SEC Championship Game to end with new College Football Playoff expansion
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As expected, the Southeastern Conference has announced this year’s conference championship game will be the final edition ahead of the College Football Playoff expansion in 2027.
The 2026 SEC Football Championship Game, scheduled for Dec. 5 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, will be the 35th edition of the game that began in 1992.
“The SEC Football Championship Game has been a defining event in college football for more than three decades, producing unforgettable moments and crowning legendary champions. What began with the vision and leadership of Commissioner Roy Kramer in 1992 helped reshape the landscape of college football and established a tradition that has endured for 35 years. As the sport evolves with an expanded College Football Playoff, we look forward to celebrating the remarkable legacy of this event with its 35th and final edition and recognizing the city of Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and AMB Sports and Entertainment, and the many partners who have contributed to its success.”
Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner
SEC Championship Game history
One of the sport’s most prestigious trophies has plenty of connections to our state dating back to the origins of the game.
The SEC Championship Game debuted on Dec. 5, 1992, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, as Alabama defeated Florida, 28-21. After a second edition at Legion Field in 1993, the game moved to Atlanta in 1994 and became a fixture at the Georgia Dome.
Alabama has made the most appearances in the title game with 16 and the most championship game wins with 11. The Crimson Tide’s most recent win came in 2023, Nick Saban’s final season as head coach.
Here are a few more facts from the SEC:
- Only four times since 2006 has the winner of the SEC Championship Game failed to advance to the national championship game
- The winner of the SEC Championship Game advanced to the BCS Championship Game the final eight years of that format (2006-2013) and to the CFP Playoff all ten seasons of the four-team format
- 14 times the winner of the SEC Championship Game won the national championship
With the shift to a 24-team playoff structure, the 2026 contest will mark the end of an era for the event that helped pioneer the modern conference championship format.
2026 SEC Championship Game
As it stands, Alabama sits in second place in the conference which would set up a rematch with Georgia in the conference title game, which may be a fitting end to the event.
But the Crimson Tide do not control its own destiny as four total teams sit with two-conference losses including Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas. If they all finish with just two losses, it would come down to a tiebreaker. Georgia can secure its spot with one more win against either Missouri or South Carolina.
The game is scheduled for 3PM central time on Saturday, Dec. 5 and will air on ABC.
