The SEC launched its full convention schedule Wednesday, giving school basketball followers a clearer view of the highest matchups for the 2025–26 season.
The SEC made historical past final season by sending a file 14 groups to the NCAA Event. Auburn superior to the Last 4 for simply the second time in program historical past, and Florida captured the nationwide championship with an exhilarating win over Houston in San Antonio.
The Gators open SEC play Jan. 3 towards Missouri in certainly one of a number of marquee matchups set for that weekend. Tennessee will journey to Arkansas, whereas Kentucky takes on Alabama the identical day.
Headlining the slate for the second straight 12 months is a showdown between Arkansas and Kentucky. The Wildcats will likely be looking for revenge after John Calipari, who spent 15 seasons as Kentucky’s head coach, returned to Kentucky’s Rupp Enviornment final 12 months and led Arkansas to a significant upset. The 2 groups meet Jan. 31 at Bud Walton Enviornment in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in a sport that is anticipated to impression the SEC title race.
With the total schedule out, listed here are 5 SEC video games to look at this season.
Predicting subsequent coach to win first NCAA Event title: Duke’s Jon Scheyer, Kentucky’s Mark Pope amongst picks
David Cobb
1. Kentucky at Arkansas
When: Jan. 31 | The place: Bud Walton Enviornment (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
This sport stands out as the most effective on the SEC calendar for one easy motive: anytime John Calipari faces his previous crew, it is must-watch tv.
Final season, the principle storyline main as much as the matchup was Arkansas’ early struggles underneath Calipari. The Razorbacks entered 1–6 in SEC play however used a win over Kentucky to launch a run to the Candy 16.
Kentucky additionally had a robust season underneath Mark Pope. The Wildcats superior previous the primary weekend of the NCAA Event for the primary time since 2019 earlier than falling to Tennessee within the Candy 16. With a 12 months underneath Pope’s system and a revamped roster, Kentucky must be even higher in 2025–26.
The Wildcats had been aggressive within the switch portal, touchdown a number of key additions: Pitt’s Jaland Lowe, Alabama’s Mouhamed Dioubate and Arizona State’s Jayden Quaintance — a possible lottery choose within the 2026 NBA Draft.
It is a disgrace Kentucky and Arkansas do not play a home-and-home. Exterior of this sport, their solely different potential assembly could be within the postseason.
2. Alabama at Florida
When: Jan. 31 | The place: Stephen C. O’Connell Heart (Gainesville, Florida)
On the identical day Arkansas hosts Kentucky, Alabama travels to Gainesville to face the reigning nationwide champion.
Alabama guard Labaron Philon despatched shockwaves via the game when pulled out of the NBA Draft course of on the final minute to return for his sophomore season. His return, together with the addition of former five-star prospect Jalil Bethea, offers the Crimson Tide a robust one-two punch within the backcourt.
In the meantime, Florida ought to once more boast one of many nation’s finest frontcourts because of key draft selections from Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. Haugh by no means formally entered the draft however considerably boosted his inventory through the Gators’ title run.
Florida swept Alabama final season, and that is the one scheduled assembly between the SEC rivals. May this be the sport Alabama bounces again? It will not be simple to do in a hostile street surroundings.
3. Alabama at Auburn
When: Feb. 7 | The place: Neville Enviornment (Auburn, Alabama)
The rise of those two in-state rivals has has turned this matchup into one of many premier video games on the faculty basketball calendar. This upcoming season will likely be no completely different. Auburn (Tahaad Pettiford) and Alabama (Philon) have two of the most effective younger guards within the nation. Each gamers are SEC Participant of the 12 months candidates this season.
The rivalry will look completely different this season due to who is not in it. Auburn’s Johni Broome and Alabama’s Mark Sears — two of the most effective gamers of their respective groups’ historical past — are off to the NBA. The Tigers reloaded their roster via the switch portal by touchdown Texas Tech’s Kevin Overton, Mississippi State’s KeShawn Murphy and UCF’s Keyshawn Corridor. All three of these gamers are anticipated to tackle a major function for coach Bruce Pearl.
4. Kentucky at Florida
When: Feb. 14 | The place: Stephen C. O’Connell Heart (Gainesville, Florida)
Kentucky defeated Florida at dwelling 106-100 in its SEC opener final season. Fortunately for faculty basketball followers, the 2 rivals will play twice through the common season this 12 months.
Kentucky and Florida (17-1 on FanDuel) are tied for the fourth-best odds behind Purdue, Houston and Duke to win the 2026 nationwide title. Florida has three of the highest returners within the sport. Kentucky reloaded with the additions of Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno and Braydon Hawthorne. This home-and-home sequence might determine the SEC common season title.
