Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey announced a change to football regular season scheduling on Thursday, confirming a move to a nine-game conference format in football beginning in 2026.
“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” Sankey said in a conference press release. “This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional Power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff.”
The new format will see the SEC continue without divisions, meaning the top two teams in the conference rankings will play in the SEC Title Game. The format also includes three annual opponents in an effort to maintain traditional rivalries within the conference, and each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away over four years.
SEC teams are already required to schedule at least one additional “high-quality” non-conference opponent (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or Notre Dame) each season.
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