This article was originally published on www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq as Five SEC teams facing the toughest 2026 college football schedules. There is still plenty of college football remaining on the schedule this year. Bowl season is kicking off this weekend, and the playoffs are right around the corner.

The SEC is moving to a nine-game league schedule next season for the first time in history, a move necessary in the expanded College Football Playoff era to mirror what it looks like in the Big Ten and Big 12.

The SEC officially unveiled full 2026 schedules for every team in the conference in. a special on Thursday night.

The Texas State Bobcats completed the 2025 season with a 6‑6 record (3‑5 Sun Belt Conference) and secured bowl eligibility for a third straight season under hea

Since beating Tennessee in Week 8, Alabama's only victory over a team with a winning record was LSU on Nov. 8. The Crimson Tide's running game was non-existent during that stretch and quarterback Ty Simpson has lost confidence, throwing four of his five interceptions this season over his last four starts.

The 2026 football schedule for all SEC schools was unveiled on Thursday night. The conference's top teams continued to excel this season, as Alabama, Georgia Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M nearly made up half of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff field.

With the 2026 early signing period underway, here's what you need to know about where SEC programs stand in the college football recruiting rankings:

The SEC is often regarded as the best conference in college football, but not all fans were satisfied with how the 2025 season turned out. Matt Scalici from Al.com ranked all 16 teams based on how enjoyable their seasons were to watch.

“Ole Miss. They have that up-tempo spread. Their offense is a little different. They’re a headache to play against. Their running back (Kewan Lacy) is really good. He can take it the distance, and ( Trinidad) Chambliss is a really good college quarterback.” — SEC defensive coordinator

"Texas A&M is expected to hire Travis Williams as linebackers coach, sources tell @CBSSports," Zenitz said in his report. "Was Arkansas’ defensive coordinator the last three years after two as DC at UCF. In addition to his work as a coach, has been consistently recognized as one of nation’s top recruiters."

One prominent quarterback in the SEC announced his decision to enter the college football transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.