5. Tennessee at Arkansas
When: Jan. 3 | The place: Bud Walton Enviornment (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
The opening weekend of convention play kicks off with a bang when Arkansas hosts Tennessee. The Volunteers are coming off their second consecutive look within the Elite Eight and are at present tied with North Carolina and Michigan State (40-1) for the Twentieth-best odds to win the 2026 title. in keeping with FanDuel.
Tennessee has taken full benefit of the switch portal over the past two years. The Volunteers landed Northern Colorado switch Dalton Knecht two years in the past, and he went from mid-major star to All-American. Final season, Tennessee introduced in North Florida guard Chaz Lanier, and he ended the season as one of many main scorers within the SEC. Ja’Kobi Gillespie highlights this 12 months’s switch clasee after taking part in a significant function in Maryland’s in Candy 16 run final 12 months. Tennessee welcomes five-star freshman Nate Ament — a projected top-five choose within the 2026 NBA Draft.
This sport will set the tone for convention play for each packages, and it is an effective way to start what must be one other large 12 months for the SEC.
SEC 2025-26 convention schedule
| Date | Matchup |
| Jan. 3 | Tennessee at Arkansas |
| Jan. 3 | Auburn at Georgia |
| Jan. 3 | Florida at Missouri |
| Jan. 3 | Vanderbilt at South Carolina |
| Jan. 3 | LSU at Texas A&M |
| Jan. 3 | Mississippi State at Texas |
| Jan. 3 | Ole Miss at Oklahoma |
| Jan. 3 | Kentucky at Alabama |
| Jan. 6/7 | Georgia at Florida |
| Jan. 6/7 | Oklahoma at Mississippi State |
| Jan. 6/7 | Alabama at Vanderbilt |
| Jan. 6/7 | Texas A&M at Auburn |
| Jan. 6/7 | Missouri at Kentucky |
| Jan. 6/7 | South Carolina at LSU |
| Jan. 6/7 | Arkansas at Ole Miss |
| Jan. 6/7 | Texas at Tennessee |
| Jan. 10 | Arkansas at Auburn |
| Jan. 10 | Tennessee at Florida |
| Jan. 10 | Mississippi State at Kentucky |
| Jan. 10 | Missouri at Ole Miss |
| Jan. 10 | Georgia at South Carolina |
| Jan. 10 | Oklahoma at Texas A&M |
| Jan. 10 | LSU at Vanderbilt |
| Jan. 10 | Texas at Alabama |
| Jan. 13/14 | Kentucky at LSU |
| Jan. 13/14 | Alabama at Mississippi State |
| Jan. 13/14 | Auburn at Missouri |
| Jan. 13/14 | Florida at Oklahoma |
| Jan. 13/14 | South Carolina at Arkansas |
| Jan. 13/14 | Ole Miss at Georgia |
| Jan. 13/14 | Texas A&M at Tennessee |
| Jan. 13/14 | Vanderbilt at Texas |
| Jan. 17 | South Carolina at Auburn |
| Jan. 17 | Arkansas at Georgia |
| Jan. 17 | Missouri at LSU |
| Jan. 17 | Ole Miss at Mississippi State |
| Jan. 17 | Kentucky at Tennessee |
| Jan. 17 | Florida at Vanderbilt |
| Jan. 17 | Texas A&M at Texas |
| Jan. 17 | Alabama at Oklahoma |
| Jan. 20/21 | Texas at Kentucky |
| Jan. 20/21 | Auburn at Ole Miss |
| Jan. 20/21 | Mississippi State at Texas A&M |
| Jan. 20/21 | Vanderbilt at Arkansas |
| Jan. 20/21 | LSU at Florida |
| Jan. 20/21 | Georgia at Missouri |
| Jan. 20/21 | Oklahoma at South Carolina |
| Jan. 24 | LSU at Arkansas |
| Jan. 24 | Auburn at Florida |
| Jan. 24 | Ole Miss at Kentucky |
| Jan. 24 | Vanderbilt at Mississippi State |
| Jan. 24 | Oklahoma at Missouri |
| Jan. 24 | South Carolina at Texas A&M |
| Jan. 24 | Georgia at Texas |
| Jan. 24 | Tennessee at Alabama |
