Mixed in with the announcement of some of the biggest matchups on the ESPN family of networks for Week 0/Week 1 games, Alabama's season-opener in Bryant-Denny Stadium against East Carolina was also given a kickoff time and a network assignment.
Year three of the Kalen DeBoer era will officially kick off in Tuscaloosa on September 5th on ESPN at... 11 am CT.
Prepare to sweat. It will be approximately 350 degrees in Bryant-Denny by the time the second half of the Tide's season opener kicks off. DeBoer might want to shelf the black hoodie for this one. It should be safe to do so against an opponent against whom the Crimson Tide will be heavy favorites.
For the fans, start hydrating now. And perhaps bring a frozen pizza as a snack. It'll keep you cool for a little while and be at eating temperature by the time the game reaches halftime.
Alabama a part of an SEC triple-header on ABC to open the college football season
The good news for Alabama fans - at least those who will just be watching from the comforts of their couch instead of Satan's living room - will be that the early kick time will line up well with watching the marquee matchups of the day:
We'll know the full TV lineup by the end of this month, but here's what we've got so far for Week 0/Week 1. pic.twitter.com/GWTypGJCEJ
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) May 12, 2026
It's an SEC triple-header to open the season.
Right after the Alabama game will be a good old-fashioned hate watch with the beginning of the Comrade Harsin era in Atlanta as Auburn faces Baylor. You don't even have to flip the channel! A spiked beverage and a vomit bucket are encouraged, however. A man can only take so much of that ugly logo, orange in the stands, and horrendous football.
Following that matchup will be the primetime matchup of Clemson and LSU in Baton Rouge for Lane Kiffin's highly anticipated debut. You can't go wrong with that one as an Alabama fan. One of Kiffin or Dabo Swinney is going to fall on their face on national television. It's a win-win.
It's 110 days until the Alabama football season kicks off, which feels like an eternity. But little releases like this start to show the light peaking from the end of the tunnel, if ever so slightly. Progress is progress.
The biggest question facing Alabama between now and the season-opener against East Carolina will be which QB, Keelon Russell or Austin Mack, will lead the team onto the field for the first snaps of the season. Russell appears to have overtaken Mack as the favorite coming out of spring practice, but there's a whole lot of competition left between now and Week 1.
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