Adding a 9th conference game in 2026 makes SO much sense in a 16-team league.

Some of the advantages:

Offers a much needed added data point to determine the teams to play in the SEC championship game.  With the current 8-game schedule, the strength of conference opponents varies tremendously.  Florida and Oklahoma have brutal schedules while the opponents of Texas and Missouri are much more manageable.

Each team will have 3 permanent conference opponents.  Given the tradition-laden nature of the SEC, preservation of tradtional opponents is important.

In a 4-year period, each conference team will play every other conference team twice.  This regularity of seeing all conference opponents makes it feel more like a —REAL conference.

Last, a cupcake game is eliminated.  With the high cost of tickets and supporting one’s team, that is a better deal for the fans.

ESPN will have more great games to broadcast and is paying roungly an added $5 million per team for this privilege.

AWESOME!!

If we were running the show, we would designate the 3 permanent opponents for each school as follows:

ALABAMA:        Auburn, Tennessee, LSU

ARKANSAS:      Texas, LSU, Mississippi State

AUBURN:          Alabama, Georgia, Florida

FLORIDA:         Georgia, South Carolina, Auburn

GEORGIA:        Auburn, Florida, South Carolina

KENTUCKY:     Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Mississippi State

LSU:                    Alabama, Arkansas,, Ole Miss

OLE MISS:        Mississippi State, LSU, Vanderbilt

MISSISSIPPI STATE:     Ole Miss, Kentucky, Missouri

MISSOURI:       Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi State

OKLAHOMA:   Texas, Missouri, Texas A&M

SOUTH CAROLINA:  Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M

TENNESSEE:  Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky

TEXAS:               Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkanas

TEXAS A&M:    Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina

VANDERBILT:  Kentucky, Tennessee, Ole Miss

It is impossible to create equity among the 3 permanent opponents.  For example, Auburn would have the toughest trio of permanent opponents.  However, restoring the long-lost Florida rivalry would bring a smile to Southern seniors.  When the SEC makes the announcement as to the 3 permanent opponents, let’s see how close they come to the Odyssey’s preferences.