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SEC weighs new rule requiring intra-conference transfers to sit out a season

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is poised to introduce a stricter transfer policy aimed at reducing the frequency of players switching teams within the league. Under the proposed rule, athletes who transfer to another SEC school would face a one-season ineligibility penalty, mirroring an older NCAA regulation that previously applied to all undergraduate transfers.

This move comes as the league adapts to the elimination of the spring transfer portal window, which once prevented intra-conference transfers during that period. The policy could discourage teams from targeting rivals’ players but might also push top talent to leave the SEC entirely for programs in other conferences.

The SEC’s decision reflects broader efforts to assert greater control over its athletic programs amid uncertainty over federal legislation like the Protect College Sports Act, which has yet to secure approval in the House. Legal challenges are expected if the rule is adopted, given the evolving landscape of college sports regulations and the financial stakes involved in player movement.

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