A ninth SEC game could reshape rivalries, playoff stakes and the future of the sport.
The Southeastern Conference has long been college football’s power league, but it has made a decision that could alter its identity.
Seth Emerson of The Athletic reported on Aug. 21 that the SEC was contemplating moving to a nine-game conference schedule. Soon after, the SEC announced the decision — it's moving to a nine-game conference football schedule starting in 2026.
Why is the SEC adding a ninth game?
The push gained traction last spring when SEC leaders gathered in Destin, Florida.
While playoff expansion dominated those talks, many agreed that strength of schedule could no longer be ignored. The College Football Playoff committee confirmed this week that tougher schedules will carry more weight. That announcement fueled SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s long-standing argument for nine games.
Adding a ninth game also means more money. ESPN has indicated it would boost its rights payments if the conference expanded its schedule. With the SEC already commanding the richest media deal in college sports, that extra revenue adds significant pressure to make the move.
What the new schedule could look like
Under the leading model, each SEC team would keep three permanent rivals while rotating six other league opponents each season.
That structure protects traditional matchups like Alabama–Auburn, Georgia–Florida and Texas–Oklahoma, while creating more variety for fans and television audiences. It also reduces the number of cupcakes, often criticized non-conference matchups against Group of Five or FCS teams.
The timing is ideal. Most SEC programs have open non-conference slots after 2025, leaving room to install the new model as early as 2026. Mississippi State is the lone school with a crowded schedule that would need adjustment.
How nine games impacts the College Football Playoff
The playoff picture is where this gets even bigger.
The SEC has been battling the Big Ten over playoff expansion formats. The Big Ten favors a system that rewards leagues with tougher schedules. By adding a ninth game, the SEC removes one of the Big Ten’s key arguments. It also aligns all four major conferences, the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, under the same nine-game standard. That unity could finally push forward a 16-team playoff format without lingering disputes over automatic bids.
Sankey has been clear: he wants nine games. “I think we should be working towards that,” he told ESPN in July.
While he admitted coaches find it harder to navigate, Sankey argued the fan interest and playoff benefits outweigh the risks.
The SEC’s ninth game won’t just reshape Saturdays in the South; it could set the standard for all of college football. More marquee matchups. More playoff credibility.
And more proof that the SEC remains at the sport’s center of gravity.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS:
- Arch Manning emerges as projected No. 1 pick in early 2026 NFL mock draft
- Texas will lean on Arch Manning, can he lead the Longhorns past key departures?
- Deion Sanders turns up the heat ahead of 2025 season