You kinda knew this was coming. The CFP format for 2026 and beyond must be settled and agreed to by December, and since there was little movement or consensus publicized between B1G commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, something else was surely bubbling under the surface. And now we know.
Through SEC Media Days in July and the following weeks, the benevolent overlords of college football were occasionally reminding us that they were talking regularly, that they’re actually pals,
and that everything was going swimmingly. Reminds me of a Kevin Bacon meme from Animal House. Yet we all knew that the conferences couldn’t seem to overcome a few sticking points like automatic qualifiers, guaranteed bids for conferences, and schedule seeming “inequality.”
What I didn’t expect was that Greg Sankey would fold like a cheap suit. Okay, that may be harsh, and it may also be part of the long game (for future leverage or current media negotiations). Yet the fact remains the SEC has formally announced a change in 2026 requiring all conference teams to participate in both a 9 game conference slate as well as an additional contest with an ACC, Big12, or Notre Dame team. Supposedly that was what the B1G and Big12 wanted, so that’s what they’ve now got.
The plan is to break up the 9 conference games by designating each program 3 annual rivals, rotating the other 6 games through the conference so that each team faces all the others every 2 years and each team visits each other’s stadium at least once every 4 years. Gee willikers – yOu MeAn We HaVe To Go To CoLlEgE sTaTiOn AgAiN?
Here is your chance to bitch voice your opinion on yet another change to the tradition that is SEC football. And until they announce it, we have to revisit the age-old question of “Who are the rivals of the Georgia Bulldogs?” And we have to rank them and only take the top 3. At least Georgia Tech isn’t part of this conversation, as we think, emphasis on we think, Clean Old-Fashioned Hate is protected (for now).
We gotta say Auburn, right? And we have to have the World’s Largest Cocktail Party against booger-eatin’ Gators too. At least I think we do. Is the third team Tennessee? Do we want Bama? It isn’t South Carolina is it? Your age, your exposure to Bulldog football, your lineage, and your approximation to state borders are all factors that help determine your personal opinion on who is a “rival” and who you want Georgia to face on the reg.
I saw a tweet with the frequency Georgia has faced the other SEC programs, so I think Vandy is up there pretty high in frequency. We can probably scratch A&M, Oklahoma, Texas, and LSU because I think those teams just don’t fit and they will likely have 3 rivals already. Does that mean we get Mizzou as a leftover? Yuck.
The possibly but not probably unintended consequence of adding a conference game is what happens to the other programs that get a payday from SEC schools. The Funbelt, MAC, FBS schools, etc. are not going to get those opportunities near as often.
I’m on record, at least in the comment section, that I would like to remain at 8 conference games given that Georgia retains its end of season contest with Georgia Tech and another Power 4 opponent. I believe scheduling G5/FBS teams has tremendous benefits such as a cash infusion to small programs struggling in an arms race, keeping money regional by scheduling more instate programs (remember that Mercer and Georgia was the first college football game played in the State), giving UGA a chance to play those Bulldogs far down the depth chart, and giving the small program players a chance to compete in a big SEC cathedral. Are there drawbacks? Certainly, but I’m not designing this as a completely for profit, numbers-driven VC enterprise. I’m designing this for college football players and fans.
My opinions are mine own and not necessarily those of Dawg Sports or my other colleagues on the Masthead. And the best thing is your comments fall under that same umbrella. So let us know who Georgia should have on the schedule as a “protected annual rivalry” game. Because it’s coming, and soon.
As always…
GO ‘DAWGS!!!
