Riedell Report: SEC Announces 2026 Conference Schedule

By Andrew Riedell

The Road to Hoover and Omaha has to start somewhere, right? The SEC conference baseball schedule has usually been released around the third week of September, so it wasn't as random a Tuesday afternoon as it may have initially appeared. With fall practice already under way and exhibitions added to the calendar, let's break down each team’s schedule based on what teams are returning and bringing in, with home field advantage obviously playing a big role. 

Alabama (2025 SEC Record: 16-14) 

Road: at Kentucky, March 13-15; at Oklahoma, April 2-5; at Texas, April 17-19; at Tennessee, April 24-26; at South Carolina, May 8-10.

Home: Florida, March 20-22; Auburn, March 27-29; Arkansas, April 10-12; Vanderbilt, May 1-3; Ole Miss, May 14-16.

Breakdown: With what Alabama is returning, I could see them easily winning their first four series. There really is not going to be a home-field advantage for Kentucky and Oklahoma, in my opinion. I think that Alabama needs to win as many of those games in the front half of their conference schedule with the gauntlet they have in the back half. Having to face Arkansas, then travel to Texas and Tennessee, is SUCH a tough break for the Crimson Tide and could potentially make or break Alabama's postseason or hosting chances. They do dodge LSU, A&M, and Georgia, though, which could be seen as a win in their eyes, but that stretch in April is KILLER.

Arkansas: (2025 SEC Record: 20-10)

Road: at South Carolina, March 20-22; at Auburn, 2-5; at Alabama, April 10-12; at Missouri, April 24-26; at Kentucky, May 14-16. 

Home: Mississippi State, March 13-15; Florida, March 27-29; Georgia, April 17-19; Ole Miss, May 1-3; Oklahoma, May 8-10.

Breakdown: Does the SEC feel bad about Arkansas not winning it all last year or something? With the portal class and the guys that Arkansas is returning, anything short of a national seed and winning the SEC regular season title in some eyes will be considered a failure of a season. Is that harsh? No, I don't think so, because this is a dream draw. I see them MAYBE, and that is a tough MAYBE, losing only one or two series this season, both on the road at Auburn and Alabama. They lost seven games on the road last season, all in conference. With how their 2026 road conference schedule looks, I do not know if they will suffer even five road losses this season. 

Auburn: (2025 SEC Record: 17-13)

Road: at Missouri, March 13-15; at Alabama, March 27-29; at Florida, April 17-19; at Texas A&M, May 1-3; at Mississippi State, May 8-10.

Home: vs Texas, March 20-22; vs Arkansas, April 2-5; vs Kentucky, April 10-12, vs Oklahoma, April 24-26; vs Georgia, May 14-16. 

Breakdown: Auburn brings in a pretty solid transfer portal class, and I think it will be tested throughout this SEC schedule. The back to back home series vs Texas and Arkansas will tell me a lot about what this team's true potential is. If they win both of those series, we could be seeing Auburn as a Top 5 team in the country, with the rest of their series pretty winnable. Back-to-back road series in May at College Station and Starkville could also tell us a lot about how serious this Auburn team can be. 

Florida: (2025 SEC Record: 15-15)

Road: at Alabama, March 20-22; at Arkansas, March 27-29; at Georgia, April 10-12; at Oklahoma, May 1-3; at LSU, May 14-16.

Home: vs South Carolina, March 13-15; vs Ole Miss, April 2-5; vs Auburn, April 17-19; vs Texas A&M, April 24-26; vs Kentucky, May 8-10.

Breakdown: The Gators bring back a veteran pitching staff and bring in some really good transfers as well. This road schedule is a GAUNTLET; meanwhile, the home schedule feels a little underwhelming. When it comes to early impressions, looking at rosters and what not, I see Florida going through their home schedule pretty easily. But then, getting to that road schedule, they will struggle, mostly because the teams they’re facing are LOADED as well. Their schedule also is favorable, because they only have one stretch where they are on the road back-to-back weekends. A good mix of home and away makes me think Florida can dominate in the SEC with this schedule.

Georgia: (SEC Record: 18-12)

Road: at Texas A&M, March 20-22; at Mississippi State, April 2-5; at Arkansas, April 17-19; at Ole Miss, April 24-26; at Auburn, May 14-16.

Home: vs Tennessee, March 13-15; vs South Carolina, March 27-29; vs Florida, April 10-12; vs Missouri, May 1-3; vs LSU, May 8-10.

Breakdown: So you know that old saying? "You have to beat the best to be the best." That is what Georgia is going to have to do, in my opinion. Obviously the talk of the college baseball off season is the haul of transfer portal prospects Wes Johnson has brought into Athens. They will be tested right off the bat, welcoming in a hungry Tennessee squad, but getting South Carolina and Missouri at home is favorable. The road slate is a TOUGH one, as in a four-week span, they go to Starkville, Fayetteville, and Oxford. Let’s see if the trend of feeding the trees continues this upcoming season. 

