BREAKING: SEC to add ninth conference game starting in 2026

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Aug 22, 2025 - 03:30
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BREAKING: SEC to add ninth conference game starting in 2026

The Southeastern Conference announced late Thursday afternoon it would implement a nine game conference schedule starting in the 2026 college football season. The change was first recommended by SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation. 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.” - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey

The SEC will join the Big Ten and Big 12 as leagues with nine conference games. The ACC will be the only power conference playing eight league games. However, the ACC said it would consider adding a ninth game if the SEC did the same.

But adding a ninth conference game, the SEC also provides more revenue to conference members from ESPN.

The SEC will also now require members to schedule at least one high quality non-conference opponent from either the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC or Notre Dame each year. Texas is set in this department, with non-conference opponents like Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Arizona State in the coming years.

The scheduling change could impact negotiations between the SEC and the Big Ten to expand the the college football playoff. The differences in number of league games has been a sticking point between the two conferences.

New SEC Scheduling Format:

  • The SEC will continue with a single-standings, non-divisional structure
  • Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining many traditional rivalries
  • Each team’s remaining six games will rotate among the remaining conference schools
  • Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years.

For Texas, the three annual rivalry opponents probably means that the Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies and Arkansas Razorbacks will be on Texas' schedule every year. The rest will rotate. That also means a possible future rivalry with LSU might not get off the ground.

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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: SEC to move from eight to nine conference games in 2026

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