SEC Announces Nine-Game Conference Schedule Starting 2026

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has voted to expand its college football schedule to nine conference games starting in the 2026 season, aligning itself with the Big Ten and Big 12, which already play nine-game conference schedules. This change, strongly supported by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, aims to enhance the conference's competitiveness, preserve rivalries, and increase fan interest throughout the season, with each team playing every other SEC program at least once every two years. The SEC also requires teams to schedule at least one additional nonconference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame annually. The adjustment comes alongside the College Football Playoff committee's introduction of a new metric, "record strength," which rewards teams for defeating high-quality opponents and reduces penalties for losses to strong teams, addressing concerns about the impact of a tougher conference schedule on playoff selection. This move has significant implications for the future College Football Playoff format, potentially influencing negotiations between the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 on playoff structure, with the SEC backing a model that includes five automatic qualifiers and 11 at-large bids. Overall, the expanded schedule is seen as a win for fans, increasing marquee matchups and raising the level of competition within the nation's premier football conference.