Kentucky: (SEC Record: 13-17)

Road: at Ole Miss, March 20-22; at LSU, March 27-29; at Auburn, April 10-12; at South Carolina, April 24-26; at Florida, May 8-10.

Home: vs Alabama, March 13-15; vs Missouri, April 2-5; vs Vanderbilt, April 17-19; vs Tennessee, May 1-3; vs Arkansas, May 14-16.

Breakdown: Kentucky had a down year last year as they barely got to that 13 win mark as they held leads in nearly all 30 SEC games last season. The SEC repays them by playing the top half of the SEC standings from last year. The nice thing about this schedule is two things: The first thing is that it flips back and forth home one weekend then on the road for the next weekend. The second thing I like for Kentucky is they do get some winnable series right out of the gate. I see them taking series vs Alabama, Missouri to open conference play. 

LSU: (SEC Record: 19-11)

Road: at Vanderbilt, March 13-15; at Tennessee, April 2-5; at Ole Miss, April 10-12; at Mississippi State, April 24-26; at Georgia, May 8-10. 

Home: vs Oklahoma, March 20-22; vs Kentucky, March 27-29; vs Texas, A&M April 17-19; vs South Carolina, May 1-3; Florida, May 14-16.

Breakdown: The national champions draw a national-champion-like schedule assigned a really tough road schedule and a winnable home schedule. LSU took 2025 series from Tennessee, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, flipping just the locations for the 2026 matchups. I see LSU winning only two of these series in my opinion. Many are wary LSU does not have a setback like they did in 2024 after winning the 2023 national championship. All in all, I think LSU could easily stay in the top half of the SEC with this schedule. 

Mississippi State: (SEC Record: 15-15)

Road: at Arkansas, March 13-15; at Ole Miss, March 27-29; at South Carolina, April 17-19; at Texas, May 1-3; at Texas A&M, May 14-16. 

Home: vs Vanderbilt, March 20-22; vs Georgia, April 2-5; vs Tennessee, April 10-12; vs LSU, April 24-26; vs Auburn, May 8-10.

Breakdown: Welcome to the SEC, Brian O’Connor! Obviously with a new head coach and a bunch of new but highly rated transfers, we do not really know what this new era of Mississippi State baseball will look like. One thing I know, though, is that Ace Reese will most likely tear it up, and he is one of the lone returners that you can add his name in pen to the starting lineup. From early looks of this schedule, it is a tough road slate and not the ACC anymore. The good thing is that Mississippi State has the capacity and the history of drawing the largest campus crowds in college baseball (and arguably the best stadium atmosphere in the SEC, too), so the fans are going to show up for them as well. 

Missouri: (SEC Record: 3-27)

Road: at Tennessee, March 20-22; at Kentucky, April 2-5; at Oklahoma, April 17-19; at Georgia, May 1-3; at Texas, May 14-16. 

Home: vs Auburn, March 13-15; vs Texas A&M, March 27-29; vs South Carolina, April 10-12; vs Arkansas, April 24-26; vs Vanderbilt, May 8-10.

Breakdown: Why did the SEC not put the Texas A&M series as the last series of the season? That could have been the best series of the season again. Missouri has a lot of question marks coming into this season, and this schedule is a gauntlet, so it does not help a Missouri team filled with question marks. The big question this season for Missouri is over/under 3.5 conference wins? I talked to multiple SEC head coaches, and they see Missouri as a season-changing opponent, as in, if you lose one to them, how their RPI could adversely affect you.

Oklahoma: (SEC Record: 14-16)

Road: at LSU, March 20-22; at Texas, March 27-29; at Vanderbilt, April 10-12; at Auburn, April 24-26; at Arkansas, May 8-10.

Home: vs Texas A&M, March 13-15; vs Alabama, April 2-5; vs Missouri, April 17-19; vs Florida, May 1-3; vs Tennessee May 14-16. 

Breakdown: When I was typing out the schedule for Oklahoma, I realized one thing. This team is going to have a NEW look, having lost their whole starting rotation, closer, and some really key offensive weapons. I trust Skip Johnson, though, to keep this team in contention. In their second year in the SEC, they will get the full road experience, taking trips to Baton Rouge, Austin, and Fayetteville, where the Top 3 teams in the country reside. But, their home schedule in the front half is very favorable. Alabama, Missouri, and Texas A&M are ALL winnable series. 

Ole Miss: (SEC Record: 16-14)

Road: at Texas, March 13-15; at Florida, April 2-5; at Tennessee, April 17-19; at Arkansas, May 1-3; at Alabama, May 14-16.

