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SEC's new 9-game schedule alters traditional rivalries for 2026 season

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 22, 2026, 3:57 PM

Last updated Jul 22, 2026

SEC's new 9-game schedule alters traditional rivalries for 2026 season
Summary

The Southeastern Conference will implement a nine-game conference schedule starting this season, disrupting long-standing rivalries. Notable matchups like Florida-Tennessee and Alabama-LSU will be absent for the first time in decades. Each school will face three designated rivals annually, but many historical clashes, such as Georgia vs. Tennessee, are no longer guaranteed. Meanwhile, some rivalries, such as Arkansas-Texas and Missouri-Oklahoma, have been revitalized. The adjustments come as the SEC pursues a stronger strength of schedule amid playoff expansion efforts.

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By the Numbers
  • •Florida-Tennessee rivalry not scheduled for 2026 for the first time in 37 years.
  • •Alabama-LSU match absent for the first time since 1963.
  • •SEC teams will play a 10th game against a Power Four opponent.
  • •Rivalries like Arkansas-Texas and Texas-A&M will be played annually.
  • •Georgia vs. Tennessee rivalry, an annual event since 1992, will not occur this year.
Latest Updates
  • 7:26 AMYahoo Sports — SEC’s move to 9-game conference schedules pauses some rivalries and awakens others
What they're saying
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Some of the Southeastern Conference's longest rivalries are on hiatus. The league is introducing a nine-game conference slate in an attempt to boost strength of schedule for what is now a playoff system that has a committee awarding seven at-large spots in the 12-team field.

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