Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian talk before the Red River Showdown. Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian Expresses Support for Nine-Game SEC Schedule

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated May 28, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Aside from the future of the College Football Playoff format, probably the biggest point of discussion at this week's SEC spring meetings is whether or not to move to a nine-game conference schedule.

There are advantages and disadvantages to a nine-game schedule. On one hand, it would allow for more premier games in arguably the best conference in the sport and put the SEC more in line with the Big Ten's schedule. On the other hand, an additional loss each year for half of the conference might not be ideal in the era of the 12-team playoff, which could expand again very soon.

Despite the drawbacks, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is in favor of a nine-game conference schedule for one simple reason.

“Granted, for us, I would love a ninth conference game, this year alone in particular, because one of our home games is in Dallas and we only get three home conference games,” Sarkisian told reporters Tuesday.

Of course, Texas plays against arch-rival Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry at Dallas' Cotton Bowl each and every year. In years where the Longhorns are the designated home team for that game, like this year, their schedule can get pretty wonky. For instance, they don't have an SEC home game until Nov. 1 against Vanderbilt and go the entire month of October without playing at Darrell K Royal Stadium.

This was far less of an issue when the Longhorns were in the Big 12, where the nine-game conference schedule allowed them four conference home games regardless of their designation for the Red River Rivalry.

“For our fans to get another home game against an SEC opponent, I think is a great thing,” Sarkisian said. “I think the challenge with that is none of us want to be punished because that’s eight more losses for our conference no matter how you slice it. Eight teams are going to win and eight teams are going to lose Nobody wants to get punished playing another game. I think that’s the challenge. How does that affect you from a Playoff perspective? What does that look like?”

For what it's worth, Georgia and Florida have dealt with the same issue for the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, which is traditionally played in Jacksonville, Fla.

The decision to move to a nine-game conference slate is a big one, and there are definitely mixed thoughts around the SEC. For the Longhorns specifically, however, it might be the best path forward.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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