College football’s longest-standing debate is over as the SEC has announced its shift to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026. The change will see every SEC team play three annual opponents and six new rotating opponents each season.
The decision aligns the SEC with two other Power Four conferences, Big Ten and Big 12, which already adopt a nine-game conference schedule format. This move aims to protect rivalries, increase competitive balance, and ensure teams are well-prepared for the College Football Playoff (CFP).
According to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, the new format will deliver the most competitive football schedule in college athletics. “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 CFP,” Sankey said.
The change also comes as the College Football Playoff selection committee has announced that it will put a greater emphasis on strength of schedule in determining the 12-team field for this season. The committee is introducing a record strength metric that will assess how a team performed against its schedule.
Under the new format, each SEC school will play every other program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years. Teams are also required to schedule at least one additional high-quality non-conference game from the ACC, Big Ten or Big 12 conferences or Notre Dame each season.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2025/08/21/sec-9-game-conference-schedule-2026-college-football-playoff-cfp/85766819007