The Southeastern Conference announced its decision on its scheduling format for the 2024 season.
Teams will continue to play an eight-game conference schedule as the conference expands to 16 teams with Texas and Oklahoma moving over from the Big 12. Programs will also be required to schedule one opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or a major independent during the 2024 season.
This model will serve as a one-year schedule as the conference continues to work on a “long-term strategy.”
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But the largest change to the conference comes in the form of the elimination of divisional standings. This means the SEC Championship will now feature the top two teams overall regardless of division.
“We have been engaged in planning for the entry of Oklahoma and Texas into the SEC since the summer of 2021, but the change of the membership date from 2025 to 2024 creates scheduling complexities that can better be managed with a one-year schedule,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a statement.
“Creating a one-year schedule will provide a longer on-ramp to manage football scheduling around existing non-conference commitments of our members. It will also provide additional time to understand the impact of an expanded College Football Playoff and engage with our media partners as we determine the appropriate long-term plan for SEC football scheduling.
“During this time of change, our fans will continue to enjoy traditional rivalries and begin to see new matchups presented by the addition of two historically successful football programs to the SEC.”
Each school’s opponents will be announced for the 2024 season on June 14 on the SEC Network.
**This story will be updated.**
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
