Life is about to get even harder for SEC teams with a new nine-game SEC schedule , plus at least one other Power Four opponent in nonconference play, beginning in 2026, and about all Auburn coach Hugh Freeze can do is make light of the situation.

"Were the Packers available? Can we get them and maybe the Chiefs?" Freeze said , sarcastically referencing how demanding the slate will be each week.

The SEC's nine-game schedule pairs each team with three annual opponents while the remaining six games rotate. Auburn's set opponents -- Alabama , Georgia and Vanderbilt -- likely guarantee two of the toughest matchups in the league every season. Some top programs, like Alabama and Georgia, won't face each other each year, giving certain teams occasional scheduling relief. The SEC

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