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LSU could go the Independent Route in Football
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:16 pm
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:16 pm
LSU could probably easily join the Big 12 in every sport but football. The Big 12 could then probably add Boise State as a football only member to even out the conference member numbers.
LSU could easily set up a schedule like Notre Dame and have a setup with the Big 12 like Notre Dame has with the ACC.
Here's how LSU's schedule could legitimately look like as an independent:
- 5 guaranteed games against the Big 12, with the option for a 6th game if necessary some years.
- 2 guaranteed home games against an in state Louisiana school, as per usual now (rotation between UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe, McNeese, Louisiana Tech, Southern, Northwestern State, Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana and Grambling State).
- Resume permanent rivalry game with Tulane, home and home with the games in New Orleans being at the Superdome.
- Work with Notre Dame to get a permanent series going.
- 2 to 3 games against Big Ten or ACC opponents.
This type of schedule gives LSU flexibility and national exposure, while still providing a challenging enough schedule to ensure LSU would be prepared for the CFP.
Only schedule an SEC team if they initiate and meet the following two qualifications:
- They did not support or vote for LSU to be expelled from the SEC.
- They agree to no SEC involvement in a game, even if it's on their campus. They would have to agree to Big 12 referees and all reviews being performed by the Big 12 review center).
LSU could easily set up a schedule like Notre Dame and have a setup with the Big 12 like Notre Dame has with the ACC.
Here's how LSU's schedule could legitimately look like as an independent:
- 5 guaranteed games against the Big 12, with the option for a 6th game if necessary some years.
- 2 guaranteed home games against an in state Louisiana school, as per usual now (rotation between UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe, McNeese, Louisiana Tech, Southern, Northwestern State, Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana and Grambling State).
- Resume permanent rivalry game with Tulane, home and home with the games in New Orleans being at the Superdome.
- Work with Notre Dame to get a permanent series going.
- 2 to 3 games against Big Ten or ACC opponents.
This type of schedule gives LSU flexibility and national exposure, while still providing a challenging enough schedule to ensure LSU would be prepared for the CFP.
Only schedule an SEC team if they initiate and meet the following two qualifications:
- They did not support or vote for LSU to be expelled from the SEC.
- They agree to no SEC involvement in a game, even if it's on their campus. They would have to agree to Big 12 referees and all reviews being performed by the Big 12 review center).
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Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:18 pm to TheLSUDynasty
lol some of y’all really believe LSU would get the same ND treatment.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:18 pm to TheLSUDynasty
Football schedules are made years in advance. So that would be hard. What would be even harder would be basketball and other sports. Going indy would even be hard for us for basketball scheduling. ND parked their asses in the ACC for a reason.
This post was edited on 9/8/26 at 11:19 pm
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:23 pm to TheLSUDynasty
LSU's brand nationally isn't ND's brand.
LSU's media rights isnt worth anything close to what it is currently without LSU-Bama, OM-LSU, etc. What nationally relevant games in your scenario would you have to sell to Fox (it wont be ESPN/ABC)?
No one nationally is tuning in to see LSU play SMU. And why would those schools agree to play you if you don't join the ACC or B12? What's their incentive?
Would the SEC lose some revenue in a trade with UNC coming in? Probably.
Would LSU lose much more in any plausible scenario not involving maintaining its currently relevant games? Absolutely.
Everyone involved is best served with peace being made and a deal being cut to avoid the lawfare so that both sides can move forward sustainably.
LSU's media rights isnt worth anything close to what it is currently without LSU-Bama, OM-LSU, etc. What nationally relevant games in your scenario would you have to sell to Fox (it wont be ESPN/ABC)?
No one nationally is tuning in to see LSU play SMU. And why would those schools agree to play you if you don't join the ACC or B12? What's their incentive?
Would the SEC lose some revenue in a trade with UNC coming in? Probably.
Would LSU lose much more in any plausible scenario not involving maintaining its currently relevant games? Absolutely.
Everyone involved is best served with peace being made and a deal being cut to avoid the lawfare so that both sides can move forward sustainably.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:25 pm to hoojy
quote:
Football schedules are made years in advance. So that would be hard. What would be even harder would be basketball and other sports. Going indy would even be hard for us for basketball scheduling. ND parked their asses in the ACC for a reason.
Did you not read the part where I said LSU would go to the Big 12 in every other sport? Independent status would only be for football.
And I'm pretty sure the Big 12 would be ecstatic to have a guaranteed partnership with LSU, including a scheduling partnership in football.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:26 pm to TheLSUDynasty
quote:
Did you not read the part where I said LSU would go to the Big 12 in every other sport?
I obviously didn't.
My bad, on beer like 20 or something. Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:26 pm to tide06
quote:
LSU's brand nationally isn't ND's brand.
LSU's media rights isnt worth anything close to what it is currently without LSU-Bama, OM-LSU, etc. What nationally relevant games in your scenario would you have to sell to Fox (it wont be ESPN/ABC)?
No one nationally is tuning in to see LSU play SMU. And why would those schools agree to play you if you don't join the ACC or B12? What's their incentive?
