South Carolina's three permanent opponents and SEC schedule over next four years revealed

Things are changing in a big way for the SEC. Starting next season, the conference will move to a nine-game league schedule with all 16 teams playing three permanent opponents and six rotating teams.

During a one-hour television special on Tuesday night, the SEC revealed each team’s three permanent opponents as well as the entire conference slate over the next four years.

South Carolina will face Georgia, Kentucky and Florida in each of the next four seasons starting in 2026. This information leaked out a day early when On3’s Chris Low first reported each team’s three annual opponents.

For the Gamecocks, this will be a return to normalcy after not playing Georgia or Florida since 2023. Both programs are considered to be rivals for South Carolina, especially Georgia, which it has played the Bulldogs more times (76) than anyone besides Clemson. Florida is South Carolina’s sixth-most common foe (44) and trails only Georgia in the SEC. 

Get GamecockCentral for $1 your first week. As a bonus, your membership includes a complimentary year of The Athletic.

The Gamecocks will coincidentally face Kentucky this weekend at Williams-Brice Stadium in what will be their 37th all-time meeting. The two programs have continued to play each other every year after the SEC eliminated its former East and West divisions two years ago.

There were a few factors the SEC had in mind when determining each team’s permanent opponents. This included traditional rivalries, neutral site games and historic longtime series. But also, the conference considered competitive fairness, geography and alignment with non-conference home/away commitments.

Now, while these three opponents are listed as permanent, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t change in the future. This is only for the next four seasons, as annual opponents will be evaluated after each four-year cycle to maintain continued competitive balance.

In addition to the annual opponents, South Carolina also learned which teams it will play during conference play through 2029. Only locations and matchups were unveiled at this time. The conference will announce dates and times for the 2026 slate in December.

Under the new nine-game slate, the Gamecocks will alternate between playing five home conference games each and four home conference games. Meaning if they were to play five home SEC games in 2026, they would play four conference home games in 2027. They’ll host and visit every SEC campus during these four years.

Here’s what South Carolina’s SEC schedule will look like over the next four years. These games are in no particular order.

2026

Home vs. Georgia

Home vs. Texas A&M

Home vs. Kentucky

Home vs. Tennessee

Home vs. Mississippi State

Away at Oklahoma

Away at Alabama

Away at Florida

Away at Arkansas

2027

Home vs. LSU

Home vs. Florida

Home vs. Missouri

Home vs. Texas

Away at Georgia

Away at Ole Miss

Away at Kentucky

Away at Auburn

Away at Vanderbilt

2028

Home vs. Georgia

Home vs. Oklahoma

Home vs. Kentucky

Home vs. Alabama

Home vs. Arkansas

Away at Texas A&M

Away at Tennessee

Away at Mississippi State

Away at Florida

2029

Home vs. Ole Miss

Home vs. Auburn

Home vs. Vanderbilt

Home vs. Florida

Away at Georgia

Away at Kentucky

Away at LSU

Away at Texas

Away at Missouri

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!