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The SEC is finally, mercifully, moving to nine conference games. In the conclusion of a debate that has raged for years and yet somehow felt even longer, the SEC will move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026. The move brings more money to the 16 SEC schools (more on that later), a better rotation of teams coming through every SEC campus and more high-quality games for fans everywhere to enjoy.
With any major decision like this, however, there are some who will benefit more than others. Let’s have a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from the SEC’s big move that was announced on Thursday.
Winner: Fans everywhere
Whether you are a fan of one of the 16 SEC schools or just a general college football fan, you should be rejoicing over Thursday’s news. With the SEC now playing nine conference games, while still requiring a 10th Power Four nonconference opponent, fans everywhere will get more big games that matter. It’s TBD on what games SEC schools will now drop (don’t assume it’ll be all the FCS ones just yet), but even if it’s trading a Group of Six opponent for another SEC one, it is a win for the sport.
Relatedly, the SEC’s move to nine games allows it to improve its schedule to rotate teams through other campuses better. In a famous example, Texas A&M still hasn’t hosted Georgia at Kyle Field despite joining the conference in 2012. Now, SEC schools are guaranteed to play every SEC school at least once every two years and will host every SEC school at least once every four years, according to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
If there’s one slightly negative caveat: Removing non-SEC games and adding more conference games will likely continue the ticket hike trend and making it even more expensive for average…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/winners-losers-as-sec-adopts-9-game-schedule-fans-should-rejoice-big-ten-loses-leverage-amid-cfp-talks/
Author : John Talty
Publish date : 2025-08-22 12:15:00
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