FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When the SEC adds a ninth conference game starting in 2026, it won’t just be about stacking another heavyweight bout onto the schedule.
It’ll be about keeping the soul of the SEC — the rivalries — intact.
That’s the thinking behind the league’s long-anticipated move to a 3-6 scheduling model, announced this week and slated to begin with the 2026 season. Each team will face three permanent opponents every year and rotate through the remaining 12 conference teams over a four-year span.
Arkansas and Missouri, already annual foes in the SEC’s late-season slate, are among the most likely pairs to be locked in as one of those fixed matchups.
The Battle Line Rivalry, a relatively new creation compared to the Iron Bowl or Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, has quietly become one of the SEC’s most consistent end-of-year meetings since Missouri joined the league in 2012.
“We’re looking at balance, tradition, and competition,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said during the announcement. “This model keeps our rivalries alive while allowing every student-athlete to experience the full scope of the SEC during their career.”
Arkansas‑Missouri figures to remain linked
If there was any doubt that Arkansas and Missouri would continue facing off annually under the new SEC format, the recent history of their rivalry suggests otherwise.
The Battle Line Rivalry, formalized in 2014, has seen Missouri leading Arkansas 9‑2 in SEC matchups since that time.
Across the full history of the series (dating back to the first meeting in 1906), Missouri holds an 11-4 edge. The Tigers have strung together recent momentum with a current winning streak of three, having beaten the Razorbacks in 2022, 2023, and again in 2024.
Arkansas’s wins in the rivalry have come in more isolated bursts. The Razorbacks picked up victories in 2015 (28‑3) and in 2021 (34‑17).
It’s a rivalry a previous group of UA administrators came up they have worked for over a decade to make it be something for people to care about. The results are still mixed about that.
Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman has previously raised concerns about expanding the SEC schedule, pointing out that adding a ninth game increases strain.
“Eight’s plenty,” he said during discussions before this change was finalized.
Meanwhile, Missouri has leveraged its recent success in the series both for recruiting and for fan and media visibility.
Given the series history, recent results, and geographic and competitive factors, Arkansas‑Missouri seems highly likely to be locked in as one of each other’s three permanent opponents under the new nine‑game SEC model.
Missouri’s trio likely includes Arkansas and Oklahoma
On the Missouri side, the speculation has long centered around Arkansas and Oklahoma as likely staples of the Tigers’ annual trio. That gives Mizzou both a border rivalry and a Big Eight flashback.
The third opponent could be a rotating cast, with South Carolina or even Kentucky in the mix depending on how the SEC values geographic overlap versus historical familiarity.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz has publicly embraced the challenge of tougher schedules, especially after a 10-win season in 2024. While he hasn’t outright named Arkansas as a top priority, the annual matchup has provided his program with recruiting leverage and late-season TV visibility — two commodities that carry weight in today’s game.
Being from Alama, Ark., just 45 minutes away from Fayetteville, it does seem to mean little more him. He has made huge recruiting strides in the state.
Media outlets like Rock M Nation and WholeHogSports have both pointed to the Arkansas-Missouri matchup as a rivalry that benefits from being defined by proximity rather than tradition.
No more divisions, and nonconference pressure rises
The new nine-game format continues the division-less structure that started in 2024 with the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma.
That means the two best teams will face off in the SEC Championship, regardless of their geography.
But that also means more parity. Under the 3-6 model, every team will play each other at least once every two years and in every stadium every four years.
That’s a scheduling rhythm more commonly seen in the NFL than in traditional college football setups.
Add to that the SEC’s requirement that each team play at least one Power Four non-conference opponent — or Notre Dame — each season, and schedules are about to get even more punishing.
Arkansas already has future matchups lined up with Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, and Utah. Missouri has Kansas State and Illinois on future slates.
Coaches wary, but pressure demands change
The shift to a nine-game model hasn’t come without criticism. Coaches like Pittman have warned about wear and tear. Others worry about the financial strain of losing a home game every other year under the rotation model.
Still, most understand that more SEC games means more attention, more playoff opportunities, and more clarity in the standings.
And for Arkansas and Missouri — two programs often caught in the SEC’s upper-middle tier — being part of a consistent annual rivalry provides identity, branding, and the chance to play spoiler every Thanksgiving weekend.
The bottom line probably is television wants bigger and better matchups every week and the schools want to keep getting the checks they send.
Predicting Arkansas’s three permanent opponents
With Missouri essentially locked in, the other two slots for Arkansas are still up for debate. Here are the top contenders:
1. Missouri
The Battle Line Rivalry isn’t going anywhere. It’s been a fixture since Missouri joined the SEC and is marketable as a border-state clash.
2. Texas
The old Southwest Conference rivalry was reignited in 2021 when Arkansas dominated Texas in Fayetteville. The history, recruiting overlap, and national relevance of the Longhorns make them a marquee pick.
3. Oklahoma
This one could surprise people, but Fayetteville is closer to Norman than it is to Columbia, Mo., Baton Rouge, La., or even Oxford, Miss. The programs have rarely met, but proximity, rising stakes, and Oklahoma’s new SEC affiliation make this a real possibility — especially if Texas is tied to Texas A&M.
Dark horses:
• Ole Miss: Annual matchups full of wild finishes and history since Arkansas joined the SEC.
• Texas A&M: A border rival in terms of geography, but the SEC may pair the Aggies with Texas and LSU instead.
• LSU: Historically competitive, but the Battle for the Boot has faded in national relevance and LSU likely has other legacy ties.
What’s next for the Razorbacks and Tigers
• Arkansas and Missouri are widely expected to be formalized as one of each other’s three fixed opponents in the 2026 model.
• Full 2026 schedules with dates and locations are expected to be released later this year.
• Both programs will continue evaluating future nonconference opponents to ensure compliance with Power Four mandates and competitive balance.
Key takeaways
• The SEC will officially adopt a nine-game conference football schedule beginning in 2026.
• Each team will face three annual opponents, with Arkansas-Missouri expected to be one of those permanent matchups.
• Programs must also play at least one Power Four (or Notre Dame) nonconference opponent each year as part of SEC scheduling standards.