Greg Sankey clarifies how protected rivals will work in 9-game SEC schedule ...Middle East

Greg Sankey said at a press conference on Saturday that the SEC’s 3 protected rivalries going forward will not feature 3 permanent opponents on every team’s schedule, but rather annual matchups as part of a 4-year scheduling matrix.

The SEC will move to a 9-game league schedule in 2026. That schedule will be marked by 3 protected opponents and 6 rotating games. After 4 years, the protected opponents will be re-examined. Sankey told reporters on Saturday that some of those games are “not up for debate,” but others could change depending on a variety of factors.

“Some of these (3) annual opponents will remain and are not up for debate,” Sankey said, per The Athletic’s Justin Williams. “But others, based on geography, fit and competitive balance, will be subject to that review.”

Sankey also said the 4-year schedule would be announced at 1 time and that announcement is expected to come “sooner rather than later.”

Some matchups are seemingly set in stone.

Oklahoma has played Texas every year since 1929. That is unlikely to change.

Alabama has played Auburn for the Iron Bowl every year since 1948. That is unlikely to change.

Florida-Georgia, Alabama-Tennessee, Ole Miss-Mississippi State, the SEC is chock-full of iconic football rivalries. But filling out 3 permanent, protected rivals for teams offers some flexibility for the league to potentially create new rivalries with its recent additions.

Greg Sankey clarifies how protected rivals will work in 9-game SEC schedule Saturday Down South.

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