Would the SEC lose some revenue in a trade with UNC coming in? Probably.
Would LSU lose much more in any plausible scenario not involving maintaining its currently relevant games? Absolutely.
Everyone involved is best served with peace being made and a deal being cut to avoid the lawfare so that both sides can move forward sustainably.
The only deal is a public apology to LSU from Greg Sankey and an announcement that all lawsuits are dropped, there are no sanctions and the SEC admits they were in the wrong.
A public apology from every university president in the SEC to LSU would be nice as well.
LSU does not need the SEC.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:27 pm to hoojy
quote:
I obviously didn't. My bad, on beer like 20 or something.
No worries, we're all drunk or emotional right now. Ironically I'm kind of drunk myself as ironically I'm on vacation this week.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:28 pm to tide06
quote:
LSU's brand nationally isn't ND's brand
You’re right, we’re bigger now. Go look at the social media engagement and number of followers across platforms and accounts for different athletic programs between LSU and ND and get back to me.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:31 pm to tide06
quote:
No one nationally is tuning in to see LSU play SMU.
And no one nationally is tuning in to watch Ole Miss play UVA or Alabama play UNC. No one nationally cares about UNC and UVA in football, with their wine and cheese crowds. They are tuning in to watch Ole Miss play LSU and Alabama play LSU.
Never mind what this would do to local SEC cities. Not as many fans would be at those games and major revenue, from hotel nights to restaurants and other local businesses, would be impacted.
This post was edited on 9/8/26 at 11:32 pm
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:33 pm to tide06
quote:
LSU's brand nationally isn't ND's brand.
No stat backs that up.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:34 pm to TheLSUDynasty
Please do that.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:34 pm to TheLSUDynasty
quote:
LSU does not need the SEC.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:35 pm to lsudave1
quote:
You’re right, we’re bigger now. Go look at the social media engagement and number of followers across platforms and accounts for different athletic programs between LSU and ND and get back to me.
Some of you have well and truly lost the plot.
"in caput eorum" (on your own heads be it).
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:36 pm to NorthshoreTiger76
quote:
lol some of y’all really believe LSU would get the same ND treatment
Talk about “delusional”. Glad you can see through the P&G glasses
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:38 pm to WilliamTaylor21
LSU might not be ND in terms of brand, but we aren't far behind. In my opinion the following schools have a big enough brand to be independent if they want:
Guaranteed
Notre Dame
LSU
Ohio State
Michigan
Oregon
Alabama
Texas
The schools above have the resources and brand to make it as an independent. The following schools would be a maybe but not guaranteed:
Maybe
Texas A&M (simply due to oil money)
Oklahoma (also simply due to oil money)
USC (Oregon took their spot as the "West Coast Team", but USC could still get it back if they ever got on track)
Georgia
North Carolina
Guaranteed
Notre Dame
LSU
Ohio State
Michigan
Oregon
Alabama
Texas
The schools above have the resources and brand to make it as an independent. The following schools would be a maybe but not guaranteed:
Maybe
Texas A&M (simply due to oil money)
Oklahoma (also simply due to oil money)
USC (Oregon took their spot as the "West Coast Team", but USC could still get it back if they ever got on track)
Georgia
North Carolina
This post was edited on 9/8/26 at 11:38 pm
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:39 pm to hoojy
You asked for AI to answer. They sure are so abandoning a schedule would put a mark on every other team scheduled and result in the loss of tons of money. In the very unlikely hood they get kicked those games will be played
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:40 pm to TheLSUDynasty
quote:
LSU does not need the SEC.
Well bye, bitch.
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:40 pm to tide06
If you’re arguing who is the bigger brand in collegiate athletics in general, you’re nuts if you think Notre Dame is bigger than LSU or Bama for that matter. What I’m stating is factually correct. Maybe among the demographic that makes up this message board ND is still bigger, but not in terms of social media following and interaction, which has become the number 1 method of brand promotion.
ETA You can downvote or disagree all you want, but you keep arguing about “Brand” and the facts show that both LSU and Alabama football each have 1M+ more followers than Notre Dame on Instagram alone. That is the very definition of what is meant by a brand being bigger/more popular than another.
ETA You can downvote or disagree all you want, but you keep arguing about “Brand” and the facts show that both LSU and Alabama football each have 1M+ more followers than Notre Dame on Instagram alone. That is the very definition of what is meant by a brand being bigger/more popular than another.
This post was edited on 9/8/26 at 11:45 pm
Posted on 9/8/26 at 11:41 pm to Cover1Key
quote:
Talk about “delusional”. Glad you can see through the P&G glasses
We don't have to get the full Notre Dame treatment.
The Big 12 would gladly agree to a setup where LSU joins for all sports but football and LSU formally agrees in writing to 5 or 6 games a year against Big 12 teams in football.
LSU would have a great chance to set up regular games against various Big Ten or ACC opponents and would have a great chance for a permanent regular season game against Notre Dame, as it would help the strength of schedule for both programs.
The only thing LSU might not get is the guaranteed CFP spot if they're in the top 12, but if the CFP goes to 24 teams, that will be irrelevant anyway.
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