​The 2026 SEC media days will take place in Tampa, marking the first time Florida hosts the event. Spanning four days from Monday, July 20 to Thursday, July 23, every SEC head coach and three players are expected to address the media. Several major storylines are on the horizon: the SEC has not claimed a national championship in three consecutive seasons, with Georgia as the last title winner in 2022. The upcoming 2026 season also introduces nine conference games for the first time, which will be a central topic alongside conversations about name, image and likeness and the transfer portal. Another notable discussion point will be first-year LSU head coach Lane Kiffin departing Ole Miss in the midst of a College Football Playoff chase. The conference welcomes six new head coaches this season: Will Stein at Kentucky, Pete Golding at Ole Miss, Alex Golesh at Auburn, Lane Kiffin at LSU, Ryan Silverfield at Arkansas, and Jon Sumrall at Florida. Several coaches are also entering the season on the hot seat, including Shane Beamer of South Carolina, Jeff Lebby of Mississippi State, and Steve Sarkisian of Texas. Looking back, preseason predictions had Texas topping Georgia to win the 2025 SEC championship, but Georgia reached the SEC Championship game and defeated Alabama 28-7 to claim their second straight SEC title.
Here is the 2026 SEC media days schedule:
Monday, July 20
– Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel
– Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables
– Kentucky Wildcats head coach Will Stein
– Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz
Tuesday, July 21
– Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart
– Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh
– South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer
– Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea
Wednesday, July 22
– Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer
– Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall
– Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko
– Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding
Thursday, July 23
– Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby
– LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin
– Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian
– Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Ryan Silverfield
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: 2026 SEC media days schedule, top storylines