The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has introduced a new nine-game league schedule, starting from 2026. This change affects several big rivalry games, which will no longer be played every year.
Affected Rivalries
Notable rivalries like Alabama-LSU and Florida-Tennessee will not be played this year. The Alabama-LSU series, which has been a significant matchup in the past, will not be an annual fixture. The two teams have played each other 12 times between 2008 and 2021, with one of them ranked first or second.
The Florida-Tennessee rivalry, which decided the SEC East a dozen times between 1993 and 2009, will also be affected. The importance of this rivalry diminished starting in 2011, with both schools falling behind Georgia in the East.
New Schedule and Matchups
Under the new system, each school will play three “annual” foes. Some of the SEC’s most ancient rivalries, like Alabama-Auburn and Florida-Georgia, were preserved. The new schedule also introduces new matchups, such as Arkansas-Texas and Texas-Texas A&M, which will be played annually.
The SEC has also mandated that its teams play a 10th game against a Power Four opponent, leading to renewed rivalries like Kansas-Missouri and new early-season matchups like Oklahoma-Michigan and Clemson-LSU.
Original reporting: Alabama News Network — read the source article.
