Sun Sep 07 00:00:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Alabama Football to Tweak 2026 Schedule Due to SEC Expansion**

**TUSCALOOSA, AL –** Alabama Crimson Tide Athletic Director Greg Byrne has announced that the university will be making a further adjustment to its 2026 football schedule in response to the SEC’s decision to move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning that year.

This follows the recent cancellation of a home-and-home series with West Virginia and the scheduling of a game against East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Byrne confirmed the upcoming change to *The Tuscaloosa News*, stating, “Scheduling conversations happen regularly. We still have one adjustment to make for the 2026 schedule.” He did not specify the nature of the adjustment or a timeline for the announcement.

Alabama currently has non-conference games slated against East Carolina (Sept. 5), South Florida (Sept. 12), and Florida State (Sept. 19) for 2026, in addition to its nine SEC matchups. The adjustment could involve dropping or moving one of these non-conference games, although the newly scheduled East Carolina contest seems unlikely to be affected. Alternatively, it could simply be a change of date.

The SEC’s expansion is expected to impact previously agreed-upon series with Power Four conference opponents like Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma State, mirroring the effect seen with the West Virginia series cancellation. Potential penalties for canceling the South Florida and Florida State games could reach $2 million and $500,000, respectively.

Looking ahead, Alabama’s future schedules include a Sept. 18, 2027, game at Ohio State, the start of a home-and-home series with the Buckeyes. In 2028, the Tide will host UT-Martin on Sept. 16, coached by Ty Simpson’s father, Jason Simpson, followed by a Sept. 23 trip to Oklahoma State.

Byrne emphasized the challenges of balancing a nine-game SEC schedule with the requirement to play at least one Power Four non-conference opponent. “We’ve done some preliminary studies, but obviously, going to nine SEC games, having to have Power Four non-conference games, that’s a lot,” Byrne stated. “There’s a requirement that we play one Power Four non-conference game, we will do that, and some of the matchups we have ahead of us with the Ohio States and the Notre Dames, we’re really excited about.”

Byrne assured fans that Alabama remains committed to providing exciting and competitive matchups each season.

**###**

Read More