| Jan. 27/28 | Texas at Auburn |
| Jan. 27/28 | Tennessee at Georgia |
| Jan. 27/28 | Mississippi State at LSU |
| Jan. 27/28 | Florida at South Carolina |
| Jan. 27/28 | Missouri at Alabama |
| Jan. 27/28 | Kentucky at Vanderbilt |
| Jan. 27/28 | Arkansas at Oklahoma |
| Jan. 31 | Kentucky at Arkansas |
| Jan. 31 | Alabama at Florida |
| Jan. 31 | Texas A&M at Georgia |
| Jan. 31 | Vanderbilt at Ole Miss |
| Jan. 31 | Mississippi State at Missouri |
| Jan. 31 | LSU at South Carolina |
| Jan. 31 | Auburn at Tennessee |
| Jan. 31 | Texas at Oklahoma |
| Feb. 3 | Texas A&M at Alabama |
| Feb. 3/4 | Oklahoma at Kentucky |
| Feb. 3/4 | South Carolina at Texas |
| Feb. 3/4 | Ole Miss at Tennessee |
| Feb. 7 | Alabama at Auburn |
| Feb. 7 | Tennessee at Kentucky |
| Feb. 7 | Georgia at LSU |
| Feb. 7 | Arkansas at Mississippi State |
| Feb. 7 | Missouri at South Carolina |
| Feb. 7 | Florida at Texas A&M |
| Feb. 7 | Oklahoma at Vanderbilt |
| Feb. 7 | Ole Miss at Texas |
| Feb. 10/11 | Alabama at Ole Miss |
| Feb. 10/11 | Missouri at Texas A&M |
| Feb. 10/11 | Vanderbilt at Auburn |
| Feb. 10/11 | Florida at Georgia |
| Feb. 10/11 | Arkansas at LSU |
| Feb. 11 | Tennessee at Mississippi State |
| Feb. 14 | Auburn at Arkansas |
| Feb. 14 | Kentucky at Florida |
| Feb. 14 | Mississippi State at Ole Miss |
| Feb. 14 | Texas at Missouri |
| Feb. 14 | LSU at Tennessee |
| Feb. 14 | Texas A&M at Vanderbilt |
| Feb. 14 | Georgia at Oklahoma |
| Feb. 14 | South Carolina at Alabama |
| Feb. 17/18 | South Carolina at Florida |
| Feb. 17/18 | Auburn at Mississippi State |
| Feb. 17/18 | LSU at Texas |
| Feb. 17/18 | Arkansas at Alabama |
| Feb. 17/18 | Georgia at Kentucky |
| Feb. 17/18 | Vanderbilt at Missouri |
| Feb. 17/18 | Oklahoma at Tennessee |
| Feb. 17/18 | Ole Miss at Texas A&M |
| Feb. 21 | Missouri at Arkansas |
| Feb. 21 | Kentucky at Auburn |
| Feb. 21 | Texas at Georgia |
| Feb. 21 | Alabama at LSU |
| Feb. 21 | Florida at Ole Miss |
| Feb. 21 | Mississippi State at South Carolina |
| Feb. 21 | Tennessee at Vanderbilt |
| Feb. 21 | Texas A&M at Oklahoma |
| Feb. 24 | Tennessee at Missouri |
| Feb. 24/25 | LSU at Ole Miss |
| Feb. 24/25 | Texas A&M at Arkansas |
| Feb. 24/25 | Kentucky at South Carolina |
| Feb. 24/25 | Georgia at Vanderbilt |
| Feb. 24/25 | Auburn at Oklahoma |
| Feb. 24/25 | Mississippi State at Alabama |
| Feb. 25 | Florida at Texas |
| Feb. 28 | Ole Miss at Auburn |
| Feb. 28 | Arkansas at Florida |
| Feb. 28 | South Carolina at Georgia |
| Feb. 28 | Vanderbilt at Kentucky |
| Feb. 28 | Oklahoma at LSU |
| Feb. 28 | Missouri at Mississippi State |
| Feb. 28 | Alabama at Tennessee |
| Feb. 28 | Texas at Texas A&M |
| March 3/4 | Texas at Arkansas |
| March 3/4 | Mississippi State at Florida |
| March 3/4 | Kentucky at Texas A&M |
| March 3/4 | LSU at Auburn |
| March 3/4 | Alabama at Georgia |
| March 3/4 | Tennessee at South Carolina |
| March 3/4 | Ole Miss at Vanderbilt |
| March 3/4 | Missouri at Oklahoma |
| March 7 | Florida at Kentucky |
| March 7 | Texas A&M at LSU |
| March 7 | South Carolina at Ole Miss |
| March 7 | Georgia at Mississippi State |
| March 7 | Arkansas at Missouri |
| March 7 | Vanderbilt at Tennessee |
| March 7 | Oklahoma at Texas |
| March 7 | Auburn at Alabama |