9 SEC games, starting in 2026

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

That is also an odd number - so does that imply that one year we have 4 conference home games and the next year we have 5 - so we rotate between 4 and 5 SEC home games each year?

Yes that will be the case.

 

[volfan102455]

So ... speaking of ticket prices ... the year when we have 5 SEC home conference games coupled with that high quality non-conference game at home - would definitely make tickets costs worth it ... just saying.

 

[YankeeVol]

True, I did miss that little item. Sorry. But I would still submit that there are different levels of “quality” in those 3 conferences that can be scheduled. Unfortunately not everybody can get Houston, Wake Forest, Rutgers or Purdue at the same time so I guess there has to be a decent nonconference game in there somewhere.

Plenty to go around. Arizona, UCF, Cinci, WVU, KU, UCLA, MD, Nebraska, Indiana, Cal, Virginia, Stanford, VT, BC etc.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

Wonder if this move means that the Washington series is going to be cancelled. Hope not.

No, we are still required to schedule a Power Conference team.

If we get Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt, this works out perfectly for Tennessee from a competitive standpoint and for a fan interest standpoint.

 

[Volinnooga]

We get to keep more rivalries, so I'm happy.

Depends who those rivals are.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

Bama has a much longer tradition with Mississippi State than they do LSU. Bama-LSU was barely a rivalry until Saban came to Tuscaloosa. But I'm sure we'll get paired with them because ESPN will want that annual matchup.

Yeah, it’s the equivalent of Tennessee-Kentucky. Closest school in proximity that both get to beat up on.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

So ... speaking of ticket prices ... the year when we have 5 SEC home conference games coupled with that high quality non-conference game at home - would definitely make tickets costs worth it ... just saying.

If they would actually do that, yes, but Idk if we will see that much

 

[strongj81]

Give us Bama, Vandy and Kentucky for our 3 permanent games.

Gbo!

 

[TrueOrange]

This should have been done in 2012 when they brought in TAMU and Missouri. It was easy too. You played your 6 in division, you played one cross conference opponent germanely, rotate the 2 every year. I was so mad when they didn't do that.

I agree. It would have been a very easy solution at the time. Honestly, Missouri and Alabama (namely Saban) were for such at the very get go; UT seemed to waiver a bit back and forth on the matter over the years (one of the UT ADs - maybe Hart? - was verbal about his support for a 9 game schedule).

(For note, the last vote on the matter saw Florida, Georgia, LSU, Missouri, and Texas A&M being in favor; Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Auburn being against such...so it had changed a bit over the period)

 

[TrueOrange]

ESPN ponied up more money to add a ninth game.

ESPN was going to pay an amount either way. More likely they probably got the block of Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Arkansas to agree to it after years and years of the idea being pushed upon them.

 

[vavolfan6]

This will shut up the BIG 10 crowd, but we already had a higher Strength of Schedule than everybody else including that conference.

This will result in the league beating up on each even more. But it was unavoidable. The league is looking to stay ahead financially than everybody else, so that means exchanging an FCS opponent with an SEC game.

I just hope the Big 10 who has easy schedules already, with a 9 game schedule, don't get the benefit over the SEC in CFP rankings when they have more teams with 10 wins. They only play 52% (9 games of 17 teams) of the remaining teams in their weaker conference while we will have to play 60% (9 games of 15 teams) in ours.

 

[Big Orange Captain]

This tells me the SEC is probaly going to expand again soon to 18’or 20 teams and the playoff is expanding to 16 teams. The big ten has been playing a 9 game conference schedule for years now so it was only a matter of time before the SEC went to a 9 game schedule.

 

[feathersax]

Depends on the definition of “quality” and I guess we’ll find out. Not sure who is going to define that. Should be interesting.

Meh. I just don't care anymore. N.I.L.,transfer portal, huge conference expansion, & now this. Y'all enjoy while i watch from afar.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

South Carolina is interesting though - not much tradition with them - but not sure who their 3 would be.

I think we have more teams that could be labeled as tradition than them. So maybe that is the thought.

I do expect Vandy and Bama to be two of the three.

No doubt Georgia and Florida will not be in the three set teams we play.

I could see Alabama, Florida, and Vandy. I cant see us drawing both Vandy and KY as perms. We'd have 2 of the 3 worst teams in the SEC as permanent opponents. Other teams wont like that.

