LSU announced that it will not play its scheduled home-and-home series with Arizona State during the 2029 and 2030 college football seasons, citing a desire to reshape its non‑conference schedule for the coming years.
In place of those matchups, the Tigers will add four new games against Northwestern State, Louisiana‑Monroe, Southern and Tulane across the 2027, 2028 and 2030 seasons, each of which is expected to be less challenging than a typical Power Five opponent.
The New Non‑Conference Landscape
The revised schedule is part of a broader strategy to increase the team’s win total and present a stronger résumé to the College Football Playoff selection committee, which has increasingly emphasized sheer victory count over the quality of opponents.
The approach mirrors a similar shift adopted by the Texas Longhorns, who have also opted for easier non‑conference foes to protect their win totals and improve their playoff positioning.
While Arizona State remains a competent Big 12 program, the Tigers’ new slate features opponents who are not expected to pose a serious challenge, allowing LSU to focus on accumulating victories and enhancing its playoff odds.