The SEC is going to a nine-game schedule in 2026 with three annual rivalries. Tennessee football should face Alabama, Florida and Vanderbilt

The SEC will move to a nine game conference schedule beginning in 2026. “Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,

The SEC is making the right decision to preserve at least three permanent opponents per school in this new nine-game model. The conference's motto is literally "It just means more" so it would be pretty hypocritical to toss traditional rivalries in the name of staying relevant in the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee.