite competition on national television. When Kelly talks about playing Alabama and Ohio State in the same season, it sends a message: come to LSU, and you’ll be tested every week against the best. If you want to go to the NFL, there’s no better proving ground.
In the NIL era, where players are weighing both exposure and compensation, this matters. Recruits and their families are paying attention to more than just facilities and coaching staffs—they’re looking at the quality of opponents, the visibility of the program, and the competitive trajectory of the team. Kelly’s insistence on scheduling aggressively signals to top prospects that LSU is a launchpad, not a hiding spot.
It also resonates with fans. College football has always thrived on intensity, regional pride, and tradition-rich battles. The more high-profile matchups, the better for fan engagement. Imagine the electricity of a Saturday night game in Baton Rouge against Michigan. Picture the purple and gold clashing with the scarlet and gray in Columbus. These are the types of games that captivate the nation, light up social media, and stay etched in memory long after the final whistle.
Of course, there are risks. Playing a more difficult schedule increases the chances of multiple losses, which in the past might have eliminated a team from national title contention. But with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, there’s now more margin for error. A two-loss SEC team that challenged itself with games against Big Ten powers would almost certainly be in the hunt. In this new system, strength of schedule is no longer a liability—it’s an asset.
That’s a reality Kelly understands deeply. He’s not just building a team for today—he’s constructing a program for the future, one that adapts to the changing landscape while holding true to the core values that define elite competition. His desire to play Big Ten schools isn’t a stunt or a soundbite. It’s part of a long-term vision to make LSU a model of what modern college football can be: competitive, courageous, and championship-caliber.
In the end, Brian Kelly’s comments on scheduling reflect a broader truth about his coaching philosophy. He doesn’t just want to win—he wants to win the right way, by earning it against the very best. Whether that means Alabama on the road, Michigan under the lights, or a neutral-site showdown with Ohio State, Kelly’s answer is always the same: let’s play.
Because for him, greatness isn’t something you back into through clever scheduling or favorable matchups. It’s something you chase, relentlessly, by running headfirst into the fire. And under his leadership, LSU seems more than ready to do exactly that.
