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SEC schedule changes must result in these 3 annual rivals for Tennessee football

The SEC must do the right thing.
ByBraulio Perez|
Tennessee wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (1) tries to escape a tackle by Alabama defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe (9) after making a catch during an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
Tennessee wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (1) tries to escape a tackle by Alabama defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe (9) after making a catch during an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

You had a feeling it was coming sooner rather than later. On Thursday, the breaking news finally arrived that starting with the 2026 season, there will now be nine conference games on the schedule for Tennessee football and the rest of the SEC.

A message is no question being sent by commissioner Greg Sankey. The nine games aren't the only change that has people talking, though. In addition, part of the new plan includes teams facing three teams every single season to keep rivalries alive. From our chair, it's a no-brainer that these three opponents can't go anywhere for the Vols moving forward: Vanderbilt, Alabama and Kentucky.

Greg Sankey just announced major SEC schedule changes starting with the 2026 season

Starting with Alabama, come on, this jumps off the page. These two programs have been through some unreal battles over the years and they don't like one another at all. Plenty of Tennessee fans are still celebrating the win over the Tide at Neyland Stadium last season - that game ended with Will Brooks picking off Jalen Milroe.

As for Vanderbilt? If Diego Pavia has his way, the Commodores are going to take over Tennessee as the main threat in the SEC in the Volunteer State. Excuse us? Never going to happen and the Vols have been dominating that in-state rivalry. In terms of tradition, that game each late November needs to keep being showcased.

Lastly, we were torn a bit between picking Florida and Kentucky. In the end, though, you've got to keep the long tradition between the Vols and Wildcats in mind. However, there's always magic on the field when UT and Florida face off. That will once again be the case in 2025 with Joey Aguilar hoping to take down DJ Lagway and Co. On the other hand, the Tennessee-Kentucky rivalry has been around for more than 130 years. Maybe the decision isn't so simple after all? It's tough, but we're going with Kentucky in the end.

For now, all we can do is speculate on who the three annual opponents will be, but not many people will be complaining if it's indeed Alabama, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Should it be Florida, we're not going to really be too upset about that either, but only time will tell how things go down there.

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