SEC aims to boost strength of football schedule

The SEC will continue an eight-game league football schedule and formally add a strength-of-schedule component that requires all schools to play an ACC, Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12 opponent on an annual basis.

Each SEC team will continue to play eight conference football games per season, to include six games against division opponents and two games against non-division opponents. One of the non-division opponents will be a permanent annual opponent and the other non-division opponent will rotate each year.

In addition, at least one opponent from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12 must be scheduled by each SEC school on an annual basis beginning in 2016, with assistance from the conference office. Most SEC teams already play a non-conference team from the power conferences anyway, so it’s unlikely to have a major impact. There had been much discussion about adding a ninth league game, something that most coaches didn’t favor.