SI Predicts SEC Teams' Three Permanent Opponents for Proposed New Schedule Format

The SEC football schedules could look different in the future.

For a year now, SEC officials have been discussing a division-less eight- or nine-game conference scheduling format with Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC from the Big 12 in 2024. In the eight-game format, teams will play one permanent opponent and seven rotating teams. In the nine-game format, teams will play three permanent opponents and six rotating.

Alabama coach Nick Saban says he isn’t necessarily a fan of the Crimson Tide’s proposed opponents.

“I’ve always been an advocate for playing more [conference] games,” Saban tells SI’s Ross Dellenger. “But if you play more games, I think you have to get the three fixed [opponents] right. They’re giving us Tennessee, Auburn and LSU. I don’t know how they come to that [decision].”

As the SEC continues to mull over those potential schedule formats, SI’s Dellenger made a first attempt at guessing the three permanent opponents for each SEC school based on rivalries, geography and parity:

• Missouri: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Vanderbilt
• Arkansas: Missouri, Texas, Ole Miss
• Texas A&M: LSU, Texas, Mississippi State
• Texas: Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkansas
• Oklahoma: Texas, Missouri, Florida
• LSU: Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama
• Ole Miss: Mississippi State, LSU, Arkansas
• Mississippi State: Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M
• Alabama: Auburn, Tennessee, LSU
• Auburn: Alabama, Georgia, Vanderbilt
• Vanderbilt: Tennessee, Auburn, Missouri
• Tennessee: Vanderbilt, Alabama, South Carolina
• Kentucky: Mississippi State, South Carolina, Georgia
• Georgia: Auburn, Florida, Kentucky
• Florida: Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma
• South Carolina: Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky