The Southeastern Conference is moving closer to adopting a nine-game football schedule, according to Yahoo! Sports insider Ross Dellenger. While final approval rests with league presidents, momentum appears to be building among executives and administrators, driven by financial incentives and future College Football Playoff (CFP) considerations.
Under the proposed format, each SEC program would play three permanent rivals and rotate through six other conference opponents annually. The idea has been
discussed for years, but SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has been vocal about pushing toward nine games, citing competitive balance and fan interest.
“I think nine games would promote great interest through the year, but it would be hard to coach,” Sankey told ESPN’s Heather Dinich last month. “I’ve had candid conversations with coaches. I’ve told them that.”
The decision carries national implications. If the SEC makes the move, the ACC has indicated it would likely follow, putting all four Power Four conferences — SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 — on equal footing with nine-game league schedules. Such alignment could also speed up CFP negotiations as conferences remain split over future formats.
The SEC and Big 12 have backed a “5+11” model, which grants automatic berths to the top five conference champions and 11 at-large teams. The Big Ten, however, is pushing for a “4-4-2-2-1” system that guarantees more spots for its own league and the SEC.
A final decision from SEC presidents could come in the coming weeks, setting the tone for playoff expansion talks ahead.
