The Southeastern Conference said its football teams will play a nine-game league schedule beginning with the 2026 season, ending more than three decades of eight-game slates. Conference presidents approved the change on 21 August after what insiders described as a sustained push from Commissioner Greg Sankey. Under the new format, each school will face three permanent opponents and six rotating opponents annually. In addition, every program must schedule at least one non-conference game each year against a member of the ACC, Big Ten or Big 12, or against Notre Dame, further boosting overall strength of schedule. The move brings the SEC into alignment with the Big Ten and Big 12, leaving the ACC as the lone Power Five league still at eight conference contests, though ACC leaders have said they could follow suit. Expanding to nine games is expected to unlock additional media-rights revenue from ESPN under existing contracts, according to people familiar with the matter. Administrators also see the tougher slate as a bargaining chip in talks over the College Football Playoff structure beyond 2025. A more uniform scheduling model among the top conferences could help the SEC advance its preferred 5-plus-11 format for a prospective 16-team playoff, which remains under negotiation with the Big Ten.