SEC 9-Game Conference Schedule will not affect Arizona series with Alabama

The move by the Southeastern Conference to a nine-game league schedule in 2026 will not affect the home-and-home series Alabama and Arizona are scheduled to play in 2032 and 2033. In their announcement of the change from eight to nine games, the SEC stated conference schools must play a power opponent each season.

Unlike SEC rivals Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina, Alabama does not play a traditional non-conference opponent every season. Alabama has two power conference opponents scheduled each season through 2034. In addition to hosting Arizona in 2032 and playing in Tucson in 2033, Alabama will play at Minnesota in 2032 and host the Golden Gophers in 2033.

The Big XII began playing a nine-game conference schedule in 2020. Arizona began playing a nine-game conference schedule in the Pac-12 during the 2006 season. In the 19 years playing a nine-game conference schedule, Arizona has been above .500 five times.

Arizona has one win, seven losses and one tie all-time versus SEC opponents. Arizona has one win and two losses versus Auburn, a 13-all tie against Georgia in the 1985 Sun Bowl, zero wins and three losses in their series with LSU and losses in 2022 and 2023 in their only games with Mississippi State.

The 2022 loss to Mississippi State was the first time Arizona played an SEC opponent since losing at LSU in 2006. Arizona hosted LSU in 2003 and played in Baton Rouge in 1984. Arizona played Auburn in the 1968 Sun Bowl, hosted the Tigers in 1976 and played at Jordan Hare Stadium in 1977.

Arizona does not play a power conference non-league opponent in 2026 and 2027. The Big XII does not require its football programs to play non-conference games against teams from the power four. Kansas State in 2025, Nebraska in 2028 and 2031 and Virginia Tech in 2029 and 2030 are Arizona's future power non-conference opponents.