Texas AD: SEC Considering 9-Game Conference Schedule for 2026 CFB Season

In the ever-changing world of college football, the SEC may be playing a nine-game league schedule as soon as the 2026 campaign.

"We have eight games scheduled right now," Texas vice president and athletics director Chris Del Conte said, per Joe Cook of On 3's Inside Texas. "We're working on going to a nine-game schedule, but we have a ways to go with that. I would say this year we have an eight-game schedule. The following year, we have another eight-game schedule. Then we'll look at going into a nine-game conference schedule."

Other leagues, such as the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12, have played nine-game league schedules in recent years, and the SEC's decision to not do so has resulted in some criticism. The ACC has also maintained an eight-game league schedule.

Yet college football is about to look quite different starting with the 2024 season.

The Pac-12 is all but gone with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten, Stanford and California joining the ACC, and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joining the Big 12.

As for the SEC, it is adding powerhouse programs in Texas and Oklahoma.

That means there are more teams in the conference, and an expanded schedule is one way to ensure schools face each other at a fairly consistent rate over the course of multiple seasons. What's more, the expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12 means there is less risk for championship contenders when it comes to individual games.

Under the four-team system, losing two games essentially meant a team was eliminated. That left plenty of incentive for the SEC to play a lighter schedule with fewer league games so programs such as Georgia, Alabama and others were less likely to lose a second game.

However, there is far more leeway with a 12-team field. Powerhouse programs can afford an additional loss and still make the CFP, while other teams, such as Ole Miss, Missouri or Tennessee, that are on the fringe of making it into the top 12 could benefit from a better strength of schedule when being compared to teams from other conferences.

More intriguing SEC conference games would also make for a better product in future television contract negotiations down the line and bring the league more in line with the Big Ten as the two conferences appear to further separate from others.