Well, it's official. According to Brett McMurphy, behind a “hard push” from commissioner Greg Sankey, the university presidents of the SEC have voted to add a ninth conference game to the league's football schedule. The move will be implemented starting next season in 2026. Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti has been petitioning for the SEC to play nine league games each year, and next season it will become a reality.
Furthermore, the league announced that SEC teams are "now required to schedule at least one additional high quality non-conference opponent from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, or Big 12 conference or Notre Dame each season."
"Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities' commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation. This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff."Greg Sankey
The SEC has played eight conference games every season since 1992 when it expanded to 12 teams by adding South Carolina and Arkansas.
LSU's future schedules could be the toughest in the country
Adding another conference game means most likely adding another ranked opponent to LSU's future schedules. This season, LSU will play seven teams that are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll.
Under the new format, LSU would play three annual opponents focused on maintaining traditional rivalries. The other six league games would rotate among the remaining SEC schools.
It wouldn't be surprising to see LSU's three constant matchups consist of Florida, Alabama, and Ole Miss. The Tigers have been a common opponent of the Gators every year since 1971, the Crimson Tide every year since 1964, and the Rebels every year since 1945. But LSU also has regular rivalry matchups against Arkansas and Texas A&M as well. It will be interesting to see who the SEC pairs LSU up with.
It's also worth noting that the schedule flips over next season, meaning LSU could draw both Georgia and Texas in the regular season in 2026. LSU enters 2025 with the 11th-toughest schedule in the country according to ESPN's College Football Power Index. Moving forward, LSU's future schedules could very well be within the top-five of that metric year in and year out.
On the national stage, the move to a nine-game SEC schedule could bridge the gap between the Big Ten and SEC in CFP expansion talks. With each league playing the same number of conference games, it seems possible that the two leagues can agree upon an expansion format.