Home: vs Kentucky, March 20-22; vs Mississippi State, March 27-29; vs LSU, April 10-12; vs Georgia, April 24-26; vs Texas A&M, May 8-10.

Breakdown: We head into year 26 of the Mike Bianco Era in Oxford, and this might be his biggest year yet. A few years after he made it to Omaha and won the national championship, an Ole Miss in-state rival made a slam-dunk hire to put more competitive pressure on him. The schedule is a tough one, but with Ole Miss bringing back a lot of their current core, I think they will make some nice strides in the SEC once again. 

South Carolina (SEC Record 6-24)

Road: at Florida, March 13-15; at Georgia, March 27-29; at Missouri, April 10-12; at LSU, May 1-3; at Vanderbilt, May 14-16.

Home: vs Arkansas, March 20-22; vs Texas, April 2-5; vs Mississippi State, April 17-19; vs Kentucky, April 24-26; vs Alabama, May 8-10.

Breakdown: In Coach Paul Maineri's second year at South Carolina, he is equipped with a loaded portal class to go through some of the toughest SEC environments, including a homecoming in Baton Rouge, where he will face off with his former school LSU. Same thing I said with a few of these other schools, it is somewhat hard to breakdown the schedule with how many new guys the Gamecocks are bringing in this season. I have high hopes for South Carolina, though.

Tennessee: (SEC Record 16-14)

Road: at Georgia, March 13-15; at Vanderbilt, March 27-29; at Mississippi State, April 10-12; at Kentucky, May 1-3; at Oklahoma, May 14-16.

Home: vs Missouri, March 20-22; vs LSU, April 2-5; vs Ole Miss, April 17-19; vs Alabama, April 24-26; vs Texas, May 8-10.

Breakdown: Tennessee at times seemed to be the best team in the country last year, before running into a late season collapse. I say collapse, because this was a team primed to be a national seed that ended up dropping five of the last six SEC series and was then swept at Arkansas in the Super Regionals. Now, they bring in a whole new Friday-Saturday duo and replace the majority of their lineup. Is this "The Tennessee Empire Strikes Back?" Will they be the villain again this season, or will they peak too early again?

Texas: (SEC Record 22-8)

Road: at Auburn, March 20-22; at South Carolina, April 2-5; Texas A&M, April 10-12; at Vanderbilt, April 24-26; at Tennessee, May 8-10.

Home: vs Ole Miss, March 13-15; vs Oklahoma, March 27-29; vs Alabama, April 17-19; vs Mississippi State, May 1-3; vs Missouri, May 14-16.

Breakdown: Texas, be aware. You end with Missouri at home. The last time Missouri played a Texas SEC school during their senior weekend, it did not go well. Okay, jokes aside, Texas comes into its second year in the SEC with a lot of expectations to win the Regular Season title again. Their schedule favors that in my opinion, with only two difficult road trips, to College Station (Series of the Year with Schloss returning), and to Knoxville. Both are going to have Super Regional feels, but outside of that, I think this Texas team is going to be loaded will take care of business. 

Texas A&M (SEC Record: 11-19)

Road: at Oklahoma, March 13-15; at Missouri, March 27-29; at LSU, April 17-19; at Florida, April 24-26; at Ole Miss, May 8-10.

Home: vs Georgia, March 20-22; vs Vanderbilt, April 2-5; vs Texas, April 10-12; vs Auburn, May 1-3; vs Mississippi State, May 14-16.

Breakdown: Well, I think all eyes are on Texas A&M this season. You go from The Championship Series in Omaha and Preseason #1 to getting swept by Missouri to missing the NCAA Tournament. How does the SEC treat them? By giving them a challenging schedule, where they replace again a good chunk of their starters. But, I actually believe in A&M to get back to the tournament, because college baseball is fun when the Aggies are good. They also welcome Jim Schlossnagle back to College Station, where I expect a friendly series with everyone excited to see each other!

Vanderbilt (SEC Record: 19-11)

Road: at Mississippi State, March 20-22; at Texas, A&M April 2-5; at Kentucky, April 17-19; at Alabama, May 1-3; at Missouri, May 8-10. 

Home: vs LSU, March 13-15; vs Tennessee, March 27-29; vs Oklahoma, April 10-12; vs Texas, April 24-26; vs South Carolina, May 14-16.

Breakdown: The SEC Tournament champions and the #1 Overall seed in last year's NCAA Tournament, the Vanderbilt Commodores will look to bounce back after a regional exit to rival Louisville; and I think they got a very favorable draw. With solid matchups on the road and good enough opponents at home, they should be able to pick up one win per series and even win rubber matches with some of the pitchers they are bringing in.

*****