Berry Tramel

Tulsa World Sports Columnist

The Southeastern Conference declared Thursday that its football teams each will play nine league games, starting in 2026, with the mandate that each also plays a power-conference opponent every year.

Many hail the move and rejoice in knowing that the SEC will stage 72 conference games next season, instead of the 64 being played in 2025.

I call it a good start.

The ‘25 season is upon us, with five games kicking off Saturday in a Week Zero that has some decent intrigue. But the bubbling of campus gridirons is tempered by the lineup of ballgames that hit our state next week.

Tennessee-Martin at OSU. Illinois State at OU. Abilene Christian at Tulsa. All three visitors belong to Division I-AA.

The official name is Football Championship Sub-divisi

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