Kentucky's SEC path revealed with brutal opening and closing weekends

The Cats definitely got no favors from the scheduling committee. See the full slate inside.
Texas v South Carolina
Texas v South Carolina | Eakin Howard/GettyImages

SEC basketball schedule release: Rivalries, rematches and a brutal road for Big Blue

The Southeastern Conference has dropped its full 2026 men's basketball schedule, and once again, it’s survival of the fittest. After a historic 2025 season that included a national championship for Florida and a record 14 NCAA Tournament bids, the SEC is eyeing an encore.

This year’s slate runs from January 3 to March 7, ending with a packed “Rivalry Saturday” before postseason chaos tips off at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, March 11–15. Every SEC team faces the full 15-team gauntlet, with three repeat opponents, two permanent rivals and one rotating rematch.

Kentucky’s path: No nights off

Mark Pope’s Wildcats don’t get to ease in. They start on the road at Alabama and travel to Arkansas, LSU, and Tennessee all before the end of January. Throw in a February finale at Florida and you’ve got one of the league’s most demanding road slates.

Here’s Kentucky’s full SEC schedule:

Saturday, Jan. 3 – at Alabama

Jan. 6/7 – vs. Missouri

Saturday, Jan. 10 – vs. Mississippi State

Jan. 13/14 – at LSU

Saturday, Jan. 17 – at Tennessee

Jan. 20/21 – vs. Texas

Saturday, Jan. 24 – vs. Ole Miss

Jan. 27/28 – at Vanderbilt

Saturday, Jan. 31 – at Arkansas

Feb. 3/4 – vs. Oklahoma

Saturday, Feb. 7 – vs. Tennessee

Saturday, Feb. 14 – at Florida

Feb. 17/18 – vs. Georgia

Saturday, Feb. 21 – at Auburn

Feb. 24/25 – at South Carolina

Saturday, Feb. 28 – vs. Vanderbilt

Mar. 3/4 – at Texas A&M

Saturday, Mar. 7 – vs. Florida

That’s a murderers’ row of road games and a chance for marquee wins at home. Tennessee and Florida get return trips to Rupp, while Texas’ first SEC visit to Lexington will be one to circle.

Around the league: Matchups that matter

Florida has a monster stretch late, closing with trips to Ole Miss and Kentucky after a Feb. 25 showdown vs. Texas. If the defending champs want to repeat, they’ll need to earn it.

Alabama vs. Auburn (Feb. 7) and Texas vs. Oklahoma (Mar. 7) highlight the league's heated rivalries. Both could carry massive tournament implications.

Tennessee draws double duty with Kentucky and Alabama — plus road trips to Missouri and Florida. If the Vols want to rise above last year’s Sweet 16 exit, they’ll need consistency.

Texas has a brutal sophomore dive into full-time SEC life with five road games against NCAA teams from last season, including stops at Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas.

Arkansas vs. Missouri (Mar. 7) might quietly be a massive game for March seeding on new Rivalry Saturday

Final thought:

The SEC is no longer just a football league. With the talent influx, high-profile coaching, and last season’s NCAA dominance, basketball season in the South now packs just as much heat. And if Kentucky wants to reassert itself nationally under Mark Pope, they’ll have to navigate one of the league’s toughest roads to get there.

Let the countdown to January begin.