When the SEC expanded in 2012, it made a concerted effort to try to build up at least one rivalry game for the new members. After a couple of years to get used to the new number, the conference moved LSU-Texas A&M to Thanksgiving week and switched up cross-division games so that Missouri would play Arkansas every year.
The former solved two problems, as LSU had been without a clear No. 1 rival in the league since Tulane left. The Tigers have some real enmity with Alabama and Ole Miss, but those teams’ top hates will always be Auburn and Mississippi State.