SEC football 9-game schedule: Which annual rivalries may be saved by new format

While Week 0 of the college football season commences in the coming days, the SEC is already looking ahead to 2026.

Announced on Aug. 21, the SEC is shifting from its eight-game conference schedule to a nine-game conference slate starting next season. It’s the first change to the conference’s regular season schedule format in over three decades, as the last one took place in 1992 when Arkansas and South Carolina joined the conference.

The SEC’s decision to implement a nine-game schedule puts it in company with the Big Ten and Big 12.

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REQUIRED READING: SEC announces move to 9-game conference schedule beginning in 2026; joins Big Ten, Big 12

“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,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement.

Speaking of those rivalries, the SEC is filled with some of college football’s longest-standing and most passionate ones. The question that now sits out there is which of the ones that weren’t already protected by the dissolution of divisions following Oklahoma and Texas’ arrival in 2024 will stay with this new format, as each SEC team will now play three opponents annually, with the six remaining games coming against rotating opponents.

Here’s a look at some of the annual rivalries in the SEC that could be saved following Thursday’s announcement of a nine-game conference schedule:

SEC football projected rivalries protected by 9-game schedule

Note: The SEC rivals that were protected when the conference expanded to its 18-team membership ahead of the 2024 season include: Florida-Georgia; Vanderbilt-Tennessee; Kentucky-South Carolina; Texas-Oklahoma (Red River Rivalry); Auburn-Alabama (Iron Bowl) and Ole Miss-Mississippi (Egg Bowl).

Also note that the following preserved rivalry projections are not necessarily locked by the SEC.

Here are some projected rivalries that could now be protected:

Alabama vs LSU (First Saturday in November)

Series record: Alabama leads 57-27-5

Though the First Saturday in November rivalry between Alabama and LSU hasn’t been much of a rivalry of late, as the Crimson Tide has won 12 of the past 14 meetings against the Tigers, it’s one of the SEC’s most well-known rivalries.

The first meeting between Alabama and LSU dates back to 1895, when the Tigers won 12-6. According to Alabama’s record book, both programs have faced each other annually since 1967. But what has made this one of the SEC’s top rivalries has been the growth it has had over the years, especially during the Nick Saban years of the rivalry as he coached at both schools from 2000-04 (LSU) and 2007-2023 (Alabama). Being in the old SEC West Division, the annual LSU and Alabama game had tiebreaker rights for the division’s representative in the SEC championship game.

This was a game Saban did not wish to be preserved, stating Alabama has more history with Mississippi State. He has since come around on keeping LSU as an annual fixture the Tide’s schedule.

Alabama vs Tennessee (Third Saturday in October)

Series record: Alabama leads 60-40-7

The “Third Saturday in October” rivalry between Tennessee and Alabama dates back to the 1901 college football season when both programs met for the first time in Birmingham, Alabama. However, the rivalry between the two SEC teams did not take off until 1928, when both Tennessee and Alabama were coached by Robert Neyland and Wallace Wade, respectively.

Tennessee took the most recent chapter of the rivalry last season when the 10th-ranked Vols defeated the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium 21-17. Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Brazzell with 5:52 remaining in the quarter before the Vols defense came up with a fourth-down stop to snap a two-game losing skid to the Tide.

Auburn vs Georgia (Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry)

Series record: Georgia leads 65-56-8

As the name implies, the Auburn vs. Georgia rivalry is not only one of the oldest and most played rivalries between two Southern programs, but also in college football. Noted by The Athletic, “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” between the Tigers and Bulldogs is tied with Virginia-UNC as the second-most played rivalry in Division I FBS history at 129 games.

The rivalry began back in 1892 and has included 24 ranked matchups throughout the years. It’s another SEC rivalry that has been one-sided of late, though, as Auburn has dropped each of the last eight meetings against Georgia. The Bulldogs took last year’s meeting 31-13 at Sanford Stadium.

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LSU vs Ole Miss (Magnolia Bowl)

Series record: LSU leads 65-38-3

While the Magnolia Bowl is not the biggest rivalry for both LSU and Ole Miss each season, it still is one of the SEC (and college football’s) top — and oldest — rivalries. The rivalry dates back to 1894, but it did not receive its moniker until 2008, as noted by The Daily Advertiser, part of the USA TODAY Network, when a trophy was added to it.

The game is coined the Magnolia Bowl after the state flower of both Louisiana and Mississippi. Last year’s meeting between LSU and Ole Miss at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge was an all-time game in the rivalry series, as Garrett Nussmeier led the Tigers to a game-tying touchdown in the final seconds of regulation and then a 29-26 overtime win with a 25-yard touchdown to Kyren Lacy. The win for LSU kept its College Football Playoff hopes in tact for one more week, while it put a damper on Ole Miss’ chances as it was the Rebels’ second conference loss.

Texas vs Texas A&M (Lone Star Showdown)

Series record: Texas leads 77-37-5

The rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M is well-known and documented. After all, both universities mention the other in their fight songs. Just look at the mix-up at SEC football media days this season when Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian took the podium in Atlanta to the playing of the “Aggie War Hymn” fight song, and the reaction it caused on social media.

The rivalry between the Longhorns and the Aggies has spanned across three different conferences throughout the years: the Southwest Conference, the Big 12 and now the SEC. After a 13-year hiatus, Texas and Texas A&M renewed the rivalry last season with their meeting in College Station, which the Longhorns won 17-7.

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Florida-Tennessee

Series record: Florida leads 33-21

The two former SEC East division rivals have had one of the more competitive rivalries in the SEC, especially during the 1990s. It has become one of the more storied college football rivalries in the sport.

Both teams have played annually since 1990, though the all-time series dates back to 1916. Traditionally played in September, this year’s meeting between Tennessee and Florida will take place on Nov. 22, marking the second straight year that it hasn’t been played in the first full month of the season.

Last year’s meeting between the Vols and the Gators was coined the “Dylan Sampson Game” as former Tennessee running back scored his third touchdown of the game in overtime to give the Vols the 23-17 win, after Florida tied the game with 29 seconds remaining in regulation on a 27-yard touchdown pass from DJ Lagway.

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Arkansas-Texas

Series record: Texas leads 57-23

Similar to the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry, the Arkansas vs. Texas rivalry was brought back last season following the Longhorns’ move to the SEC. Last year’s 20-10 win for Texas marked the first time the former Southwest Conference foes met as conference rivals in 33 years on Saturday.

The Razorbacks had a good amount of success against the Longhorns in the late 1930s, as Arkansas won four consecutive games against Texas from 1935 through 1938. The four-game winning streak is the longest win streak for Arkansas in the all-time series against Texas.

The rivalry dates back to 1894. That 1894 contest started a 14-game win streak for Texas, which lasted through 1932. The Longhorns also had a 12-game win streak that spanned from 1939 through 1953.

When is the SEC moving to 9-game schedule?

In its announcement on Thursday, the SEC announced that it will shift to a nine-game regular season conference schedule starting in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which SEC rivalries can be protected in new 9-game conference format?

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