The SEC announced that it had finally heard enough of the Big Ten's complaints and will implement a nine-game conference schedule in 2026. Although the road may be tough for Arkansas football after adding yet another SEC team to its grueling slate, in the end, the one thing that makes the conference so exciting is retained: the rivalries.
With Texas and Oklahoma joining the league last season, the SEC created a temporary schedule, flipping the locations this season and essentially kicking the can down the road for two years. However, in 2026, the conference would either have to transition to an eight-game model or completely reimagine the schedule with nine games.