The SEC is expanding. No, we are not going through another round of conference realignment; instead, the league is moving from an eight-game to a nine-game conference schedule. On the surface, the move made sense. In the press release, the SEC reiterated three points on why the move to nine just means more.
“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.” Let’s dig into the reasons, just a bit.
B1G Folly. The Cost of a Nine-Game SEC Conference Schedule
Protect The Rivalries
We all want to see and have come to expect Georgia-Florida and Alabama-LSU on an annual basis. But if the league stayed at eight games, “protecting” these rivalries and balancing schedules would be difficult. A move to nine not only allows for more protected rivalries, but also ensures we don’t have big gaps between teams playing each other.
The scheduling disparity is a frequent point of frustration for fans and was a major catalyst for the SEC’s move to a nine-game schedule. For example, Georgia and Texas A&M have played only one conference game against each other, and that was in Athens. The Dawgs have never been to College Station. Whereas Georgia and Texas have played 3 conference games (two regular-season games and one in the SEC Championship) in the last two seasons. Texas has been in the league for only two years. The Aggies have only been in the league for 14 years…
The new conference schedule model ensures that every SEC team faces three permanent rivals and six rotating opponents each year. This rotation ensures that every school will play every other conference member at least once every two years. Yay, more Dawgs barking at the dancing Yell Leaders.
These arguments make sense, but the move to nine games was also motivated by changes in the College Football Playoff. And that is where the argument starts to fall apart a bit.
Strength of Schedule?
Greg Sankey argued that moving to a nine-game conference schedule would keep the SEC in a position of strength, especially when it comes to everyone’s favorite topic: the CFB Playoff selection committee. “The announcement of the strength of schedule adjustment, I think a healthier metric being used to inform decision making, that’s an element that weighed in favor of the nine-game conference schedule being implemented,” Sankey said. “The ability to take the step to say that it is more than just ‘don’t lose,’ it’s about playing high-quality opponents, that being honored, that’s some of the work that needs to progress.” Let’s break this down for a moment.
In 2025, five SEC teams earned spots in the College Football Playoff. While we can and have debated the merits of Alabama and Oklahoma making it in, the SEC had more than any other conference. They also had Vanderbilt and Texas waiting in the wings if further chaos broke out in the B1G or ACC.
The SEC has routinely beaten its chest about being the deepest and strongest conference in college football. We can look at data (NFL Draft Picks, recruiting, and portal rankings) to confirm this narrative. The SEC also helped settle the debate on the field (in the regular season). Here are the records of the P4 in non-conference games this year.
- SEC (12–6): 6–4 vs. ACC, 3–0 vs. Big 12, and 2–1 vs. B1G.
- Big 12 (8–6): Dominated the ACC (6–1) but went winless against the SEC (0–3).
- Big Ten (5–5): Went 0–2 against Notre Dame, but Ohio State did beat Texas in Week 1 in Columbus.
- ACC (7–19): Joe Namath thinks the ACC was struggling in 2025. The ACC finished with a losing record against all three peer conferences, despite “The U” returning to the national championship.
Bowl games and play in the CFB Playoffs were different. We know, we’ve heard the sentiment. So, why move? Did Sankey and the SEC follow the folly that is the B1G blueprint?
B1G Folly Blueprint
The B1G has won the last three national championships. The B1G has played a nine-game schedule, but their out of conference schedule has proved that to be the man, you don’t always have to beat the man. Let’s take a look at the OOC schedules for each of the last three B1G national champions.
- 2023 (15–0): East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green.
- 2024 (15–1): Southern Mississippi, Western Michigan, Marshall.
- 2025 (16–0): Old Dominion, Western Illinois, Louisville, Charlotte.
Not exactly murder’s row or a gauntlet or anything to write home to mother about. The SEC one-upped the B1G by adding a 9+1 scheduling requirement. SEC teams must still schedule at least one “Power 4” opponent (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame) annually. This saved many of the ACC-SEC rivalries we have come to love on Thanksgiving Day weekend. While those games have remained intact, we have seen a loss in other key or primetime SEC-P4 matchups.
OOC We Lost
Here is a quick overview of some of the big games and series that have been canceled since the August announcement.
- Alabama: Don’t cry for us, Nick Saban. The Tide has replaced West Virginia in 2026–2027 with East Carolina.
- Florida: The Gators have chomped their OOC schedule by canceling series with NC State, California, and Arizona St.
- Georgia: Them Dawgs are hell, but they will no longer be playing ACC counterparts Louisville and NC State.
- Mississippi State: There will be no tortillas flying in Stark Vegas. Hail State and Texas Tech canceled a home-and-home series in 2028–2029.
- Ole Miss: Let’s call it the “Lane Kiffin” effect. The Rebels have fired games against USC and BYU 2025–2026 on the tarmac.
- South Carolina: Maybe it’s Dave Doren, or maybe it’s the Wolfpack. The Gamecocks won’t be playing NC State, or “The U” in 2026 or 2027.
While these moves are disappointing to fans and to us in the media, they are an apparent olive branch from athletic directors to their coaches. Kirby Smart discussed the challenges of moving to a nine-game SEC schedule after the Georgia-Alabama game this year.
“Those two teams [Georgia and Alabama] were beat up tonight. That was the ninth game of the year. We’re looking at having another game next year. I mean, the coaches in our league are concerned about it. Very concerned about it… It’s hard. I mean, it’s brutal. Looking forward to the nines coming, it’s going to be scary because you just don’t have enough. Nobody has enough depth.”
While Smart is usually the voice of reason and elder statesman of the league, he is not speaking for everyone this time.
Everything is Still Bigger in Texas
Texas is still the new kid on the block. They also like to zig when everyone else is zagging. Athletic Director Chris Del Conte has done a masterful job of rebuilding and growing the Longhorns brand. While teams like Georgia and Alabama are looking to cancel these OOC games, Del Conte and Texas aren’t going anywhere or ducking anyone. “We’re going to honor our word. That’s what we do… I’m not about to give those games up. I want a little piece of their rear end in DKR [Darrell K Royal Stadium].”
Del Conte also understands the importance of these games for fans. You know the ones paying for tickets and donating to keep these high-dollar rosters intact. He wants to reward season-ticket holders with the best games possible. “Do you guys really want nice, good games in DKR? We could play three cream puffs, and we could play an SEC schedule… I prefer to preserve the regular season by playing great games.”
Taking a look at Texas’s upcoming OOC opponents, you can see why everything is bigger in Texas and why the SEC should take note.
- Sept 12, 2026 Ohio State @DKR
- Sept 11, 2027 Michigan @DKR
- Sept 9, 2028 @Notre Dame
- Sept 22, 2029 Notre Dame @DKR
- Sept 11, 2032 @Arizona State
Main Photo: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
