SEC moves closer to adopting nine-game conference slate as CFP metrics shift emphasis on schedule strength

SEC athletic directors are moving closer to adopting a nine-game conference football schedule, sources told CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello. The development comes as the College Football Playoff will implement new metrics in 2025 that place greater emphasis on strength of schedule, a change that could benefit SEC teams.

The proposed expansion would mark a major shift for the SEC, which has traditionally played eight conference games per season. Conference presidents are expected to meet soon to make a final decision, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. The league has debated the idea for more than four years, but renewed television revenue and potential advantages in playoff positioning have reinvigorated discussions.

Under the proposed nine-game format, each SEC team would play three permanent conference opponents and rotate through six others each season, per Dellenger.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey addressed the scheduling debate during SEC Media Days in July. He did not confirm whether the conference would implement a nine-game slate in 2026, but emphasized the league’s existing rigor.

“It’s absolutely, fully and 100% correct that we play eight conference games, while others play nine conference games,” Sankey said. “It’s also correct that last season, all 16 (of our) members played at least nine games against, what you would label, power opponents. … I handed out a bunch of stats that created a stir in Destin (at SEC spring meetings) that showed there’s a rigor here that is unique.”

Sankey added at the time that a decision must come soon if the SEC moves to nine games, though he did not provide a timeline for releasing the 2026 schedule.

Potential ripple effects if SEC adopts nine-game schedule

If the SEC approves a nine-game conference schedule, the ACC is expected to follow suit, potentially bringing all Power Four conferences to uniform nine-game slates, according to Dellenger.

Such alignment could simplify College Football Playoff evaluations, making it easier for the selection committee to compare teams across conferences. On Wednesday, the CFP introduced a new “record strength” metric for 2025, which gives extra credit for victories over quality opponents while lessening penalties for losses to strong teams. CFP executive director Rich Clark said the changes are intended to help the committee “construct a postseason bracket that recognizes the best performances and teams on the field during the regular season.”

A nine-game SEC schedule would give teams more opportunities to face high-level opponents, which could help the league maximize its representation in the playoff under the new metrics. The ACC may feel pressure to match the format to remain competitive, creating ripple effects across college football that directly connect to how the CFP could be structured in the future.

How the Power Four schedules

Scheduling decisions like these are intertwined with proposals to expand the CFP. Under an earlier “4-4-2-2-1” model, the Big Ten and SEC would each receive four guaranteed spots, the ACC and Big 12 would get two apiece, the Group of Six would have one guaranteed representative and three at-large spots would remain. While coaches initially rejected the plan, the SEC’s interest in a nine-game schedule aligns with the league’s broader goal of strengthening team schedules and positioning its programs favorably under both current and forthcoming playoff metrics.