Starting next season, the SEC is slated to move to a nine-game conference schedule. Each school is going to have three permanent opponents they will face every year, and the other six games will rotate through the rest of the conference. In theory, everyone will host everyone and vice versa over a four-year cycle, meaning the Gators finally get to play Auburn again.
But the new format is also going to put strain on some rivalries that are etched in stone, and there is reason to believe that one of Florida's classic rivalries may be at risk.
SEC to reveal schedule on Tuesday
On Tuesday, the SEC is going to reveal who the permanent opponents for everyone are, and they are going to announce the SEC schedule for the next four years.
There has been a ton of speculation over who Florida's three permanent opponents might be, because outside of Georgia, there is no one else who seems like a lock.
The X account Richard G. West, which is a mostly parody account that sometimes has a hint of truth, had a post go viral that claims Tennessee's three permanent opponents are going to be Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.
The SEC is set to announce each team’s 3 permanent opponents which will be part of a new 9 game conference schedule.
— Richard G. West (@RGW_News) September 18, 2025
Through a solid source it is believed that Tennessee’s permanent opponents will be Alabama, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/cumDpOKIEm
Taking out the validity of the account itself, there is also a decent chance these will be Tennessee's three permanent opponents. Alabama and Vanderbilt feel like locks to get paired with Tennessee, which leaves Kentucky as the wildcard for the Volunteers.
Most Florida fans would probably argue to give Kentucky the boot, but then Kentucky would need dance partners.
Keep in mind as well that the SEC already did this exercise with basketball and gave everyone three "permanent opponents."
The three squads matched up with Tennessee in basketball for a home-and-home?
Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky.
So if that logic holds, Florida could be getting Georgia, South Carolina, and Kentucky as its permanent three.
In terms of strength of schedule, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to play South Carolina and Kentucky every year.
But in terms of what makes college football great, losing Tennessee would be a bummer.