The SEC has faced criticism for not changing its in-conference schedule after adding Texas and Oklahoma, but commissioner Greg Sankey says there are still no immediate plans to do so.
Sankey spoke on Monday about the possibility of the SEC expanding its in-conference schedule from eight opponents to nine. Each team in the Big Ten and Big 12 plays nine conference opponents, but the SEC is not adopting that format for the 2025 season. The ACC, which is the other Power Four conference, also plays an eight-team conference schedule.
Sankey said it has “never been a secret” that the SEC plays one fewer conference opponent than some other Power Four conferences.
“It is absolutely, fully, 100 percent correct that in the SEC we play eight conference games while some others play nine conference games, never been a secret,” Sankey said. “Second, it’s also correct that last season, all 16 members of the Southeastern Conference played at least nine games against what you would label Power opponents. We had several that played 10 of their 12 games against Power opponents.”
Sankey argued that the SEC’s schedule is still more difficult than that of any other Power Five conference.
“I don’t believe there’s anyone looking to swap their conference schedule and its opponents with the opponents played by Southeastern Conference teams and our conference schedule, be it eight or nine. … We’re gonna continue to evaluate whether increasing the number of conference football games is appropriate for us,” Sankey said.
“I don’t believe there’s anyone looking to swap their conference schedule and its opponents with the opponents played by Southeastern Conference teams in our conference schedule — be it 8 or 9 (games).”
— Josh Ward (@Josh_Ward) July 14, 2025
Greg Sankey discussed the SEC’s ongoing discussion over league scheduling. pic.twitter.com/vSkadg5D9I
There would be financial considerations associated with the SEC shifting to a nine-game conference schedule, so that is something that Sankey and company need to work through.
Now that the SEC has expanded, a nine-game conference schedule seems inevitable. The SEC has already done away with its two divisions, but one big question is how opponents will be determined each year. Nick Saban raised a concern about that two years back.
