College Football HQ

SEC could add 9th conference game amid CFP expansion push: report

As the College Football Playoff faces possible expansion in 2026, and with the SEC leading that charge, it's expected the conference could add a ninth conference game to its football schedule.

James Parks

With the SEC leading a push to expand the College Football Playoff, the conference could end up playing a ninth conference game.
With the SEC leading a push to expand the College Football Playoff, the conference could end up playing a ninth conference game. / USA Today Sports | IMAGN

As leaders in the SEC look to radically change the shape of college football’s playoff system in the future, that decision could have one major effect on the conference’s regular season, too.

Both the SEC and Big Ten are looking to exert their newfound power over the sport to possibly expand the College Football Playoff, and should their plan come to fruition, it could mean the SEC is finally able to implement a long-discussed change: a ninth conference game on the schedule.

Yahoo Sports revealed that college football’s two most dominant conferences are collaborating on a way to expand the playoff and secure more automatic bids for their own teams, and in the process that could give the SEC the decisive momentum it needs to play another conference game.

Some conferences have considered it unfair that the SEC has been playing just eight conference games while most others, including the Big Ten, play nine every fall.

And up to now, there was some concern in the SEC that adding another league game could give would-be playoff teams in its conference a disadvantage come playoff selection time if they have another loss on the record.

But that problem could be resolved in the near future, as ESPN and the SEC could soon reach a new agreement that would pay the conference more for teams to play another conference game.

And if the College Football Playoff eventually votes to expand its format to 14 or 16 teams, with the SEC getting four automatic bids, then that concern about playoff-contending teams having another conference loss would practically evaporate.

The question of a ninth SEC game has been on the table for a few years now, and was raised again when the conference welcomed Texas and Oklahoma as permanent members.

In addition to a potential ninth conference game, there is also talk that the SEC could be looking to schedule more Big Ten opponents during the regular season, as well.

And those SEC vs. Big Ten football showcases would be sold as their own media package to broadcasting partners.

More ... SEC, Big Ten join forces to expand College Football Playoff

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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