The Southeastern Convention will transfer to a nine-game convention schedule in soccer starting subsequent yr, the league introduced Thursday.
The SEC joins the Large Ten and Large 12 in upping their convention slates from eight video games to 9. That leaves the Atlantic Coast Convention as the one Energy 4 league nonetheless at eight as of 2026.
Moreover, the SEC will direct its faculties to make use of one among its three nonconference video games to face a “high-quality” opponent from one of many different three energy conferences or Notre Dame.
Some faculties are locked into conventional, annual rivalries outdoors the SEC — Florida towards Florida State, South Carolina towards Clemson, Georgia towards Georgia Tech — however a number of extra will not be.
“Including a ninth SEC sport underscores our universities’ dedication to delivering essentially the most aggressive soccer schedule within the nation,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned in a press release. “This format protects rivalries, will increase aggressive steadiness, and paired with our requirement to play a further Energy opponent, ensures SEC groups are nicely ready to compete and succeed within the Faculty Soccer Playoff.”
The SEC has thought of the swap to a nine-game schedule for years, but it surely was lastly accredited by a gathering of the convention’s presidents and chancellors.
The league will proceed to function with out divisions, which have been carried out away with following the 2023 season. Every group will play three protected opponents yearly, which can cowl numerous rivalry video games.
The opposite six video games will rotate in such a manner that ensures every group will face each different SEC foe as soon as each two years, and have each opponent residence and away each 4 years.
“The SEC has established itself because the chief in delivering essentially the most compelling soccer schedule in faculty athletics,” Sankey mentioned. “Followers will see conventional rivalries preserved, new matchups extra often, and a degree of competitors unmatched throughout the nation.”
–Discipline Stage Media
