SEC debate with 2026 football schedule expansion: Keep rivalries, or go for cupcake games?
Picture the scene in 'Shawshank Redemption' when Morgan Freeman's character goes in front of the parole board, expecting to be rejected once again. He comments on the mockery of the proceeding and says bluntly, 'You go on and stamp your forms, sonny, and stop wasting my time, because, to tell you the truth, I don't give a (expletive).'
Yeah, that just about sums up my feelings on this upcoming SEC football scheduling debate.
Advertisement
Stay at eight conference games, or go to nine, I don't much care anymore. Just put the schedule format to a vote in what will be a high-profile discussion item this week at the SEC spring meetings and make a decision.
As it stands, the SEC has approved no schedule format beyond the upcoming 2025 season.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) runs with the ball against Texas during the second half in the 2024 SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The SEC carried on this scheduling charade for years since the announcement of Texas and Oklahoma joining the league. Some conference members previously pretended like they wanted an additional conference game, only to turtle up come voting time and preserve the eight-game conference schedule that's supplemented with a feast of non-conference cupcake games.
Advertisement
HEATED MATCHUPS: Ranking the 10 best SEC football rivalries
BEHIND CENTER: Breaking down every SEC quarterback situation
Before this came up for vote the last time in 2023, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey implied that money wouldn't be a driver in the scheduling decision. Only an idiot would believe that, though. Money talks, and some conference members were reluctant two years ago to add another conference game unless ESPN, the league's media partner, put more cash on the table. ESPN didn't sweeten the pot.
Sankey proclaimed before the schedule vote in 2023 that the conference at the vanguard of college athletics 'does not stand still.' Days later, the SEC's membership unanimously voted to stand still with an eight-game conference schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Eighteen months later, the Big Ten, which plays nine conference games, led all conferences with four playoff qualifiers. The jokes write themselves.
Rivalries hang in balance of SEC football schedule debate
The SEC cared so much about secondary rivalries like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee in its divisional era that it built a schedule format around maintaining those games. This next vote on the schedule will test how much resolve still exists for protecting centuries-long rivalry games.
Advertisement
A nine-game conference schedule would allow for secondary rivalries like those two and others like Texas-Texas A&M to continue annually. Forging ahead with an eight-game format would put those secondary rivalries under threat of interruption unless the league abandons its stated goal of having all schools play each other twice during a four-year period.
Rivalry scenes like the 'Prayer at Jordan-Hare' and cigar-puffing Tennessee fans tearing down the goal posts and baptizing them in the river after a long-awaited win on 'The Third Saturday in October' help make the SEC brand what it is.
But, maybe SEC members will decide this week that it's more important to leave room on the schedule for Tennessee to play Furman and Kennesaw State – both will come to Neyland Stadium in 2026! – instead of Alabama, and for Auburn to tussle with Jacksonville State instead of Georgia.
And after the Mississippi beats Wofford 92-0 in 2026, coach Lane Kiffin can chant 'S-E-C! S-E-C!' and declare the strength of the SEC (half of which the Rebels didn't play) so strong that the Rebels deserve a playoff bid with their 9-3 record.
Few SEC teams opt for 10 power conference games in current format
Credit Alabama, Florida and South Carolina for cueing up two Power Four non-conference opponents in 2025 to accompany the eight conference games. If Florida smashes Miami and Florida State en route to a 9-3 record against a rigorous schedule, well, we might see a 9-3 playoff team for the first time.
Advertisement
By comparison, the 13 other SEC teams will play only nine Power Four opponents. That's one fewer Power Four opponent than teams like Arizona and Central Florida will play.
If Missouri can manage to fend off Central Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts, Vanderbilt and one more SEC team, the Tigers would wrap up bowl eligibility.
That's the beauty of the eight-game conference schedule: Bowl bids await for average teams that can beat bad teams in their out-of-league slate.
The beauty of the SEC adding a ninth conference game would be the creation of more matchups fans want to watch and media partners want to televise.
Advertisement
One fewer cupcake game also would bolster the SEC's case when it comes time to stump for at-large bids for bubble teams.
Even better, ESPN might now be ready to fork over extra revenue in exchange for that ninth SEC game.
The SEC could even time its rollout of a ninth conference game with playoff expansion that's probably coming in 2026. A bigger playoff would reduce the risk of an additional conference game thwarting a team's opportunity for playoff access.
Alternatively, the SEC could stay at eight, turn up its nose at rivalries, rebuff the prospect of a bigger payday from ESPN, protect the cupcake games, and maintain the daintier conference schedule that offers minimal resistance to the league's weaker members securing a Liberty Bowl bid.
