The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has officially unveiled its football scheduling plans for the upcoming seasons, starting in 2026. This new format includes a nine-game conference schedule with three permanent opponents for each of the 16 member teams. While the SEC aimed to preserve historic rivalries and maintain competitive balance, the changes mean some classic matchups will no longer be played annually.
Key Changes to SEC Scheduling
The SEC's decision to move to a nine-game schedule is driven by the recent conference expansion, which includes the addition of Texas and Oklahoma. This expansion necessitated a change in scheduling to ensure all teams play each other more frequently. Under the new format, each team will have three permanent opponents they play every year, while the remaining six conference games will rotate annually.
Preserving Historic Rivalries
The SEC has prioritized protecting several key rivalries, such as Georgia-Auburn and Alabama-Tennessee. These matchups hold significant historical importance and generate high levels of fan interest. Other rivalries, like Tennessee-Kentucky and South Carolina-Georgia, which are important to regional fan bases, have also been preserved.
The Cost of Progress: Rivalries Lost
Despite the efforts to protect many rivalries, some notable matchups will no longer be played every year. One of the most significant losses is the LSU-Alabama series, which has been a November staple since 1964. These games often featured teams ranked at the top of the college football landscape, creating memorable moments for fans. The changing landscape of college football, driven by conference realignment and television revenue, has made these sacrifices necessary.
Competitive Balance
The SEC has attempted to ensure a fair schedule for all teams. No team has more than two permanent opponents from the top half of the league's wins leaderboard. This approach aims to prevent any one team from facing an excessively difficult schedule year after year. However, the competitive balance efforts have come at the cost of some of the league's best annual rivalries.
- The SEC's new scheduling format starts in 2026.
- Each team will have three permanent opponents.
- Some historic rivalries will no longer be played annually.
- The changes are driven by conference expansion and TV revenue.
Ultimately, the SEC's scheduling changes reflect the evolving landscape of college football, where the pursuit of revenue and competitive balance often comes at the expense of tradition.