 

[Just a VolinTears]

Hopefully it's Bama, UK, and Vandy every year. Tell you whos happy are stadium owners and ADs. Money Money Money

 

[give_him 6]

Didn’t all the coaches say they didn’t want a 9th game? Thought Big 10 commish was pushing this on us and we resisted so he wouldn’t sign off on new CFP format. Just seems like we kneeled to Big 10 demands. Maybe I’ve got that wrong and probably do. It’s been a long week at work.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

I could see Alabama, Florida, and Vandy. I cant see us drawing both Vandy and KY as perms. We'd have 2 of the 3 worst teams in the SEC as permanent opponents. Other teams wont like that.

This is why I could see a compromise with us getting South Carolina over Kentucky. Then we have easy (Vandy), medium (South Carolina) and hard (Bama) opponents.

 

[Volbrando]

I’m thinking
Bama, Vandy, Florida
or
Bama, Vandy, Kentucky

 

[Cobb-Webb 1989]

Sankey bent the knee.

Lol

Our on Danny White (UT) voted against that 9 game schedule from the get go.

Bout time, should be able to play each school at least, every other year.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Now you watch. Tennessee will have to surrender one of its oldest rivalries - likely Kentucky - so big baby Bama can be happy too. "What!? They get Vanderbilt and Kentucky? That's not fair!"

That means that this -
View attachment 765850-will go away as a rivalry so those loathsome gumps will shut up about it.

(Georgia would probably complain too, but, you know, TSIO, until the end of time).

That photo is of the last time the barrel was a part of that game.

They won’t eliminate Tennessee-Kentucky. Every school will keep their top conference rival. For Kentucky, that’s Tennessee. Same for Vanderbilt.

 

[bamawriter]

My suggestions (yes, some aren't perfect, but it's not gonna be):

Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi St
Arkansas - Missouri, Texas A&M, LSU
Auburn - Alabama, Georgia, Florida
Florida - Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn
Georgia - Florida, Auburn, South Carolina
Kentucky - South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
LSU - Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Arkansas
Mississippi St - Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama
Missouri - Arkansas, Mississippi St, Texas
Oklahoma - LSU, Texas, Texas A&M
Ole Miss - Mississippi St, LSU, Vanderbilt
South Carolina - Kentucky, Florida, Georgia
Tennessee - Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky
Texas - Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri
Texas A&M - Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma
Vanderbilt - Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss

 

[dobre_shunka]

This is why I could see a compromise with us getting South Carolina over Kentucky. Then we have easy (Vandy), medium (South Carolina) and hard (Bama) opponents.

SCAR also considers Tennessee a rival and the SEC has to find 3 teams for them to play. So losing UK as an annual opponent seems likely

 

[FranklinVFL]

ESPN ponies up some more $$$?

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

My suggestions (yes, some aren't perfect, but it's not gonna be):

Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi St
Arkansas - Missouri, Texas A&M, LSU
Auburn - Alabama, Georgia, Florida
Florida - Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn
Georgia - Florida, Auburn, South Carolina
Kentucky - South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
LSU - Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Arkansas
Mississippi St - Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama
Missouri - Arkansas, Mississippi St, Texas
Oklahoma - LSU, Texas, Texas A&M
Ole Miss - Mississippi St, LSU, Vanderbilt
South Carolina - Kentucky, Florida, Georgia
Tennessee - Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky
Texas - Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri
Texas A&M - Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma
Vanderbilt - Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss

Ouch for Auburn and OU. I think OU gets Missouri.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

My suggestions (yes, some aren't perfect, but it's not gonna be):

Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi St
Arkansas - Missouri, Texas A&M, LSU
Auburn - Alabama, Georgia, Florida
Florida - Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn
Georgia - Florida, Auburn, South Carolina
Kentucky - South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
LSU - Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Arkansas
Mississippi St - Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama
Missouri - Arkansas, Mississippi St, Texas
Oklahoma - LSU, Texas, Texas A&M
Ole Miss - Mississippi St, LSU, Vanderbilt
South Carolina - Kentucky, Florida, Georgia
Tennessee - Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky
Texas - Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri
Texas A&M - Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma
Vanderbilt - Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss

I think us, Auburn, and Ole Miss will be Bama's perm 3.

Also, prior to coming to the SEC, Oklahoma and Mizzou was a huge rivalry. I could see them restoring that.

Texas will get Oklahoma, A&M and Arkansas.