SEC scheduling upheaval
The SEC’s recent decision to adopt a nine‑game conference slate forced a ripple through non‑conference planning, and Memphis Athletics felt the impact directly. The conference’s revised schedule triggered a force‑majeure clause in the existing contract, leading Memphis to cancel the 2028 and 2029 home‑and‑home series with Mississippi State.
Under the new arrangement the two schools replaced the canceled series with a single guaranteed matchup slated for 2034 at Mississippi State’s campus. The original agreement, signed in 2020 under Laird Veatch, was later overseen by Ed Scott after he assumed the role in 2024.
Looking ahead
With power‑conference home games now harder to secure, Memphis has redirected its focus toward assembling a robust slate of Group of Six opponents, a strategy that aligns with the broader realignment of non‑conference scheduling. The Tigers hosted Arkansas in 2025 but currently have no future power‑conference opponent slated to play at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
The coming years will see the Tigers on the road against Arkansas in 2028 and 2030, while the Mississippi State game remains penciled in for 2034. The 2026 season will open on August 29 against UNLV, marking the first step in a schedule that prioritizes competitive matchups within the constraints of the new SEC framework.