TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and ESPN on Wednesday unveiled the television schedule for the opening weeks of the 2026 college football season, with the University of Alabama slated for multiple nationally televised matchups to begin the year.
Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.
The Crimson Tide, ranked No. 16 in ESPN’s preseason poll, will open the 2026 campaign at home against East Carolina University at noon Sept. 5 on ABC.
The game is one of several marquee SEC matchups featured across ESPN networks during the conference’s opening weeks and will be part of a 61-game Week 1 lineup spanning from Sept. 3 through Labor Day.
Week 2 will feature Alabama’s first SEC game of the season, as the Crimson Tide travel to Lexington to face the University of Kentucky Wildcats at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 12 on ABC.
Alabama is also scheduled for another high-profile national broadcast in Week 3 when the Crimson Tide hosts Florida State University at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 19 on ABC. The matchup is part of an SEC on ABC tripleheader that day, alongside Georgia-Arkansas and LSU-Ole Miss.
The SEC Network’s 13th football season officially begins Sept. 3 with Missouri hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff, while the conference’s remaining game windows will be announced June 10 during a special edition of “Inside the 2026 Football Schedule.”
In addition to Alabama’s appearances, several other SEC programs will receive prominent national exposure during the season’s opening weeks, including Auburn University in the Aflac Kickoff Game against Baylor, LSU hosting Clemson in primetime and the University of Mississippi facing Louisville in the inaugural Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff in Nashville.
The SEC Championship Game is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Atlanta and will air on ABC.
Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Tuscaloosa, AL Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.