Advertisement
At this point, there's not much left to debate. So, go on ahead, sonny, and call it to a vote.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com. Follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC football schedule expansion debate looms at spring meetings
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Gets Major Recruiting News on Saturday
Texas Gets Major Recruiting News on Saturday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Texas' football program is in the middle of a massive recruiting weekend. While Steve Sarkisian's staff is currently hosting several of the top recruits across the country for the 2026 class, the Longhorns received a verbal commitment from a player who visited Texas last weekend. Advertisement Four-star defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland announced his commitment to Texas on Saturday. The Parker High School (Birmingham, AL) product is ranked the No. 5 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 4 overall prospect in Alabama for the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. In 2024, Cleveland recorded 50 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Earlier this week, several recruiting predictions were entered in favor of the Longhorns to land Cleveland after he took an official visit to Texas on June 13. Cleveland initially committed to Alabama last October but his pledge lasted under two months. After decommitting from the Crimson Tide in December, Cleveland took official visits to Florida, Georgia, Auburn, UNC, Texas and Miami. Advertisement His commitment bumped Texas' 2026 recruiting class to No. 12 in the nation per 247Sports. The Longhorns now hold 14 commits for the 2026 cycle and the class is led by five-star quarterback Dia Bell and five-star athlete Jermaine Bishop. Cleveland becomes Texas' highest ranked defensive player in the class. Related: Dia Bell's NBA Star Dad Reacts to His Elite 11 MVP Honor This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lane Kiffin's Son Takes Visit to Rival SEC Program
Lane Kiffin's Son Takes Visit to Rival SEC Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Lane Kiffin has had a successful tenure with the Ole Miss Rebels since arriving at the school ahead of the 2020 season. Advertisement He has been the head coach of the Rebels for the last five seasons, compiling a 44-18 record. They finished the 2024 season with a 10-3 record and narrowly missed out on a berth in the College Football Playoff. It was the first year of the 12-team CFP format and will continue for the 2025 season. Ole Miss head football coach Lane Chenault-Imagn Images Kiffin's son, Knox, plays quarterback for Oxford High School and has started taking official school visits. He is on the Alabama Crimson Tide's campus this weekend, one of the Rebels' biggest rivals. He is checking everything out, even though he is in no rush to commit to a school. He is part of the 2028 recruiting class but isn't ranked. Advertisement Take a look: The Tide always have one of the country's top recruiting classes every year and are getting a head start for 2028. As for their 2026 class, they currently have the No. 49 class in the nation per 247Sports, but that will change once they get more players to commit. They only have seven commits in the class, but it's still super early. The 2025 season will be Kalen DeBoer's second season as head coach after he took over for Nick Saban ahead of the 2024 season. He led the Tide to a 9-4 record last season and will try to get them back competing for national championships when the 2025 season starts in August. Advertisement Related: Alabama Legend CJ Mosley Announces Major Career Decision This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
41 minutes ago
- CBS News
Seager has tiebreaking RBI single, Rocker gets 2nd straight win as Rangers beat Pirates 3-2
Corey Seager singled in the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning and rookie Kumar Rocker won his second straight start and the Texas Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Saturday. Seager's sharp single to center field scored Josh Smith and put the Rangers ahead 2-1. Marcus Semien followed with a sacrifice fly. Rocker (3-4) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings after pitching five scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox in his previous start last Sunday. The Rangers have won the first two games of the series and will try to finish the sweep on Sunday. Mitch Keller (1-10) took his 10th consecutive loss, allowing three runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He was lifted after Semien's sacrifice fly. Keller hasn't won since beating Miami on March 28 in his first start of the season. The Pirates lost for the sixth time in seven games. Pittsburgh closed to 3-2 in the sixth on Henry Davis' run-scoring grounder, but Texas held on. Shawn Armstrong, Hoby Milner and Chris Martin combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, with Martin getting the last three outs for his second save. Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (strained left oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list before the game and center fielder Wyatt Langford (back spasms) sat out a second straight day. Pirates right fielder Bryan Reynolds was activated from the paternity list after missing three games following the birth of a son. He went 0 for 4. Keller's losing streak is the longest by a Pirates pitcher since Jose DeLeon dropped 11 decisions in a row in 1985. The Pirates had runners on first and second while trailing 3-2 in the sixth, but Armstrong got Ke'Bryan Hayes to hit an inning-ending pop out. Up next Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (4-4, 4.40 ERA) will go against Pirates LHP Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.49) on Sunday. ___ AP MLB:
