The Southeastern Conference on Sunday announced it will maintain its existing format for future football scheduling while adding a strength-of-schedule component.
Each SEC team will continue to play eight conference football games each year. These eight games will include six games against division opponents and two games against nondivision opponents, according to a release issued by the conference. One of the nondivision opponents will be a permanent annual opponent and the other nondivision opponent will rotate each year.
Schools will be required to schedule at least one opponent from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12 each year starting in 2016.
The SEC had been considering following the path the Pac-12, Big Ten and Big 12 of adding a ninth conference game. On Sunday, Commissioner Mike Slive quashed that thinking, saying the majority of the conference’s presidents and athletic directors voted to stay at eight games after “thoroughly, carefully” analyzing the change.
“One thing about the SEC is it has always marched to its own drummer,” Slive said.
The conference did discuss eliminating the scheduling of FCS schools. Slive said the SEC will continue playing these schools because the league wants to maintain support for college football at all levels.