So....once again a new team enters the conference and Birmingham is gonna try to manufacture a season-ending rivalry for LSU with them. Whatever. Doesn't this basically admit that LSU/Texas A&M was contrived and stupid? And didn't that basically admit LSU/Arkansas was contrived and stupid?
Dumb as it is, the reason it keeps happening is because most other teams have legit rivalries that must fall on the final weekend. Ole Miss is the closest thing to making sense for us, but they have the Egg Bowl with Clanga on the final week, and traditionally that game is supposed to be played at Halloween, although the conference hasn't accommodated that in years and years either. Since OU's RRR with UT is middle of the season and I guess they're losing Bedlam (why? Bring it back ooc), LSU sort of has to get stuck with them.
Barring Ole Miss, I'd like Florida at the end of the year, but they have FSU. Basically anyone we would want to put there has an in-state game to play. Depending on what Florida looks like, LSU has a pretty backloaded schedule in-conference, ending with Alabama, Florida, and OU all in the final month.
Elsewhere, Texas/A&M will resume in College Station this year, and the Aggies can finally quit pretending they hate us and that tigers have anything to saw off.