A recent report revealed the SEC's annual opponents over the next four seasons in the league's shift to a nine-game conference schedule. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

SEC report reveals each school’s annual conference opponents for next four years

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 10:23 AM ET

The Southeastern Conference is preparing for a major scheduling shift, and Tuesday night will mark the public unveiling. In a primetime special on ESPN2 and SEC Network, the league will release the football opponents of all 16 members for the 2026 through 2029 seasons. The hour-long event will detail each school’s annual opponents and rotational matchups under the new nine-game league format.

The move to a nine-game conference schedule begins in 2026, ending a run of eight-game slates that has been in place since 1992. It is a significant shift for the SEC, aligning with College Football Playoff metrics that now reward strength of schedule more directly. The league confirmed each program will have three annual opponents, reviewed every four years, along with six rotating opponents. This ensures every school will face all other SEC members at least once every two years, and both home and away within four years.

Traditional rivalries remain intact. The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is locked in, as is the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. Mississippi State and Ole Miss will continue the Egg Bowl, while Arkansas and Missouri also remain paired. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said the new setup balances rivalry protection with competitive fairness while ensuring a more robust schedule for fans and players alike.

SEC Locks In Annual Opponents For All 16 Teams

A report from On3's Chris Low revealed sources have confirmed the league's annual opponents for each school.

The league emphasized four priorities in setting annual opponents: protecting tradition, ensuring balance, maintaining rotational frequency, and syncing with non-conference scheduling. For instance, Tennessee athletic director Danny White confirmed the Volunteers will be one of the schools receiving five home conference games in 2026, balancing their road trip to Georgia Tech.

Some rivalries will get new life. Georgia and Auburn continue as Deep South foes, while Florida will see annual dates with both Georgia and South Carolina. LSU’s trio of Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Ole Miss highlights some of the fiercest rivalries in the league.

This is pretty well done by the SEC. Biggest loss is Alabama-LSU as an annual game. Also Tennessee has neither Florida nor Georgia annually. But you gotta break some eggs to make a new omelette. https://t.co/IQILi6zbkt
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) September 22, 2025

Meanwhile, newcomers Oklahoma and Texas each gained marquee matchups, with Oklahoma tied to Missouri and Ole Miss in addition to Texas.

The nine-game format also creates fresh matchups that have been rare or absent. Alabama and Georgia will now meet more often, while Auburn adds Florida and Tennessee as rotation locks over the four-year cycle. Georgia will finally play at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field for the first time since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.

What The Nine-Game Format Means For The SEC

The new schedule is more than a logistical update. It represents a deliberate push by the SEC to further separate itself as college football’s most competitive conference. Sankey said in August that the ninth game ensures league teams are prepared to compete in the expanded College Football Playoff era. With a Power Four non-conference opponent still required annually, SEC schools will have a minimum of 10 Power opponents every season.

That increased strength of schedule will play a role in playoff positioning and television revenue, two factors driving the decision. Fans benefit from more variety, with schools rotating through every league member on a quicker cycle.

Coaches and athletic directors benefit from balanced home-and-away structures, which are reevaluated every four years. For players, it means a greater chance to experience the full scope of SEC competition during their careers.

In short, the SEC’s 2026 schedule model underscores the league’s ability to evolve while protecting its cornerstone rivalries. It is both a nod to tradition and a step toward the demands of modern college football. The Volunteers will open this new era with five SEC home games in 2026, beginning their league play under the nine-game schedule that September.