Texas A&M helmet

Texas A&M will play Florida in College Station and visit Tennessee in its expanded Southeastern Conference football schedule revised by the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced on Friday.

Also, defending SEC and national champion LSU will host Missouri and visit Vanderbilt, while Alabama will travel to Missouri and host Kentucky.

The league on Friday released two additional cross-divisional opponents in a docket shortened to 10 conference-only games with play beginning on Sept. 26, two weeks later than several schools were scheduled to start. The dates for the games are to be determined.

The SEC will play 10 games over 12 weeks under the new schedule and conclude with the championship game on Dec. 19 after an open week. The divisional format will remain.

“We made every effort to create a schedule that is as competitive as possible and builds on the existing eight conference games that had already been scheduled for 2020,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This schedule is a one-year anomaly that we have developed under unique circumstances presented by the impact of COVID-19.”

Under normal circumstances, SEC schools play the other six teams in their division, two non-divisional opponents and four out-of-conference games each season. In the newly revised schedule for 2020, each school will play four non-divisional opponents in addition to the other six teams in its division.

A&M will also host Arkansas (moved from Arlington), Mississippi and LSU; and will visit Mississippi State, Auburn and Alabama.

Each school lost four non-league matchups that for some were a mix of marquee challenges and overmatched opponents.

LSU, looking to begin anew from a 15-0 championship season led by Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, had already lost an early non-conference matchup against visiting Texas from the Big 12. Alabama was scheduled to meet USC in Arlington and the game was postponed.

A&M also lost non-conference matchups against Colorado, Abilene Christian, North Texas and Fresno State.

Earlier Friday, the SEC announced its initial COVID-19 protocols for fall sports including football. Testing for football will typically come six days and three days before competition.

Coaches, staff and other personnel will be required to wear face coverings on the sidelines at sporting events this fall. The initial guidelines include testing requirements, procedures for infections and contact tracing and protocols for quarantine and isolation.

2020 NON-DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS

ALABAMA

Previously scheduled: vs. Georgia, at Tennessee

Added opponents: vs. Kentucky, at Missouri

ARKANSAS

Previously scheduled: vs. Tennessee, at Missouri

Added opponents: vs. Georgia, at Florida

AUBURN

Previously scheduled: vs. Kentucky, at Georgia

Added opponents: vs. Tennessee, at South Carolina

FLORIDA

Previously scheduled: vs. LSU, at Mississippi Miss

Added opponents: vs. Arkansas, at Texas A&M

GEORGIA

Previously scheduled: vs. Auburn, at Alabama

Added opponents: vs. Mississippi State, at Arkansas

KENTUCKY

Previously scheduled: vs. Mississippi State, at Auburn

Added opponents: vs. Mississippi, at Alabama

LSU

Previously scheduled: vs. South Carolina, at Florida

Added opponents: vs. Missouri, at Vanderbilt

MISSISSIPPI

Previously scheduled: vs. Florida, at Vanderbilt

Added opponents: vs. South Carolina, at Kentucky

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Previously scheduled: vs. Missouri, at Kentucky

Added opponents: vs. Vanderbilt, at Georgia

MISSOURI

Previously scheduled: vs. Arkansas, at Mississippi State

Added opponents: vs. Alabama, at LSU

SOUTH CAROLINA

Previously scheduled: vs. Texas A&M, at LSU

Added opponents: vs. Auburn, at Mississippi

TENNESSEE

Previously scheduled: vs. Alabama, at Arkansas

Added opponents: vs. Texas A&M, at Auburn

TEXAS A&M

Previously scheduled: vs. Vanderbilt, at South Carolina

Added opponents: vs. Florida, at Tennessee

VANDERBILT

Previously scheduled: vs. Mississippi, at Texas A&M

Added opponents: vs. LSU, at Mississippi State