It’s less of a hot topic at SEC spring meetings in 2024 than years past, but the league’s future football scheduling remains a concern. Texas and Oklahoma are in the conference for 2024, and this season and next’s schedules are set with eight conference games.

Still, with a 16-team league, the SEC will need to expand to nine conference games if it’s to preserve the majority of its historic rivalries. Commissioner Greg Sankey said he wouldn’t expect any action on the matter this year, given the myriad other issues in college sports.

New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said he didn’t have much of an opinion one way or the other for 2026 and beyond.

“I’m up in the air on it, obviously” DeBoer said. “Want to hear both from my athletic director and also the pros and cons from the conference on where it all stands, and we’ll talk about that today.”

DeBoer pointed out that moving to nine SEC games would likely necessitate changes to non-conference schedules. He said having 10 Power Four games on the schedule was “a good number,” so some juggling would be needed.

“I know the SEC slate that every team will have is going to be strong,” DeBoer said. “It’s gonna be one where you have to adjust how many Power Five teams, Power Four teams you’re gonna play.”

SEC spring meetings are set to continue through Thursday. DeBoer was the first coach to speak to assembled reporters.